WEBVTT

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[Music] Welcome to the overview
on how to teach students

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that their abilities are expandable.

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In elementary school, Rachel got
good grades with little effort,

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but now that she's in middle
school, she's struggling in math.

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And she's not sure why.

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Her older brother told her that
girls just aren't good at math,

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and Rachel thinks he might be right.

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Suddenly, Rachel has started to
doubt her own ability to learn math.

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Research continues to show a connection

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between how students perceive their
ability and their academic success.

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If students believe they can do it, then
they're motivated to put in the effort.

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But when students doubt their
abilities, they are less likely to try.

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Without realizing it, most people think
about their ability to learn in one

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of two ways-- as either
"fixed" or "expandable."

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In the "fixed" mindset, people believe
that their intelligence can't change--

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you're either born with certain
skills and abilities, or you're not.

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People who believe in the "expandable"
mindset think their abilities can

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improve and expand-- that, with effort,
they can constantly learn new skills.

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In school, students who believe in the
"fixed" view often avoid challenges

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and reduce their level of effort
to match their own expectations.

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The "fixed" view can be
damaging even for students

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who consider themselves
successful in math and science.

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If learning these subjects has always
come easy, then they are less likely

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to overcome difficult
challenges or even failure.

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In contrast, students who believe that
their ability in math and science is

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"expandable" usually behave differently.

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They are more likely to take on
challenges and explore new concepts.

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Instead of resigning themselves
to defeat, they are willing

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to increase their effort and look for
different ways to solve the problem,

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such as asking for help,
working with a tutor,

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or simply devoting more time to tasks.

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For these students, obstacles
are not insurmountable.

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Interestingly, these students
are also more likely to enroll

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in advanced courses and join a math
or science club than their peers

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who view abilities as fixed.

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So, clearly, how students perceive their
abilities can have major implications

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in their academic success.

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Student beliefs about ability
develop and are reinforced

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through social interactions with family,
peers, media, and of course, teachers.

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Teachers are in a powerful position

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to help students examine how
they perceive their abilities.

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Teaching students about how the human
brain works is an important first step.

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Before students see intelligence as
expandable, they need to understand

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that our brains are constantly
growing and changing--

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creating and refining new
synaptic connections based

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on our everyday experiences
and activities.

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There are many ways to integrate these
concepts into classroom instruction.

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First, scientific research has
proven that repeated practice

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of a skill can increase the number of
neurons and the strength of connections

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between the neurons in the brain.

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Learning a new skill is not immediate.

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Students need opportunities to
practice the same skill many times

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in many different contexts
before they can master it.

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Second, teachers can provide
students with a wide variety of new

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and challenging experiences--
reminding them

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that difficult work is actually
what helps their brains grow.

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And, when students express frustration
or lack of confidence in their math

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and science abilities,
teachers can remind them

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that improvement is always possible.

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It just takes effort.

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Lastly, when students earn a
good grade or master a new skill,

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we need to make sure they know
that their success is the result

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of persistent effort--
not fixed, innate ability.

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As Black Elk, a famous leader
of the Lakota tribe, once said:

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"Continuous effort-- not
strength or intelligence--

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is the key to unlocking our potential."

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None of this is effective unless the
teacher also has a "growth mindset."

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All educators must believe that
every student can increase his

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or her abilities through effort.

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Research suggests that how a teacher
perceives students' ability can affect

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their achievement-- especially
in the younger grades.

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Teachers who think of intelligence as
fixed may expect less from students

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that they perceive as
incapable of learning.

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And when teachers don't
believe students can succeed,

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students can become less
motivated and unwilling

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to apply themselves to
academic challenges.

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When the entire school
supports this growth mindset,

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students get constant reinforcement
and may start believing it themselves.

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Why is this so important for
girls in math and science?

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Combining a fixed view of ability

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with gender stereotypes is
particularly harmful to girls

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as they learn math and science.

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If girls believe that they have
inherently low abilities in math

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and science-- regardless of
their actual skill level--

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they may not actively develop
their math and science skills,

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let alone pursue careers
in these fields.

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The belief that boys are
inherently better at math

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and science is a common misconception,

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and many girls grow up
believing this is true.

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When this is knowingly or unknowingly
reinforced in class, it becomes easier

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for girls to believe that any
difficulties they encounter

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in these subjects is
due to their gender--

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attributing failures to a permanent
cause rather than temporary causes

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such as inadequate preparation
or low effort.

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For example, when Rachel's
brother experiences problems

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in math he attributes it to a fluke
accident or not feeling well that day--

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an external cause not
related to his ability.

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But when Rachel has problems in math she
attributes it to her lack of ability--

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concluding that girls
just can't do math.

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And she's completely
unmotivated to do better in class.

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Of course, with the proper
teacher support,

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Rachel and other girls can
easily overcome these beliefs.

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First, teachers can directly address
these issues when they arise,

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either individually or
through class discussions.

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They can remind girls that
there is no such thing as a

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"math gene" or a "science gene."

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No one is born with these skills,
and boys struggle with math

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and science just as much as girls.

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Also, teachers can frequently
highlight the mathematic

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and scientific accomplishments made by
both men and women, especially people

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who overcame difficult challenges
through persistent effort.

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Building a classroom environment that
encourages students to view abilities

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as expandable and improvable
is vital for student growth.

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It helps students feel safe to
take risks, tackle new challenges,

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and strengthen their minds.

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As a result, students will become
more confident about their abilities

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and build new connections
in their brain--

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helping them succeed both
now and in the future.

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To learn more about teaching students
that their abilities are expandable,

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please explore the additional resources
on the Doing What Works website.

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[Music]