CAMT Going Beyond Growth Mindset: Effective Effort Conference for the Advancement of Mathematics Teaching July Lisa Brown and Brian Newsom The Charles A. Dana Center at The University of Texas at Austin 1 Today s discussion The growth mindset movement Why growth mindset alone is insufficient Supporting students effective effort Exploring available resources 2 1
CAMT Introduction to the Charles A. Dana Center What we do Advance effective math and science education for all students, from kindergarten to college Provide innovative resources that promote student engagement, motivation, and persistence in support of academic achievement Work alongside teachers, administrators, and policymakers at the local, state, and national level to support education systems that put students on a path to success 3 1980s Emerging Scholars Program (ESP) 1990s Charles A. Dana Center 2007 Academic Youth Development (AYD) 2
Going Beyond Growth Mindset: Effective Effort CAMT Other research contributors Robert Balfanz Albert Bandura Carol Dweck School culture Self-efficacy Growth mindset David Yeager Barry Zimmerman Social-cognitive development Self-regulation Jacquelynne Eccles Motivation Key concepts from psychology and the learning sciences Learning mindsets (selfbelief) Effective effort Culture of learning (belonging to a community of learners) 6 3
CAMT Carol Dweck and mindsets about intelligence Distinguished professor of psychology at Stanford University More than 25 years of research into the critical role of mindsets in business, sports, and education and for selfregulation and persistence 7 Growth mindset A growth mindset is the belief that you can consistently develop your talents and abilities. How can we promote this belief among colleagues and students? 8 4
CAMT Consequences related to fixed and malleable views of intelligence (Dweck, 1999) Most students who view intelligence as being fixed: Avoid challenges and seek easy successes pass up valuable learning opportunities Desire to look smart at all costs Worry about failure and question their ability Most students who view intelligence as being malleable: Pursue and enjoy challenges Care less about looking smart Engage in self-monitoring and self-instruction 9 Feedback and praise Less of this Great job on that quiz! You re so smart. You are a really good at this. More of this I like the effort you put in. What strategies have you tried? What will you try next? I m glad you chose to work on one of the harder problems you re going to learn a lot. You re improving in I m giving you this feedback because I care about you. What can you learn from these mistakes? Confusion is a good sign that you are building new pathways in your brain. Wow, you finished so quickly! Next time, I ll find something more challenging for you. 10 5
CAMT Two cautions related to growth mindset It s not You can do anything! It s not just about effort. 11 Dweck s latest recommendations For educators Understand that we re all a mixture of growth and fixed mindsets Explore and watch for your own fixed mindset Focus on the learning process. Effort that leads to learning and improvement is the ultimate goal. Don t use mindsets to label students (or yourself) Treat mistakes and failures as beneficial for learning Teach students basic information about how the brain changes during learning. 12 6
CAMT Demystify intelligence 13 Consider this class motto Mistakes are Expected Respected Inspected Observed and shared by Jo Boaler, Stanford Professor of Mathematics https://www.youcubed.org 14 7
CAMT Growth mindset and classroom culture In classrooms with a growth mindset culture, students don t have to choose between being cool and being smart create a learning community in which they and teachers work together to increase everyone s knowledge view mistakes as learning opportunities engage in meaningful discussions about mathematical content with teachers and fellow students understand that learning take effort and persistence. 15 Key concepts from psychology and the learning sciences Learning mindsets (selfbelief) Effective effort Culture of learning (belonging to a community of learners) 16 8
CAMT Our approach Psychological & neuroscience research Challenging academic work Learning & problemsolving strategies Classroom culture and climate 17 Let s apply some effort! Task 1: Coin challenge task Task 2: Miles of tiles, levels C and up Task 3: Egyptian fractions Task 4: Going to school Task 5: The Wheel Shop, levels B and up 18 9
CAMT Thinking about Thinking: Self-Reflection Tool Copyright 2011 Agile Mind, Inc. Content copyright 2012 Charles A. Dana Center, The University of Texas at Austin. Used with permission 19 Mathematical process standards The student is expected to: (A) Apply mathematics to problems arising in everyday life, society, and the workplace (B) Use a problem-solving model that incorporates analyzing given information, formulating a plan or strategy, determining a solution, justifying the solution, and evaluating the problem-solving process and the reasonableness of the solution (C) Select tools, including real objects, manipulatives, paper and pencil, and technology as appropriate, and techniques, including mental math, estimation, and number sense as appropriate, to solve problems (D) Communicate mathematical ideas, reasoning, and their implications using multiple representations, including symbols, diagrams, graphs, and language as appropriate (E) Create and use representations to organize, record, and communicate mathematical ideas (F) Analyze mathematical relationships to connect and communicate mathematical ideas (G) Display, explain, and justify mathematical ideas and arguments using precise mathematical language in written or oral communication 20 10
CAMT Shifts represented by the new process standards The placement of the process standards at the beginning of the knowledge and skills is intentional. The processes describe how students should engage with the content. The process standards provide connections to the content standards across and within grade levels. The intent has shifted towards students using mathematical processes to acquire and demonstrate their personal mathematical understanding. Sources: 2012 TEKS, Introduction, paragraph 2; The Revised Math TEKS (2012): Applying the Mathematical Process Standards www.texasmathsupportcenter.org, 21 New standards, new opportunities Mathematical Content Mathematical Processes Classroom culture and climate 22 11
CAMT Promoting growth mindsets with challenging tasks Rich mathematical tasks include: Students as the workers and the decision-makers High-level thinking and reasoning by students Discussion, collaboration, or active inquiry Multiple layers of complexity Multiple entry points Multiple solutions and/or strategies Content Standards Process Standards Rich Tasks Academic Rigor 23 Effective effort: Thinking about thinking 24 12
CAMT Dana Center persistence tasks and tools www.insidemathematics.org Problems of the month Formative assessment tasks www.learningandtheadolescentmind.org Persistence tasks with interactive features Towers of Hanoi, Three Bucket Problem Persistence tools Thinking About Thinking Tool, Self-Reflection Tool 25 Effective effort: What action can we take? Demystify intelligence Praise effort: highlight process, strategies and progress Model positive views: convey that confusion is signal of learning and that mistakes are opportunities Explore and watch for your own fixed mindset Provide students with challenging tasks and support them through struggle rather than around it Explicitly model and teach strategies for persistence and reflecting on learning Connect effective effort to growth mindset 26 13
CAMT Key concepts from psychology and the learning sciences Learning mindsets (selfbelief) Effective effort Culture of learning (belonging to a community of learners) 27 Our approach Psychological & neuroscience research Challenging academic work Learning & problemsolving strategies Classroom culture and climate 28 14
CAMT Culture of learning 29 Actions to support a growth mindset culture which includes belonging and mutual accountability Provide opportunities for collaboration and discourse Encourage a broad range of competencies/approaches Promote cooperative learning and shared accountability Provide autonomy/choice in task, team, process Model and monitor the climate for interactions among students 30 15
CAMT Other research contributors Robert Balfanz School culture Albert Bandura Self-efficacy Carol Dweck Growth mindset Jacquelynne Eccles Motivation David Yeager Social-cognitive development Barry Zimmerman Self-regulation What resources support us in taking action? Dana Center Collaborations Inside Mathematics www.insidemathematics.org Problems of the month Formative assessment tasks Learning and the Adolescent Mind www.learningandtheadolescentmind.org Persistence tasks with interactive features Towers of Hanoi, Bucket Problem Persistence tools Thinking About Thinking Tool, Self- Reflection Tool Academic Youth Development and Intensified Algebra www.agilemind.com 32 16
CAMT Learning and the Adolescent Mind Free resources Malleability of intelligence Self-efficacy and motivation Effective effort Culture of learning www.learningandtheadolescentmind.org 33 Resources www.learningandtheadolescentmind.org Professional development Articles and collaborative study guides Classroom tools Video to teach students about the brain Interactive problem-solving puzzles Problem-solving and self-reflection tools Further reading 34 17
CAMT AYD family of programs Summer-Start 3-week summer bootcamp experience Prepares students for success in Algebra I School-Year Advisory or support period during the school year Learn and apply strategies in academic classes Intensified Algebra Extended-time Algebra intervention TEKS aligned course Students 1 to 3 years behind in mathematics Succeed in Algebra I in one year Educator 15-hour blended PD experience on powerful research and practices Equips educators to enhance student achievement Student programs include 2.5 days in-person Professional Development (PD) for teachers and job-embedded PD for every day of program enactment. 35 Supporting successful transitions through Algebra I: Accelerating success with two pathways 36 18
CAMT Taking action How will you start your 2018 school year with a growth mindset and effective effort culture? What will you need to do between now and then to get off to a strong start? With whom can you collaborate for greater impact? (teachers, parents, paraprofessionals, leaders ) 37 Contact information Lisa Brown lisabrown@austin.utexas.edu @utdclisa Brian Newsom bnewsom@austin.utexas.edu @utdcbrian www.utdanacenter.org www.insidemathematics.org 38 19