Nurturing growth mindset in math

Last year I read "Mindset" by Carol Dweck; now it seems the word is everywhere, especially in math education, where many have long felt (erroneously) that one needs some sort of innate skill or "talent" to be good at math.  (Dweck argues, "in a growth mindset people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work -- brains and talent are just the starting point", and that the research on neural plasticity supports this idea, and further, that certain types of parenting and teaching promote growth mindest, while others inhibit it.)

This evening I watched a math webinar with Maria Vamvalis from TC2.  Nurturing a growth mindset was on the agenda.  I plan to keep this in mind as I prepare for a math workshop I am facilitating for teachers in Guelph in a few weeks, but also in working with my own students in class.  

Based on a slide from Vamvalis' presentation, I've developed the following "exit ticket" to use as a self-assessment and learning encouragement with my Grade 7 and 8 students over the coming weeks; I'll use their feedback in addition to my own observations in class to develop next steps for each student.

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My goal is to communicate effectively with my students that it's okay to make mistakes, and that the critical feedback I give them I do because I believe in their ability to learn and grow.

P.S.  Check out Jo Boaler sharing research about the impact of "I believe in you" statements on student work!