Growth-mindset-informed math teaching practices: norms, no fixed labels, mixed-ability grouping, process praise, and formative assessment with retakes¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

The report synthesizes the growth mindset literature into math teaching practices that reinforce a growth orientation: "establishing and reinforcing classroom norms" communicating that all students can learn math and that mistakes are learning opportunities; avoiding fixed ability labels; using mixed ability–level groupings with access to mathematically rich tasks; providing specific, process-based praise focused on mathematical thinking rather than solution correctness; and adopting formative assessment structures allowing multiple mastery demonstrations after support, such as assessment retakes or test corrections.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Teachers need sufficient training in mindset theory, since even familiar teachers may reduce growth mindset to generic optimism or associate it only with successful students

Constraints¶

• Explicit mindset instruction may be difficult to sustain without concurrent shifts in classroom practice, since practices like ability grouping can contradict growth mindset messaging

Target Learners¶

• K–12 mathematics students

Target Learning Goals¶

• Growth mindset adoption
• Persistence through failure
• Math achievement

Related Strategies¶

• Promote a Growth Mindset
• Growth Mindset Feedback
• Growth Mindset Framing
• Promote a Growth Mindset in Math
• Praise Effort and Strategies
• Emphasis on the Learning Process
• Reinforce growth mindsets through explicit messages plus implicit classroom practices

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Fitz, J. (with Price, H.). (2025). Positive conditions for mathematics learning: An overview of the research. Learning Policy Institute. https://doi.org/10.54300/967.472