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Math teachers and growth mindset
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Math teachers and growth mindset
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Content
Math Teachers and Growth Mindset
Donna Rahimian
Rossier School of Education
University of Southern California
A dissertation submitted to the faculty
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Education
May 2023
© Copyright by Donna Rahimian 2023
All Rights Reserved
The Committee for Your Donna Rahimian certifies the approval of this Dissertation
Angela Hasan
Kim Hirabayashi, Committee Co-Chair
Courtney Malloy, Committee Co-Chair
Rossier School of Education
University of Southern California
2023
iv
Abstract
This study sought to identify strategies and beliefs that middle and high school math teachers in
Los Angeles have regarding growth mindset practices in their classrooms. Semi-structured
qualitative interviews were conducted with current math teachers who have taught for over a
year. An analysis of transcribed interviews resulted in finding that while many of the teachers
self-identify as educators who embody a growth mindset, not all teachers had the same
understanding of what a growth mindset is. Another finding was that teachers who self-reported
growth mindset strategies were not necessarily implementing them in such a way that promotes a
growth mindset.
v
Acknowledgments
This dissertation would not have been possible without the support of my family,
especially my parents Dr. Mitra Avari and Simon Rahimian. I am grateful for my dissertation
committee, Drs. Courtney Malloy, Kim Hirabayashi, and Angela Hasan for their guidance and
support throughout the process. I appreciate Dr. Judy Pollick’s encouragement to begin this
program and want to thank Sheri Werner for showing me how important it is to be an educator.
Thank you, Hashem.
vi
Table of Contents
Abstract .......................................................................................................................................... iv
Acknowledgments........................................................................................................................... v
List of Tables ................................................................................................................................ vii
Literature Review................................................................................................................ 4
Theoretical Foundations.................................................................................................... 10
Positionality ...................................................................................................................... 12
Methods............................................................................................................................. 14
Research Questions ........................................................................................................... 14
Participants ........................................................................................................................ 14
Instrumentation ................................................................................................................. 15
Data Collection ................................................................................................................. 15
Data Analysis .................................................................................................................... 16
Findings............................................................................................................................. 16
Research Question 1: What Are the Perceptions of Teachers Regarding Growth
Mindsets and Their Value in the Classroom? ................................................................... 17
Research Question 2: What Are Math Teachers’ Knowledge and Implementation
of Effective Growth-Oriented Teaching Strategies in the Classroom? ............................ 22
Discussion and Implications ............................................................................................. 29
Limitations ........................................................................................................................ 34
Future Research Recommendations .................................................................................. 35
Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 36
References ..................................................................................................................................... 38
Appendix A: Interview Protocol ................................................................................................... 45
vii
List of Tables
Table 1: Interview Participants 20
1
Math Teachers and Growth Mindset
Over the past couple of decades, many researchers have explored the significance of
student’s mindsets and their academic success (Blackwell et al 2007; Degol et al. 2017; Dweck
& Yeager, 2019; Qin et al. 2021; Samuel & Warner, 2019; Sisk et al. 2018; Su et al. 2021;
Yeager et al. 2019). Research has also found that there is a correlation between teachers’ growth
mindset and the growth mindset of their students (Mesler et al. 2021). With the increase of
research and the gain in popularity of growth mindset, many educators have self-identified as
having a growth mindset when, they do not (Dweck & Yaeger, 2019). Overall, this is due to their
misconceptions either because they misunderstand the concept or because they believe it is the
right thing to say (Dweck, 2016). Although there is current research that shows the value of
growth mindset in math classes for students and for teachers, there is a lack of understanding on
how math teachers perceive the role and value of growth mindset and how they would self-report
their utilization of growth mindset in their classrooms.
For the purposes of this study, I explored the perceptions of middle and/or high school
math teachers in the greater Los Angeles area who have taught for over a year. The research
problem explored is the understanding and perception teachers have regarding growth mindset
practices. The research that exists has explored the benefits of students who receive growth
mindset trainings, of teachers who exhibit growth mindset feedback and the other sorts of
positive effects of growth mindset practices. There is also research that documents the effects of
providing math teachers with professional developments on these mindsets (Shoshani, 2021).
Yet there is no research that explores why some teachers foster a growth mindset and others
don't. While there have been multiple studies on the effects of growth mindset programs for
2
students and their achievements, there have been fewer studies that explore the mindsets of the
teachers and how those mindsets might be impacting students (Shoshani, 2021).
The purpose of this study was to explore middle and high school math teachers’
conceptions and perspectives of growth mindset practices in their classrooms. This study utilized
semi-structured qualitative interviews to learn more about teachers’ perceptions of growth
mindset and its value in their classrooms, their awareness regarding the role and application of
growth mindset in their classrooms and their self-reported behaviors of how they utilize growth
mindset in their classrooms.
It was important to study this problem because while there are many articles studying the
effectiveness of growth mindset interventions, there are not many that look to understand teacher
perspectives. Sisk et al. (2018) posits that there needs to be more exploration into how the nature
of human beliefs and the role of educational interventions interact with mind-set interventions.
This is important because the research done in this paper sought to understand more about the
role of teacher beliefs regarding mindset interventions. Research has also found that there is
more research needed to understand how to address both teacher mindsets about themselves and
the students they teach and the relationship between specific teacher practices and the
development of student mindsets (Yaeger & Dweck, 2020). Yeager et al. (2021) also says that
while there is a need for new developments in interventions for teachers, there is a lack of
knowledge in understanding which teacher beliefs and practices are most important and most
effective. Dweck & Yeager (2019) have found that many of the educators who claim to possess a
growth mindset were actually implementing practices that were not communicating a growth
mindset and were sometimes having the opposite effect. In findings from Jonsson et al. (2012),
building a growth mindset is not only an important challenge for all of teacher education but
3
particularly so in math education. Zilka et al. (2019) find that there is a lack of research on
growth mindset of teachers and that there are especially few studies addressing the factors that
affect teacher mindsets. This paper looked to address these gaps by exploring teacher perceptions
and experiences with mindset practices.
The following sections of the article include a review of the existing literature on the
significance of growth mindset for students and the impact teachers have on developing those
mindsets, followed by a review of the critiques and criticisms of growth mindset. I then discuss
the theoretical framework on implicit theories of intelligence, which guides the research
questions. The methods section will detail the sample used for this study followed by an analysis
of the findings. The discussion and implications will summarize what was found through this
study and what the next steps are for future research followed by the conclusion.
4
Literature Review
The literature review will provide an overview of the existing research on student and
teacher mindsets. The review starts with explaining what growth mindset practices are and what
they mean for student development. The literature review then proceeds to show what research
has shown to be important findings on the growth mindsets of students regarding achievement
and persistence. Research shows that mindsets can be changed and that growth mindset trainings
are effective (Su et al. 2021; Yeager et al. 2019; Yeager & Dweck, 2012). The literature review
follows by looking at growth mindset from the teacher perspective to understand the implications
of teacher mindsets. Research has shown that math teacher mindsets are malleable (Shoshani,
2021), impact student learning (Mueller & Dweck, 1998) and impact the classroom environment
(Canning et al. 2019). Lastly, the literature review mentions that there are still some findings in
the literature that growth mindset does not always correlate with student outcomes.
Previous research on math achievement was of the idea that math understanding was an innate
ability. What is now called a fixed mindset had previously been the most dominant theory in
math education (Samuel & Warner, 2019). Research has now found that math anxiety is
developed in students not because of the level of difficulty of the content but because of the way
the math is presented to them (Samuel & Warner, 2019). When instructors perceive mistakes as
failures and focus solely on the performance on passing an exam or the class, a fixed mindset is
likely to be developed in the students. However, when educators practice growth mindset
practices, such as supporting the idea that success comes through effort, the use of multiple
strategies, the importance of making mistakes to learn, the power of the process and welcoming
feedback, a growth mindset can be cultivated (Chen et al, 2018, Samuel & Warner, 2019).
Mindset Practices
5
First introduced by psychologist Carol Dweck, mindset practices explain how malleable
people believe their attributes are. Growth mindset beliefs tend to attribute failure to a lack of
effort and fixed mindset beliefs tend to attribute failure to a lack of ability (Dweck & Leggett,
1988). Studies have shown that people who hold a growth mindset are more likely to persist
when presented with a challenge whereas people with a fixed mindset will show less effort and
are less likely to attempt a challenge (Dweck, 2006; Dweck & Yeager, 2019). Dweck (2006)
explains that while people with a fixed mindset will make decisions based on what will make
them appear smart to maintain an image of being smart, people with a growth mindset focus on
learning, and are comfortable making mistakes in order to learn from them. Research has also
shown that these mindsets are not only malleable themselves, but they can lead to different
achievement-related outcomes (Dweck, 2006; Dweck & Leggett, 1988; Dweck & Yeager,
2019).
Dweck (2006) explains that an individual can have different mindsets in different areas,
meaning a person can have a fixed mindset in one subject but a growth mindset in another.
Mindset practices have been studied in school settings to better understand student mindsets
(Blackwell et al. 2007; Qin et al. 2021), the effects of mindset interventions (Blackwell et al.
2007; Su et al. 2021; Yeager & Dweck, 2012), the relationship between teacher and student
mindsets (Archambault et al. 2012; Canning et al. 2019; Mesler et al. 2021; Tan & Maeda,
2021), as well as teacher mindsets (Frondozo et al. 2020; Muenks et al. 2020).
Impact of Mindsets on Students
Research shows that student mindsets impact their academic experience and performance
(Blackwell et al. 2007; Degol et al. 2017; Mueller & Dweck, 1998; Qin et al. 2021; Su et al.
2021; Yeager & Dweck, 2012). Students who believe their intelligence is fixed are more likely to
6
interpret academic challenges as an indicator that they are “dumb,” whereas students who believe
their intelligence is malleable were more likely to believe that hard work was a necessary part
toward achievement (Blackwell et al. 2007; Yeager & Dweck, 2012). Math students with a
growth mindset are more likely to respond to failure with positive and constructive responses
(Blackwell et al. 2007; Su et al. 2021). Students who have a growth mindset in math showed
higher levels of self-efficacy (Su et al. 2021), a higher value for math (Degol et al. 2017) and
were more likely to seek out academic challenges (Blackwell et al. 2007). These differences, as a
consequence of having a growth mindset, lead to higher levels of math achievement (Blackwell
et al. 2007; Qin et al. 2021; Su et al. 2021) with reports of higher grades in multiple studies
(Aronson et al. 2002; Blackwell et al. 2007; Burnette et al. 2017).
Additionally, research shows that students' mindsets are malleable and can change (Degol
et al. 2017; Mueller & Dweck, 1998; Su et al. 2021; Yeager & Dweck, 2012). Students who
receive messages that promote a fixed mindset, even subtly from adults, may be developing more
of a fixed mindset, which could then undermine their resilience or perceived ability (Degol et al.
2017; Yeager & Dweck, 2012). Degol et al. (2017) found that when adults convey messages that
effort in math is an indication of low ability, as opposed to communicating messages that link
effort and success, they may be undermining students’ sense of ability. However, when students
are praised for their effort, and receive growth mindset type of feedback, they are more likely to
develop their abilities and foster a growth mindset (Mueller & Dweck, 1998; Su et al. 2021).
Another finding in the research shows that growth mindset interventions and trainings
had substantial effects on building a growth mindset (Aronson et al. 2002; Blackwell et al. 2007;
Burnette et al. 2017; Samuel & Warner, 2019; Yeager et al. 2019). Students who participated in a
mindset intervention showed greater levels of self-efficacy, motivation, and confidence in math
7
(Burnette et al. 2017; Samuel & Warner, 2019). Growth mindset trainings also showed improved
grades in multiple research studies (Aronson et al. 2002; Blackwell et al. 2007; Burnett et al.
2017; Yeager et al. 2019). Samuel & Warner (2019) found that the growth mindset intervention
also reduced math anxiety and Aronson et al. (2002) found that after just three training sessions,
students reported higher levels of academic enjoyment and academic value.
Impact of Teacher Mindsets
Teacher mindsets have been shown to impact student mindsets (Canning et al. 2019;
Mesler et al. 2021; Rattan et al. 2012; Seaton, 2017; Shoshani, 2021). Mesler et al. (2021) found
that there is a negative association between teacher levels of fixed mindset and the development
of growth mindset in their students. Research also shows that educators can transfer their
mindsets to students and that the mindsets teachers possess about themselves play a large role in
how students perceive their own mindsets (Rattan et al. 2012; Seaton, 2017). Shoshani (2021)
found that teacher mindsets in a math setting can not only shape student mindsets but that teacher
mindsets are also malleable. These findings highlight the importance of exploring the mindsets
of teachers.
Additionally, research shows that teacher mindsets not only impact student mindsets but
play a large role in impacting student learning (Archambault et al. 2012; Canning et al. 2019;
Degol et al. 2017; Su et al. 2021; Tan & Maeda, 2021). Archambault et al. (2021) found that
teachers’ beliefs were a direct predictor for students’ academic experience in math. Students who
were taught by teachers with a fixed mindset had lower motivation and lower course
performance, whereas students who perceived their teachers to have a growth mindset had higher
levels of motivation and educational outcomes (Canning et al.; Tan & Maeda, 2021).
8
Archambault et al. (2012) also found that the more teachers felt efficacious in their ability to help
students succeed in their math classes, the more students’ math achievement increased.
Another finding in the research is that teacher feedback impacts student learning
(Canning et al. 2019; Degol et al. 2017; Gunderson et al. 2013; Kamins & Dweck, 1999; Mueller
& Dweck, 1998; Roorda et al. 2017; Su et al. 2021; Yaeger & Dweck, 2021). Since teacher
beliefs are likely to shape how a class is structured and the type of feedback that is given to
students (Canning et al. 2019), it is important to understand how feedback impacts student
learning. Growth mindset, and its impact from the teacher can only be maintained through
messages given to the students as student mindsets are affected by even subtle messages given
from adults (Su et al. 2021; Yaeger & Dweck, 2021). Students praised for intelligence (fixed
mindset) show lower levels of persistence, performance and enjoyment than their peers who
received praise for their effort, and females who received feedback that effort in math is an
indication of lower ability may be derailing their sense of competence in math (Degol et al.
2017; Gunderson et al. 2013; Mueller & Dweck, 1998). Teacher feedback can influence a
student’s perception of their ability and positive relationships influence student engagement and
achievement (Kamins & Dweck, 1999; Roorda et al. 2017).
The classroom environment, as created by the teacher, is also significant to the way
students’ mindsets are shaped (Canning et al. 2019; Fondozo et al. 2020; Meunks et al. 2020;
Shoshani, 2021; Yaeger et al. 2021). Since teacher mindsets are likely to alter the way they
structure their classes (Canning et al. 2019), it is important to also understand the significance of
the classroom climate, including the ways teachers structure their instruction, classroom
procedures, assessments and interactions with their students. Students’ growth mindsets on their
own do not carry from one classroom to the next, as the classroom environment can either
9
support or deter certain mindsets in students (Yaeger et al. 2021). Teacher mindsets matter and a
classroom environment that encourages a growth mindset may encourage students to reach
maximum intellectual learning, whereas classes taught by teachers with a fixed mindset can
create a negative learning environment (Fondozo et al. 2020; Meunks, 2020; Shoshani, 2021).
Fixed mindset beliefs held by STEM teachers create a classroom climate which decreases
student interest, student effort and student beliefs in their ability to succeed in that class
(Meunks, 2020). These findings show the importance of exploring teacher perceptions of their
growth mindset practices, as their decisions about their classroom culture impact the student
experience.
Criticisms of Growth Mindsets
Research has also found evidence to criticize and question growth mindset practices
(Foliano et al. 2019; Li & Bates., 2019; Mendoza-Denton et al. 2008; Rienzo et al. 2015; Sisk et
al. 2019). Foliano et al. (2019) and Rienzo et al. (2015) both found that mindset interventions
taught by classroom teachers did not have any significant benefits for the students. Other
research has found no evidence or relationship between children’s mindsets and their outcomes
(Li & Bates, 2019; Sisk et al. 2018). Sisk et al. (2018) specifically found that mindset
interventions weren’t impactful for typical students or students who were dealing with situational
challenges such as changing schools or who were experiencing stereotype threat in that area. In
other cases, research has found that students who received growth mindset feedback showed a
decrease in their scores and males with a positive stereotype threat did better when given fixed
mindset feedback (Li & Bates, 2019; Mendoza-Denton et al. 2008).
Research by Orosz et al. (2017) found that after a three-week growth mindset
intervention, there no was no intrinsic or extrinsic change in motivation. Furthermore, after a
10
follow up at the end of the semester, all previous positive changes were gone and there was not
an increase in student GPA.
Other research done by Patrick and Joshi (2019) followed three high schools that
implemented yearlong growth mindset trainings for their teachers. In the year prior to the
implementation, all three schools had teacher-leaders engage in multiple trainings related to
growth mindset and then those teacher-leaders developed and led at least one professional
development session on growth mindset for all the teachers. The research found that in all three
schools, almost all teachers showed at least some familiarity with the concepts related to growth
mindset but were often vague in their definitions. They also found that many teachers believed
they already promoted a growth mindset and that this may have led them to be less engaged in
learning more. This research showed that even with a yearlong training that is explicit on growth
mindset practices, a “false growth mindset” can still be embraced. Other teachers involved in the
study mentioned that although they were motivated to further examine their own mindsets, they
felt they did not have the necessary supports in place to help them do so effectively.
Theoretical Foundations
This study is grounded in two different theoretical frameworks. One theory, implicit
theory of intelligence, is used to explain the importance of student mindsets in relation to their
classroom learning, and their experiences within the mathematical process. The second theory,
social cognitive theory, looks at the interactions between the teacher, the teacher’s mindset and
the effect that has on student learning within the math classroom. Social cognitive theory
explains how the teacher’s beliefs about growth mindset and their classroom environment impact
the implementation of growth mindset strategies within their classroom.
11
The theoretical framework used in this study is implicit theories of intelligence. Implicit
theories of intelligence (Dweck & Leggett, 1988; Dweck, 1999), explains that the different
theories about intelligence students hold impacts the way they respond to challenges. Students
who hold a fixed mindset believe that their intelligence is set whereas students who hold a
growth mindset believe that intelligence is malleable. When faced with a challenge, students
with a fixed mindset are prone to withdraw or give up yet students with a growth mindset see
challenges as an opportunity to increase their ability (Dweck & Leggett, 1988). Students with a
fixed mindset focus on their ability and see challenges as a threat to their self-esteem and
students with a growth mindset focus on strategy and effort and see challenges as opportunities
to learn more (Dweck & Leggett, 1988).
According to mindset theory (Dweck & Leggett, 1988), teachers with a growth mindset
have different beliefs about their students than teachers with a fixed mindset. Teachers with a
growth mindset believe that all students can improve their ability, intelligence and all other
characteristics with time and effort, whereas teachers with a fixed mindset view students’
abilities as fixed. Teachers with a growth mindset believe making mistakes is a way to increase
learning and provide more feedback than teachers with a fixed mindset who are quicker to label a
student as intelligent or non-intelligent based on their success or failure.
The theoretical framework that informed the way the study was approached is social
cognitive theory. Social cognitive theory emphasizes that the social environment plays a key role
in the process of learning (Schunk & Usher, 2019). Bandura’s work on social cognitive theory
explains a model called triadic reciprocality, which explains that human behavior depends on the
interaction between three processes: behavioral, environmental and personal (e.g., cognitions and
emotions; Bandura, 1986). An example of this relationship can be seen specifically in math
12
contexts. This paper looked to focus on the personal aspect of that triadic relationship. By better
understanding how teachers view themselves and their mindsets, we sought to better understand
their relationship to and understanding of mindset practices. Shoshani (2021) shows that teachers
with higher levels of growth mindset were more likely to experience higher levels of professional
well-being and had higher levels of self-efficacy in their classrooms. Teachers’ mindsets, which
relates to their cognitions and emotions relating to their job performance, are one of three pillars
of social cognitive theory and research has found that teacher mindsets may be a more important
factor of their success than natural talent (Shoshani, 2021).
Bandura (1986) explains that the three parts of the triadic relationship affect each other.
This means that the environmental context can have an impact on the personal and behavioral
portions. Research shows that the school culture and feedback from the principal plays a big role
in shaping the environment of the school, acting as an external factor that can enhance a
teacher’s growth mindset (Zilka et al. 2019). This paper looked to explore how the three aspects
of the triadic relationship can be understood to influence a teacher’s mindset, and their
implementations of mindset practices.
Positionality
As an experienced math teacher studying teacher mindsets, I am aware that my
positionality plays a role in my research. Growth mindset practices shape my classroom structure
and I have given trainings on the importance and implication of growth mindset practices to
other teachers. Knowing this could affect my perception of this study, I had other people check
my qualitative interview questions to check for any biases in my questions and look at the
findings to help keep my interpretation objective. I also approached each interview as a curious
investigator who was seeking to understand and not make judgments about what mindset
13
practices teachers use in their classroom. To ensure that my own perceptions of specific teachers
did not cloud my perception, I did not interview teachers that I have seen teach. That would limit
my understanding of their experience only to what they tell me.
Another way I addressed these issues is by doing my own internal work prior to
developing my interview protocol to make sure I was able to limit my bias and judgment as best
I could. As Milner (2007) explained, researchers need to research themselves in order to work
through the unforeseen dangers. As Maxwell (2013) notes, it is important to recognize the goals
that drive our research, and in the case of this research, the goal is to better understand the
perceptions and experiences of teachers.
14
Methods
The purpose of this study was to explore middle and high school math teachers’
knowledge, implementation, and perspectives of growth mindset practices in their classrooms.
While there have been multiple studies on the effects of growth mindset programs for students
and their achievements, there have been fewer studies that explore the mindsets of the teachers
and how those mindsets might be impacting students (Shoshani, 2021). This study utilized semi-
structured qualitative interviews to learn more about teachers’ perceptions of growth mindset and
its value in their classrooms, and their knowledge and implementation of effective growth-
orientated teaching strategies in their classrooms. Qualitative interviews were utilized because
the overall purpose of qualitative research is to understand how people make sense of their world
and to understand the meaning they prescribe to their experiences (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016).
Research Questions
Two research questions guide this study:
1. What are the perceptions of teachers regarding growth mindsets and their value in the
classroom?
2. What are math teachers’ knowledge and implementation of effective growth-oriented
teaching strategies in the classroom?
Participants
The participants for this study were selected through purposeful sampling. This study
employed snowball sampling to gain access to potential participants that otherwise would not be
available. The participants, which were all credentialed math teachers currently working in a
public middle or high school in the greater Los Angeles area all had more than one year of
teaching experience. The participants were recruited using snowballing by first approaching
15
teachers and asking them to recruit math teachers who would qualify for the study. Purposeful
sampling was appropriate because the researcher wanted to find the people from whom the most
can be learned (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016), which means the participants must be specific to the
qualifications being looked for.
In total, 10 math teachers participated in the study. Three of the participants identified as
White, two were Hispanic or Latino, two were Asian, one was Lebanese, one was
White/Armenian and one participant chose not to answer. Five of the participants identified as
male and five identified as female. Participants ranged from having two to 20 years of experience
and the average age for the nine participants who provided their age was 38 years old (range: 24-
59).
Instrumentation
The instruments used to collect data in this study utilized a semi-structured interview
protocol (Appendix A) that includes an interview guide. Semi-structured interviews were utilized
because while semi-structured interviews are still guided by a list of questions to be explored, the
format allowed for more exploration, as I was able to respond to thoughts or topics brought up by
the participant (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). This allowed for new ideas to be explored that might
not have been included with a highly structured interview. The instrument was a 16-question
survey that used social cognitive theory as a framework to understand the implementation of
growth mindset practices. The questions are related to the interview protocol because the
questions asked were seeking to answer the research questions.
Data Collection
To collect data for this study, I conducted semi-structured interviews lasting about 30–45
minutes. Data collection began in November of 2022 and ended in March of 2023. Participants
16
received an interview sheet which served as an introduction to the study with all relevant
information including their right to privacy, consent to be recorded, and what the purpose of the
study is. With the consent of the participants, the conversations were recorded while I also took
notes with paper and a pen. The interviews were conducted over Zoom at a time that was
convenient for the participants. Participants were informed of their right to end the interview at
any time, to have a copy of the recording, and to decline answering any questions. After the
interview I reviewed my notes before transcribing the interview. The transcriptions were as close
to verbatim as possible.
Data Analysis
After each interview, I transcribed the Zoom recording onto a Google Doc and then
imported them to ATLAS.ti for coding. Informed by Gibb’s (2018) data-driven coding approach,
I began by using open coding. After going through multiple rounds of coding, I used the retrieval
process to retrieve and ensure the accurate application of codes. I then used ATLAS.ti to find
frequencies of codes and patterns in the findings. Throughout the coding process, I took notes
and checked my assumptions about what was being said to ensure that I was not adding any of
my own thoughts or beliefs. Constant reflection and re-reading were used to ensure I was
accurately representing the experiences of my participants.
Findings
The findings are based on an analysis of the semi-structured interviews. Table 1 is a
narrative table of the 10 participating teachers, with their number of years of experience and
grade levels taught. To protect their identities, participants have been assigned a pseudonym.
During the interviews, participants described their perceptions of growth mindset and shared
teaching experiences specific to this 2022-2023 school year.
17
Table 1
Interview Participants
Participant Grades taught this school year Years of teaching
Andre Grades 7–10 8
Benjamin Grades 7–8 10
Charles Grade 9 2
Delores Grades 9–12 8
Evan Grades 10–12 15
Felix Grades 11–12 9
Gabriella Grades 9–12 20
Helen Grades 9–11 8
Iris Grades 6–8 8
Jasmine Grade 11 10
Note. Participants have been assigned pseudonyms to protect their identities.
Research Question 1: What Are the Perceptions of Teachers Regarding Growth Mindsets
and Their Value in the Classroom?
When asked what the participants know about a growth mindset, eight out of the 10
respondents answered with accurate descriptions of at least some aspect of growth mindset. Most
commonly, the participants focused on the importance of increasing intelligence through effort
and practice. For example, Delores responded by saying:
18
Growth mindset in terms of math from my understanding is a mindset where the students
are thinking that their brain is consistently growing, and um, it's not stagnant, and that
they're not just like a set math person. But the more they practice, and the more they
make connections that that's how their brain is going to grow. So basically not having
like a fixed mindset.
Benjamin said:
Intelligence is not fixed, but that the brain is a muscle, you can stretch it by continuously
learning. I think that’s what I’m going to put it as in short. The mindset idea is that
intelligence is not fixed, but rather, if you believe in yourself, and you can continue to
work and learn from your mistakes, and you value those learning opportunity, those
experiences help you learn and help your intelligence grow over time.
What is shown through both these comments is that the participants felt they understood what
growth mindset was. As seen later, their understanding did not necessarily translate into a correct
application of these ideas. Meaning, the base level understanding is not enough to inform
instruction.
Another common theme through their expression of growth mindset was that there was
an emphasis on having the potential to succeed. Gabriella said it most succinctly when she said:
“In my opinion, it’s all about the idea you can sum it up with the word ‘yet’. Everyone can do
everything, everyone has potential for growth, you can’t do it yet.”
Identifying as Growth Mindset Instructors
All the participants consider themselves someone who embodies a growth mindset.
Benjamin said he “exemplifies a growth mindset.” Evan said, “I’m a teacher that embodies it,”
and Helen said, “I think I’m doing some stuff. There are some things I’m doing.”
19
While eight out of the 10 were able to answer about what a growth mindset is, both Helen
and Iris asked to have a definition of growth mindset. I responded to both by saying that the
focus of this study is to gain a sense of their perception and to answer however they understand
the growth mindset. Both participants had heard of the term growth mindset and knew it was
related to how students learned. However, when asked to elaborate, their responses highlighted a
misunderstanding. Helen expressed her perception of growth mindset with the focus on the class
culture:
Not academic practice but social practice...my goal is to know everyone and establish
connectedness with them. When I try to be connected with my students, establish
relationships with them. I think that’s the whole process, the broad mindset practice. And
definitely you have to have different approaches with different kids kids themselves.
They dictate how to approach to them.
Iris expressed her difficulty in defining the term and took an approach similar to differentiation.
She said:
Okay, because my interpretation is not solid or absolute. It’s just a methodology of how
you address lessons and programs in your classes. So we are using it to accommodate all
the levels of learners in our classroom, from my lows to my rock stars- I’m sorry I don’t
really know how to answer the question.
We see through these examples that there can be a gap between identifying as a growth mindset
instructor and correctly identifying what a growth mindset is.
Source of Growth Mindset Understanding
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When asked about where their understanding of growth mindset came from, there were
similar answers from the participants. Aside from Jasmine who said she learned about growth
mindset in her high school and Evan who learned in his graduate level studies, the rest of the
participants mentioned some combination of school professional developments, their own
readings and/or math conferences. Some participants learned through multiple sources. In all, six
people mentioned that their school did professional development trainings about growth mindset,
four people mentioned going to math conferences and three people had done their own reading
on the topic. For example, Benjamin included a few places that informed his understanding:
This understanding comes from professional development at school site, going to
regional math conferences like CMC. South or National Math Conferences, listening to
Joe Bowler, reading about her research about growth mindset.
Value of Growth Mindset for Students
Gabriela and the other six teachers, Benjamin, Charles, Evan, Felix, Helen and Jasmine
focused on how valuable it is for a student to have a growth mindset because of the impact on
their sense of self as a learner. A major theme in these seven teachers was that students with a
growth mindset use mistakes as learning opportunities and encourages them not to give up when
things are difficult, both of which improves their performance. Benjamin said, “Growth mindset
allows students to embrace error, opens mind up to constructive feedback. Learning and growth
mindset, they play hand in hand.” Charles echoed that idea when he described the value of
growth mindset by saying, “Knowing they can grow from here and build instead of automatically
going down… We can achieve more in spite of a bump in the road.” Evan said that from his
point of view, “You give yourself a chance to fail and then you redeem yourself with learning
and you keep going.”
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The 10 participants also expressed the value of a growth mindset in their classrooms by
speaking to the idea that some of their students believe they are not “math people.” A common
struggle for the participants is that they find that many of their students consider themselves to
not be math people. Delores addressed this in her class by saying,
Anybody can be a math person, and you’re not born with a set of skills in your brain that
make you a Math or English person…. Math is not something you’re just born with. It’s
something that you can work at and practice, and anybody can be a quote unquote math
person.
Andre spoke to this concept when he said, “Not sure where they get that perspective but there’s
nothing called a math person, it means, it’s part of the learning.” Although the 10 participants
spoke to their belief that they do not consider some people “math people” and others not, they
did not articulate how they work to change that mindset in their students or how the use of
growth mindset practices impacts students’ self-perceptions.
Student Buy In
It is important to note that four of the participants mentioned that they believe growth
mindset practices are only effective if the students have already bought-in to the way of thinking.
Benjamin said, “I try not to focus too much on the kids that are not doing the work. My growth
mindset is more like who are doing the work.” Gabriella said that the success of growth mindset
“depends on the student’s willingness to embrace growth mindset. If a student is not willing to
embrace growth mindset, there’s no amount of those activities that I can do to help them or bring
them on board.” Helen said,
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You can’t say, ‘I’m going to do this strategy and it’s gonna work for 40 kids.’ That’s not
gonna happen. You can imagine when you say growth mindset, whatever strategy you
develop for growth, that might work for one kid, but not work for the rest of the kids.
Iris described growth mindset by saying, “It’s a thing and not for everyone.”
The importance of the distinction of whether student buy in is a necessary precursor potentially
impacts the entire classroom. Before growth mindset can be impactful in the classroom, there
needs to be clarity about how much of an influence a teacher can have on their students.
Teachers who believe it is up to the students will not necessarily see themselves as agents of
mindset changes in their students.
Research Question 2: What Are Math Teachers’ Knowledge and Implementation of
Effective Growth-Oriented Teaching Strategies in the Classroom?
Value of Growth Mindset
All 10 teachers spoke to the value of a growth mindset for the students in their classroom
because of the importance in how the students see their own capabilities in being successful at
math. Andre, Delores, Gabriela, and Iris mentioned that the growth mindset of a student is at
least up to them. Andre said, “Students choose attitude.” Delores said, “If they believe they can
grow in their learning, they’ll believe in themselves and know they can do it.” Gabriela and Iris
spoke to the value but were the only two to say it doesn’t work for everyone. Gabriela spoke to
the value but also added, “Depends on the student’s willingness to embrace growth mindset. If
they’re not willing to embrace a growth mindset, there’s no amount of those activities I could
do.” Iris said, “I think it is effective and positive and it doesn’t work for everyone.”
Class Culture
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One of the major themes in all the participant responses was the importance of creating a
class culture that fosters a growth mindset. The participants spoke to the need of understanding
their classroom dynamics and having a safe classroom where students feel comfortable to make
mistakes and ask for help. Andre said:
If you kind of create an environment that’s conducive to learning, it has to be through an
open mindset. Every student, you can change a student’s mindset in a classroom, might
not be permanent but at least in that instant, in the classroom, we are approaching in a
collaborative way and exploring and even that is conducive to open mindset and learning
process. That’s how I try to build things every day in the classroom … Main thing is to
create a vibe that’s conducive to collaborating in the learning process.
Delores credited her students’ ability to ask questions to her classroom culture. She said: “I don’t
think they think it [asking for help] is a sign of weakness because we built a culture that asking
for help is okay.” Felix said his growth mindset approach:
Helped create a super positive ‘we’re all learning this together’ environment so I think it
also connects- growth mindset also connects to class culture of ‘hey we’re all trying to
figure this out together, we’re in it together, we’re going to figure it out.
Helen echoed that same idea when she said, “We can make sure that we are creating that
supportive, safe environment. Welcoming environment for the kids, and it just helps them to
perform better in our classrooms in any which way possible.”
Seven out of the 10 participants mentioned that a part of how they build that classroom
culture and engage students in their learning is by building strong relationships with the students.
The overall impression was that these teachers instill a growth mindset in their students through
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their individual relationships. Iris said it most succinctly when she said, “If you don’t have a
relationship with your kid, there’s no buy-in.” Helen said:
If you can convince your students that you love them and you care for them, they’re not
gonna be scared to get help from you. That’s the part they need to be sure about- that you
care about them. If you can convince them that you love them, they’re gonna ask for
help.
Asking for Help and Making Mistakes
All 10 of the participants spoke about the importance of asking questions and making
mistakes for the learning process of their students. Notably, the two teachers, Helen and Iris, who
were unclear about what a growth mindset was, both still spoke to the importance of wanting
their students to ask for help and be comfortable making mistakes. Gabriella shared the message
she gives her students to encourage them to ask for help:
The best line I ever heard was “The weakest students are the ones who don’t ask for
help.” And I’ll tell them that.
Delores took a different approach when it came to encouraging kids to ask questions because she
doesn’t wait for them to ask a question. She said:
Students don’t usually get a choice in my class if they receive help or not. We do a lot of
group work and give a lot of independent work. So whether a student is asking for help or
not, if I see that they’re struggling, I’ll give them help anyway.
Delores also explained that she sets up her class expectations to foster finding mistakes and
asking questions. Although she didn’t elaborate on the ways in which she sets the expectations in
her class, she was clear about having that expectation set. She went on to explain:
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The answers are on the board. So when you’ve got something done, come up to the board
and check it, and then I’ll be circulating. My TA will be circulating, so if you’re stuck,
the expectation is you’re asking for help, and you’re not just sitting there, and you’re
asking for help from your team, the TA or myself. So I think, setting expectations before
that work.
Of the 10 teacher, two mentioned that student grades are associated with asking
questions. They did not elaborate on whether they believe that this is a strategy to build a growth
mindset, but they do believe that doing so increases student participation. Helen expressed:
They know if they ask beautiful questions, they can get points only for asking questions.
because the way they ask questions, the level of the question, and everything else just
tells me how much they understand and how deep they understand… So sometimes for
very good questions, I give them points.
Jasmine conveys the importance of asking questions by assigning weight to their grade. She
expressed:
I have a 10% participation grade, and it’s not only solving problems on the board,
answering questions, and also asking questions.
Peer Support
All 10 of the participants explained that they encourage students to ask their peers for
help also. Charles explained how he encourages students to ask for help by leaning on peer
support by having students ask three other students first. He said:
Ask three and then me. I encourage them to ask each other.. And try to bounce off that…
Just the idea of telling them, “Hey, it’s okay to not know, but it's not okay to not try.” So
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I, if we don’t know, let’s try and part of that trying is just asking a question… I try to
encourage them to do that.
Evan sends a similar message by telling them to talk to each other before he steps in to help
them. His class strategy is to comment while he circulates but to encourage them to work with
each other to solve problems. He said:
I try really hard to just walk around and say, ‘Oh yeah, that’s a hard one’ and that’s it,
you know. And I tell them, ‘Talk to your friend and talk to your neighbor. Talk to
somebody next to you before you ask me’ … it’s just a class strategy.
Benjamin also spoke to the importance of peer support but had a different intention behind. His
intention was to use the comfort peers have with one another to have them support and learn
from each other. Benjamin said:
They feel more comfortable asking their teammates for help than they are for me, so I can
tell you that one hundred percent and I think they learn better from each other than they
do from me anyway. So I will like them to have that opportunity, and I give them that
space and opportunity to refine their thinking and to ask for help, and they do it.
Although the 10 participants had different ways to convey the importance of asking for help, all
10 mentioned it as both a value, and as something they are continuously promoting in their
classrooms.
Making Mistakes
Similarly, all 10 had different strategies related to the ways they encourage students to
make mistakes. While Benjamin tells the kids,
27
Learning is a process just like in English. You write multiple drafts before you. You
come up with the final draft. The same idea carries over. So these little analogies here
hopefully hoping to make that connections the students analogies to normalize mistakes.
Delores thinks students generally view mistakes as being bad so she encourages her students to
learn from their mistakes by giving them class time to correct their errors. She said, “Having
them look at that their old test when we get them back and having set aside, like ten minutes, for
them to correct their test, and looking through those mistakes and growing from those mistakes.”
Evan shared that he thanks the kids for the mistakes they make in class. He said, “I’ll say,
‘Thank you Angela for asking a question.’” Felix encourages them to make mistakes, talk about
why it’s wrong, fix it and move on. He said:
I’m trying to help them realize we’re doing this in class as a practice.Therefore, if you
mess up it’s okay we fix it now. I tell them ‘Just put it up there, we’ll talk about it if it’s
right or wrong.’
Although all teachers had different ways to promote the importance of making mistakes in the
learning process, all 10 of them were aligned with the growth mindset approach that making
mistakes is vital to how we learn.
One of the common ways the participants said they utilize growth mindset practices in
their instruction was by the use of the word, ‘yet.’ 5 out of the 10 teachers explained the power
of the word ’yet‘ in helping students understand that the process of learning takes time, and that
not understanding something at the moment does not mean it is out of reach. These five
participants used the word ’yet‘ to help their students understand that they believe in them and
their process of learning. Delores reflected on success of implementing growth mindset in her
classroom by saying, “For example, when a student says, ‘I am not good at this’ I can correct
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them and say ‘I am not good at this yet.’ Evan also spoke about the word ’yet‘ when he said, “At
the end of that sentence, I just add the word ‘yet’ and it hopefully gets them to think differently
about the comment they made.” Gabriella said that she can “…sum it [growth mindset] up with
the word ‘yet.’ Everyone can do everything, everyone has potential for growth, you can’t do it
yet.” She also went on to say, “I do use the word ‘yet’ when they say, ‘I can’t do something.’”
Feedback and Grading
Nine out of the 10 participants spoke about how they try to give positive feedback to their
students. Charles said he tells the kids, “Hey, you can do this. Look at the work you’ve done.
This is good, it might be wrong, but let’s take the wrong bit and build upon it.” He said he tries
to encourage the kids. Delores said, “I try and not say ‘that’s wrong.’ I try to say, ‘Let’s look at
that again, I see something that’s maybe not quite correct there.’” Evan says he tries to help them
realize they’re improving and Gabriella said, “I try to be very conscious of my negative
feedback- I want them to know it’s okay to make mistakes but I don’t want them to feel
defeated.” Jasmine said she gives feedback by walking around. While circulating she says to her
students, “Okay, look at this step. Why do you think this is correct, or not correct? Why did you
do this?” These examples show that the teachers see some value in the type of feedback they are
giving to their students even if it is not specifically in line with growth mindset practices.
Feedback and grading are two significant parts of how a classroom operates and how
mindsets are impacted. While the majority of the participants spoke about feedback, the types of
feedback they mentioned are not conducive to building a growth mindset in their students. This
shows the disconnect between feedback and grading are well known growth mindset practices
and knowing how to implement them in impactful and effective ways.
Standards-Based Grading
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Only two teachers, Delores and Charles, spoke about how they use standards-based grading to
support their growth mindset instruction. Delores said:
I think standards-based grading also kind of ties into that as well, and allowing for
retakes, and maybe the first time you're learning something that's not the time you're
going to master it. But when you retake it, that idea that you don't know it yet, but you
can still practice it better at it.
Charles spoke to how standards-based grading encourages students to keep trying. He said, “the
specific practices would be as far as we’re implementing standards-based grading this year, I
think, standards-based grading aligns in a way with growth mindset as that idea that if I don’t
meet the standards, if I get one out of four, it’s not the end of it.” With Delores and Charles as
the only two teachers who spoke about standards-based grading, it is unclear whether the other
eight teachers do not implement standards-based grading or if they did not find it relevant to
growth mindset.
Discussion and Implications
The study aimed to understand math teachers’ understanding and application of growth
mindset in their classrooms. Research by Dweck and Yeager (2019) has found that many
educators self-identify as having a growth mindset when they actually do not. Dweck (2016)
found that this could be because of their misconceptions, misunderstandings or because they
believe it is the right thing to say. This study aimed to get a better understanding of how math
teachers self-report their identification as a growth mindset instructor, and how they self-report
their growth mindset instruction within their classrooms.
Through the findings it is shown that not all teachers who self-report an understanding
and application of growth mindset may actually be practicing growth mindset techniques in their
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classrooms. Not only did the participants differ in their definitions of growth mindset but the fact
that two of the participants had incorrect definitions shows that there is not a universal
understanding of growth mindset amongst teachers in the classroom. This shows that there seems
to be a lack of clarity in the conceptualization of growth mindset, which in turn would have
different implications in how growth mindset practices are promoted or practiced in the
classroom. By seeing that teachers who identify as growth mindset educators are not necessarily
promoting growth mindset in their classes, a different approach to training is needed. While
many of the teachers were able to identify and name the general concepts of growth mindset, the
implication of these concepts was lacking.
One of the ways that research has shown to increase levels of growth mindset, and
increase academic achievement is through mastery grading, also called standards-based grading
(Fernandez, 2021). Two of the teachers interviewed in this research spoke about their utilization
of standards based grading in their classrooms, and its importance to how they build growth
mindset in their students. However, the rest of the teachers did not speak about how they grade
their assessments. One teacher spoke about giving students a grade for asking questions in class
but that does not fall under the category of mastery grading. This lack of focus about grading in
the majority of the teachers interviewed does not show definitively that they are not
administering these practices, but it is important to note that they did not mention its significance
or implementation.
Research has found that educators can cultivate a growth mindset when they support the
idea that success comes through effort, the importance of making mistakes to learn, the use of
multiple strategies and the power and process of welcoming feedback (Chen et al, 2018; Samuel
& Warner, 2019) The teachers interviewed in this study self-reported that they encourage
31
students to ask for help and make mistakes. However, since these findings were self-reported, it
is unclear how effective their encouragement was. Likewise, teachers who spoke about giving
feedback did not necessarily give the type of feedback that research is speaking about. While
teachers spoke about giving positive feedback, they did not define what type of feedback they
find to be meaningful or effective in building a growth mindset. Research has shown that not all
types of feedback promote a growth mindset, but that students who receive growth mindset types
of feedback are more likely to develop their abilities and foster a growth mindset (Mueller &
Dweck, 1998; Su et al. 2021). Without more specificity about the types of feedback the teachers
are giving, it is unclear whether or not they are promoting a growth mindset with their feedback
or not. None of the teachers interviewed spoke about the use of multiple strategies so it is unclear
whether or not that is happening in their classrooms or why it was not mentioned.
Research by Archambault et al. (2012) found that the more teachers felt efficacious in
their ability to help students succeed in their math classes, the more students’ math achievement
increased. Four of the teachers spoke about the need for student buy-in in order for growth
mindset practices to be effective. This begs the question of whether or not these four teachers
believe in their own ability to teach their students, or whether they find the onus of growth
mindset to be on the students, contrary to what the research shows.
Another area that lacked clarity was around classroom culture. Research shows that the
classroom environment can either support or deter certain mindsets in students (Yaeger et al.
2021), and all 10 participants spoke about the importance of their classroom culture. Although
they all spoke to classroom culture, they did not specify how their classroom culture actually
fosters a growth mindset.
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By comparing the research to what the participants shared, we see that the nuances
needed to successfully implement growth mindset in math classrooms is lacking. Being familiar
with the key concepts and categories does not translate to a correct and effective implementation
of growth mindset strategies in their classes.
Implications for Growth Mindset Trainings
First, growth mindset trainings need to be more explicit about the behaviors a teacher
exhibits that contribute to building a growth mindset in the classroom. While teachers may know
the general concepts of growth mindset, such as “provide feedback” and “encourage questions,”
these categories need to be explicit in the ways they are being taught. Training that gives broad
suggestions, without detailing how these strategies can be used to either build or reduce a growth
mindset in their classroom, is not adequately preparing their teachers to properly implement a
growth mindset in their classes. Trainings should go over the nuance between different types of
feedback and how they can either contribute to or detract from a student’s growth mindset. By
having the participants see examples of feedback and discuss what kind of mindset it is
contributing to, participants will have a deeper understanding of how their actions can impact the
mindset of their students. The same can be done with all aspects of growth mindset, including
encouraging questions, grading, and classroom culture.
Second, trainings should include in-classroom observations and coaching sessions. These
sessions would provide the teachers with opportunities to receive frequent feedback on how to
fine tune their strategies. Trainings should also include opportunities for teachers to observe
master teachers that properly incorporate growth mindset techniques so they can learn through
observation and not just from a professional development lecture.
33
Research by Seaton (2018) finds that a teacher’s own mindset belief is vital in developing
strategies for their students that support growth mindset. Seaton (2018) continues and finds that
teachers should be given opportunities to gain knowledge and confidence about growth mindsets.
Doing so would mean that teacher trainings would not be one-off trainings but long-term
programs that allow the teachers to reflect on what they are learning. Such type of program
would allow teachers to continuously revisit what they are learning, how they are able to
implement growth mindset practices in their classes, receive feedback and continue to go through
the cycle that is necessary for them to change their own mindsets.
According to social cognitive theory, observational learning can occur when participants
are shown a model of what they are trying to achieve (Schunk & DiBenedetto, 2020). When
participants receive feedback on their progress, and believe they are making progress, their self-
efficacy increases, which in turn increases their motivation (Schunk & DiBenedetto, 2020). This
research impacts the types of trainings educators should receive regarding growth mindset
because it shows the importance of observations. For growth mindset trainings to be effective, it
is imperative that they include models for the participants to watch. This can be done by showing
videos of teachers in their classrooms or by scheduling classroom observations so that teachers
can visit classrooms that are taught by teachers who correctly embody growth mindset. If the
school does not have such teachers, schools can spend a professional development day sending
their teachers to visit and observe other teachers in other schools who model growth mindset
well.
Another aspect of this training should include the use of goal setting strategies. In
research by Dembo and Eaton (2000), an important self-regulatory strategy to develop
motivation is the use of goal setting. With goal setting a vital part of motivation, it is important
34
that trainings include both short and long-term goals for the educators they are working with.
Trainings should not be limited to a brief training, rather it should be done multiple times
throughout the school year so that teachers can assess their short-term goals and receive feedback
on their progress toward their long-term goals.
Implications for Educators
Teachers who are looking to increase their effectiveness as an instructor who uses growth
mindset practices should get a colleague or mentor to observe their classes. By having another
educator observe their classes, they can get feedback on the types of strategies they are
implementing and then talk through how effective they are. If the observer is an administrator, it
is important that all parties approach this as a learning process and not an evaluation so that the
teacher can feel free to ask questions and learn from them, without fear of judgment. Educators
should also try and observe other educators who are well versed and comfortable with growth
mindset practices so they can learn from other people as well.
Educators should identify their own short and long term goals that are small and
measurable so that they can monitor their own progress. They should seek out other educators
who experts in developing growth mindsets in their classrooms and ask their administrators for
the opportunity to observe those teachers.
Limitations
The limitations of this study involve the research methodology. There is an inherent bias
in the sampling when choosing participants because the recruitment information included the
words “growth mindset.” This may have skewed the results toward educators who consider
themselves to be familiar with growth mindset, or already know enough about it to speak to the
practices. Although this helped find meaningful interviews with participants who could speak to
35
how they self-report implementing a growth mindset, future research might want to recruit
teachers without any prior use of the words “growth mindset.”
Another limitation of this study is that the entirety of this study was based on the self-
reporting of the participating teachers. Without observations of what is happening in their
classrooms, the research is limited to what teachers report and not what is being implemented.
Future research should include classroom observations to compare what educators are saying and
what they are actually implementing.
The delimitations of this study involve the research methodology. Without having asked
more questions about the types of growth mindsets the participants had received, including how
long ago or how frequently they participated, the study has a delimitation around the scope of
participants included. Another delimitation is that the study was limited to teachers who were not
in their first year of teaching. Those teachers were not interviewed, and the participants ranged
from two to 20 years of teaching. The study also had a delimitation around the location, as all
participants were in the greater Los Angeles area.
Future Research Recommendations
Future research should incorporate observations without teachers knowing what is being
observed. Future research should also observe growth mindset trainings to better understand
what is being taught to teachers and how specific the trainings are in their applications. Future
research should look at who is giving the trainings to educators and how well versed they
themselves are in growth mindset practices. Future research should look at the ways they
articulate the nuances that separate knowing the right categories of strategies to say, and
correctly implementing in such a way that supports a growth mindset. Future research should
study how educators self-report their classroom growth mindset practices in comparison to
36
observations that measure those same categories of growth mindset implications to better
understand where there is a disconnect between conceptualization and application.
Conclusion
The 10 participants who are current math teachers described their understanding of
growth mindset, with their understanding of its value and the ways they implement it in their
classrooms. Study implications show that there is a need for more clear growth mindset trainings
and that teachers who believe in growth mindset are not necessarily promoting it through their
classroom actions. Likewise, some teachers are promoting growth mindset practices without
connecting the reasons to a growth mindset belief. Given the increase of growth mindset
research, middle and high schools should spend more time explaining what a growth mindset
actually is and how teachers can promote it in their classrooms.
An important finding in this research is that many of the categories that constitute growth
mindset practices can be done by educators without necessarily promoting a growth mindset.
Research done by Chen et al, 2018 and Samuel & Warner, 2019 found that cultivating a growth
mindset can be done through supporting the idea that success comes through effort, the use of
multiple strategies, the importance of making mistakes to learn, the power of process and
welcoming feedback. This study has shown that many teachers can consider themselves growth
mindset educators because they practice one or some of these techniques, yet the breadth and
depth of how each of those categories is nuanced to promote a growth mindset is often amiss. A
teacher who self-reports that they are giving feedback or telling students it is okay to make
mistakes does not necessarily promote a growth mindset in their classroom if they are not also
doing the other parts that build a growth mindset. Similarly, giving feedback in it of itself does
not mean that a growth mindset is being cultivated if the feedback is not done in a way that
37
promotes growth in their students. With so much research that shows that student mindsets
impact their academic experience and performance (Blackwell et al. 2007; Degol et al. 2017;
Mueller & Dweck, 1998; Qin et al. 2021; Su et al. 2021; Yeager & Dweck, 2012), it is vital that
educators and educational researchers understand how to best cultivate a growth mindset in their
students. Doing so requires a better understanding of teacher perceptions of these
implementation practices, as they are the ones who impact student learning the most.
38
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45
Appendix A: Interview Protocol
Thank you for taking the time to meet with me today. This should take less than an hour,
does that time frame still work for you?
Before we get started with the questions, I want to remind you of a few things that are
also outlined in this Study Information Sheet and give you an opportunity to ask me any
questions before we begin.
I am a student at USC who is studying how teachers understand and apply growth
mindset. I am only here as a researcher trying to understand your experience and your
perspective. There are no right or wrong answers.
This interview is completely confidential and nothing you say about your classes or your
teaching will be shared with your employer, coworkers or students. Even if I end up using a
direct quote from something you say, I will use a fake name so that I can protect your privacy.
All my data will be protected in a computer and will be deleted after three years. I am happy to
show you the final paper if you’re curious to see it.
I will record our meeting so I can make sure I correctly capture what you’re saying and it
will not be shared with anyone outside of my research team. Do you have any questions about
the study or about the recording before we begin? May I have your permission to record our
conversation.
I’d like to first ask you some basic questions to get us started and have a context to
understand the experiences you’re describing.
1. How long have you been teaching math?
2. What math classes and grade levels do you currently teach?
Now I’m going to ask you some questions about your understanding of growth mindset
46
3. What do you know about ‘growth mindset’? (RQ1)
• Where did this understanding come from? (RQ1)
• If someone asked you if you were a teacher who embodied growth mindset
practices, how would you answer? (RQ2)
4. How, if at all, has your understanding of growth mindset changed over time?
(RQ1)
5. What value, if any, does growth mindset have in a classroom? (RQ2)
This next section is specific to your math classes this year.
6. What, if anything, is the relationship between growth mindset and your classroom?
(RQ2)
7. In what ways, if at all, do you utilize growth mindset practices in your classroom?
(RQ3)
8. How would you describe how students experience making mistakes in your class?
(RQ3)
9. Describe a time, if any, when you saw a student struggling with a problem. (RQ3)
• Why did you respond in that way? (RQ2)
10. Describe a time, if any, that you gave either positive or negative feedback in class to a
student. (RQ1 and RQ3)
• Why did you respond in that way? (RQ2)
I will now ask you for an opinion on four different statements.
11. Some people say that growth mindset applications have no effect on student
learning. What are your thoughts on that? (RQ1)
47
12. Some people say that “mistakes are how we learn” what are your thoughts on
that? (RQ1)
• How do you think your students feel about making mistakes? (RQ2)
• How do you feel when your students are making mistakes? (RQ1)
• What importance, if any, does perceptions of mistakes have for your
students? (RQ2)
13. Some people also say that “Asking for help is a sign of weakness.” What are your
thoughts on that? (RQ1)
• How do you think your students would relate to that phrase? (RQ2)
• What importance, if any, is there to knowing how students relate to that
phrase? (RQ1)
• In what ways, if any, do you encourage students to ask for help? (RQ3)
14. Some people also say “Either you’re a math person or you’re not.” What are your
thoughts on that? (RQ2)
• What do you consider ‘a math person’? (RQ1)
• Do you consider yourself ‘a math person’?
Lastly I will give you a scenario for you to respond to.
15. Imagine your school hired a new math teacher and this teacher came to you for
advice. Imagine this new teacher said to you, “Hey I keep hearing about this ‘growth
mindset’ stuff but I don’t know if there’s any true value in it for the students or how I
could even utilize it in my classroom.” How would you respond to the teacher? (RQ1,
RQ2 and RQ3)
48
16. Is there anything else you would like to say about your experiences in math this
year or about growth mindset that I did not ask about?
That brings us to the end of the interview. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences and
opinions with me, it is a huge help to my research and I’m grateful for the time you spent with
me. If I were to have any follow up questions, would it be okay for me to contact you? If so, can
I call you? Thank you so much.
Abstract (if available)
Abstract
This study sought to identify strategies and beliefs that middle and high school math teachers in Los Angeles have regarding growth mindset practices in their classrooms. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with current math teachers who have taught for over a year. An analysis of transcribed interviews resulted in finding that while many of the teachers self-identify as educators who embody a growth mindset, not all teachers had the same understanding of what a growth mindset is. Another finding was that teachers who self-reported growth mindset strategies were not necessarily implementing them in such a way that promotes a growth mindset.
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Math teachers and growth mindset
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