Growth Mindset by Hope Weston

2026-03-25 02:29:04 UTC

Interesting concept that I do agree with. I think by showing students mistakes are okay, getting something wrong is okay, working through something that you don't know right away IS. OKAY. This will boost student confidence, boost student retention of information, and participation in the classroom!

2026-03-25 02:29:58 UTC

I really liked the idea of needing mistakes for our brains to grow. I think that if students are taught this concept at a young age, they will more accepting of mistakes and more willing to make them.

2026-03-25 02:31:11 UTC

I find it incredibly interesting the brain grows from struggle or making a mistake. In high school, I was hard on myself in math and felt like such a failure if I made a mistake but little did I know my brain was growing.

2026-03-25 02:31:28 UTC

I think it's good to teach students a growth mindset, and even letting them know that mistakes are needed for learning can definitely encourage them to keep trying!

2026-03-25 02:31:29 UTC

I like that it said students should not view mistakes as learning failures but as learning achievements.

sabrinapoole2 — 2026-03-25 02:31:44 UTC

I found this very interesting especially structuring math lessons to have more open ended answers or not right/wrong answers. And also having students explain their thinking even if it not the right answer. The struggle is key to building brain growth and becoming stronger at math.

2026-03-25 02:32:03 UTC

It made me reflect on how math is often taught as a performance-based subject instead of a learning experience. Many students focus on getting the right answer rather than understanding the process. One idea that stood out to me is that mistakes are actually valuable because they help the brain grow. This reinforced the importance of creating a classroom environment where students feel comfortable taking risks, thinking deeply, and learning from their mistakes instead of fearing them.

2026-03-25 02:32:22 UTC

I liked the part of math being the biggest confident killer. I remember in high school during statistics that I was super frustrated and upset because I felt like I couldn't keep up. But persistence allowed me to pass and finally show myself that I can do it.

andreahigginbotham — 2026-03-25 02:32:24 UTC

like that mistakes are a tool in learning. Getting it "wrong" helps student's brain

overview

2026-03-25 02:32:25 UTC

it emphasizes shifting classroom from performance focused to learning focused environments. it encourages valuing mistakes as opportunities for growth and promoting a growth mindset in math.it highlights the importance of deep understanding, collaboration, and open ended problem solving rather than speed and memorization. the approach supports all learners especially those who struggle , by building confidence and positive math identities.

2026-03-25 02:32:27 UTC

We should create a supportive environment where mistakes are valued. This would allow students to feel more comfortable making errors and taking risks.

I can understand the reasoning in the article. The challenge is that this approach is so deeply conflicting with the way we are expected to gauge success.

2026-03-25 02:32:36 UTC

2026-03-25 02:32:46 UTC

"Your only limit is your mind" is a quote I've related to for years.

I thought it was really interesting how it is much more present in the Western world than in other places and we can see how places that don't have that fixed mindset tends to thrive more in mathematics.

2026-03-25 02:32:49 UTC

That your brain grows when you make mistakes.

Students miss the beauty of math when they're blinded by the performance of getting the right answer.

2026-03-25 02:32:50 UTC

kyliejohnson42004 — 2026-03-25 02:32:58 UTC

I liked how they are trying to change the mindset from a fixed one to a growth mindset. I think that it is important to understand that the pressure of being good at math comes from the preconceived notion that it is a gift rather than an ability to be used forces students to feel like they are going to fail.

2026-03-25 02:33:02 UTC

Celebrate mistakes as growth!

Math is about learning, not performing!

Loved the idea about writing down feelings around math and crumpling them up before unfolding and highlighting the brain growth!

2026-03-25 02:33:03 UTC

love the crumpled paper idea

Also "different strenths at different times"

2026-03-25 02:33:08 UTC

I did not know there was actual science to backup growth mindset, it made sense but very cool to see the science behind it.

2026-03-25 02:33:13 UTC

I find this interesting when students struggle with Math and make mistakes, their brains actually grow!!

andreahigginbotham — 2026-03-25 02:33:19 UTC

curious how next year's new math curriculum will roll out for both students and staff.

2026-03-25 02:33:20 UTC

Mistakes lead to growth, and the disbelief of achievement is a western issue passed down with statements like " I am a math person" or "I am not a math person". We have to believe everyone is capable.

mmeadows7777 — 2026-03-25 02:33:26 UTC

Growth mindset! I love the Idea of students sharing math errors aloud it gives them a chance to change their mindset and think differently.

2026-03-25 02:33:27 UTC

It is interesting to see that your brain grows when you make mistakes. Also that speed is not important. I liked how the teacher called on students that made a mistake to share what they did wrong.

2026-03-25 02:33:28 UTC

Discomfort is good, it allows us to learn and grow

jenniferjgregor — 2026-03-25 02:33:29 UTC

I appreciated the idea that math is too much answering and not enough learning- from a 6 year old. I feel like this ties in with Math Talks, giving children time to learn from each other, from their mistakes, time for dialogue amongst each other.

Why aren't more teachers trained in teaching math this way? I feel like there is a lot of old school mindset still when it comes to math.

2026-03-25 02:33:29 UTC

I like that working the problem from a different direction gives student different ways to think and learn.

vickyw9 — 2026-03-25 02:33:31 UTC

2026-03-25 02:33:39 UTC

Love that mistakes make the brain grow. I also liked seeing the area example, since I am actually teaching that right now with 5th graders. It makes so much sense to create questions and problems for students to come up with an answer multiple different ways. Giving them one concrete way to do something limits their ability to make their own connection to the problem itself.

I really liked how it called out that math is often treated as a performance subject instead of a learning subject. I think a lot of students feel pressure to get the right answer quickly, which can make them afraid to take risks or try new strategies. We should move away from expecting the right answers and encourage growth through making mistakes.

2026-03-25 02:33:40 UTC

2026-03-25 02:33:42 UTC

I found it interesting how research said that connections are made in the brain and synapses fire when students make mistakes doing math.

diagnostic feedback

2026-03-25 02:33:42 UTC

wondering what this looks like

I love the idea of calling over students who made mistakes to share with the class so they could learn from their mistakes too...it is motivational to know that perseverance in math and just keep going will only strengthen you to learn the subject ...at your own pace

2026-03-25 02:33:45 UTC

2026-03-25 02:33:49 UTC

I like how the article and video use empirical data to back up the idea that everyone can do higher-level math. The article suggests emphasizing questions that lead to exploring rather than memorizing steps, so for example finding a rectangle with a particular volume rather than performing a rote calculation

2026-03-25 02:33:50 UTC

This reminds me of what we learned in EDU 102 regarding rigor. open-ended, thought-provoking tasks keep students inquisitive. Learning > performance. Mistakes = growth. Natural ability is a myth.

2026-03-25 02:33:50 UTC

I thought it was interesting that "when students make a mistake in math, their brain grows, synapses fire, and connections are made; when they do the work correctly, there is no brain growth" (Moser et al. 2011). It is vital that students feel as if they are gaining knowledge when they make a mistake. This allows students to grow and not feel as if they are "not smart".

2026-03-25 02:33:53 UTC

Belief in self intelligence allows persistence in mathematics. Good teaching allows better results for students to grow in math. Through struggles and making mistakes within a problem, the brain looks to make connections to solve and persevere through the obstacle it faces. Which then allows us to make synapses that will last forever.

2026-03-25 02:33:55 UTC

All students can learn mathematics to high levels with good teaching experiences.

Teachers should offer mathematics as a learning subject, not a

performance subject. Most students asked what they think their role is in math classrooms say it is to answer questions correctly. They don’t think they are in math classrooms to appreciate the beauty of mathematics.

2026-03-25 02:33:57 UTC

The article challenges conventions that I currently practice (such as looking for right / wrong answers) so it was helpful to get checked by this article!

2026-03-25 02:34:01 UTC

I found it interesting that more growth came from mistakes. What an amazing new pathway to present lessons and teach growth!

When students struggle with mathematics, their brains grow

2026-03-25 02:34:15 UTC

2026-03-25 02:34:16 UTC

The example of finding a rectangle with the area of 24 ft rather than ask what the area of this rectangle is given this length and width really stood out to me. A lot of times we give students tasks to find this answer rather than fully think about the topic they are learning.

2026-03-25 02:34:22 UTC

When you remove the aspect of having to get the right answer to actually learning. You open the path to true learning by trial and error

2026-03-25 02:34:25 UTC

One of the things that stood out to me in the article was the fact that research shows that there is not brain growth when a student can answer a question as opposed to when they make a mistake. When it comes to math, I always felt defeated when I didn't understand something so I think it could have been really helpful to have had this kind of mindset growing up. Changing the approach.

2026-03-25 02:34:29 UTC

I was like Lambert's son, I thought math was about getting problems either right or wrong, it's very black and white. I've heard some people say that they like this about math, there's no gray area. It's exactly what I didn't like. Now, thinking about math with more of a growth mindset, I see that math is in so many beautiful things like art and music, and recognizing that is something that requires a fresh perspective on math, a growth mindset.

2026-03-25 02:34:33 UTC

Super-exciting because I have begun to suspect that competition for the top grades was crushing some of my deep thinking students. I've stopped writing grades on tests. I just correct and discuss.

2026-03-25 02:34:41 UTC

Process > outcome

wiedeman1953 — 2026-03-25 02:34:49 UTC

I like that mistakes arent bad, it can show progress. But, for me right now, i still feel that some people are better suited for math.

2026-03-25 02:35:01 UTC

I really loved this article a lot. I found the ideas on how to teach math very inspiring and applicable. A quote that stood out to me was "When students struggle with mathematics, their brains grow; being outside their comfort zone is an extremely important place to be." I believe this is super important, but you need to have a positive classroom culture to make this meaningful.

2026-03-25 02:35:06 UTC

I have been hearing about growth mindsets since I was young since both of my parents are educators. I am very glad growth mindsets have become more and more prevalent as I have always thought it was important idea but I did not experience it as much in school so I am excited to teach with it.

2026-03-25 02:35:11 UTC

This made me realize that the reason I "love" math and am "good at it" is because my dad took the learning aproach to guiding me through math at a young age despite that being the opposite of how it was taught in my classrooms.

Jamie P.

2026-03-25 02:35:18 UTC

This article gives way to understanding that math is not just for solving problems and answering questions with one solution in mind, it encourages teachers and students to think outside the box and challenge the norms that have been produced by a western way of thinking. Math should be used to help draw connections and allow students to make mistakes in order to grow.

2026-03-25 02:35:21 UTC

I thought it was very interesting that a simple question change could change the course of thinking entirely. The example they gave was solving for the area of a rectangle with sides of 12x2 vs asking students to find a L & W for a rectangle with an area of 24. Often we focus so much on completing problems and passing tests, that students really don't get to experience math creatively.

I loved the sentence, "...working on complex mathematics enables brain connections to develop," because it explains why the method was effective when the teacher had the students who made a mistake come up to the board to go over it together so that everyone could learn from it. The only question I have is about "high-quality teaching methods" and what that actually looks like.

2026-03-25 02:35:29 UTC

2026-03-25 02:35:35 UTC

I think this article really reiterated one of our core ideas as teachers, which is to genuinely believe that every student can be successful in every subject. Rejecting the idea that some people are math people and others are English people, the growth mindset proves that the belief in students and in themselves deeply impacts their success.

Great Article! Mistakes are good to help students grow and think critically. It helps them to think deeply, and their brain start to learn.

2026-03-25 02:35:51 UTC

2026-03-25 02:35:56 UTC

I like the idea that in order to grow and succeed in math you need to make mistakes, and celebrate those mistakes! I also love the idea that math should be creative and imaginative, this is a new concept for me!

2026-03-25 02:36:02 UTC

I like how it recognized it was a nationwide problem how a shift in thought process can possibly lead to a complete culture change.

2026-03-25 02:36:47 UTC

One of the most damaging myths about mathematics is the belief that some people are naturally good at math while others are not.

Growing up, my mom would often tell me it was okay that I struggled with math because she wasn’t good at it either. While she meant to comfort me, messages like that can unintentionally reinforce the idea that math ability is fixed rather than something that can grow with effort and support. I now realize how important it is to help students see that everyone is capable of learning math and improving their skills over time.

2026-03-25 02:37:04 UTC

I am reflecting on a recent encounter with a student who had gotten so upset with a math worksheet. He had worked for so long on it, only to discover that he had done the equations wrong. And he was so disappointed that he yelled and kicked the chair over. It frightened me; but the reframe here is that his brain was growing in the discovery of his errors. I also loved the idea that students have different strengths at different times. And that mistakes are the path- here's a song for folks!

2026-03-25 02:37:16 UTC

I think this reading really helps to put into perspective how having a growth mindset is the most important part of a students abilities. Teach them they can do anything they want and that getting something wrong is only helping them.

2026-03-25 02:39:54 UTC

I like how it says that making mistakes is bad, I like this because you won't get something fast you take time to learn it better so by making mistakes it's showing that they learning

2026-03-25 03:03:02 UTC

In the article a quote really stood out to me because it really takes a lot to tell yourself you can learn the concept regardless how much time you need to take.

"Capasity of the brain to change, rewire, and grow in a really short time"