Banish math anxiety and give students of all ages a clear roadmap to successMathematical Mindsets provides practical strategies and activities to help teachers and parents show all children, even those who are convinced that they are bad at math, that they can enjoy and succeed in math. Jo Boaler--Stanford researcher, professor of math education, and expert on math learning--has studied why students don't like math and often fail in math classes. She's followed thousands of students through middle and high schools to study how they learn and to find the most effective ways to unleash the math potential in all students.There is a clear gap between what research has shown to work in teaching math and what happens in schools and at home. This book bridges that gap by turning research findings into practical activities and advice. Boaler translates Carol Dweck's concept of 'mindset' into math teaching and parenting strategies, showing how students can go from self-doubt to strong self-confidence, which is so important to math learning. Boaler reveals the steps that must be taken by schools and parents to improve math education for all. Mathematical Mindsets:* Explains how the brain processes mathematics learning* Reveals how to turn mistakes and struggles into valuable learning experiences* Provides examples of rich mathematical activities to replace rote learning* Explains ways to give students a positive math mindset* Gives examples of how assessment and grading policies need to change to support real understandingScores of students hate and fear math, so they end up leaving school without an understanding of basic mathematical concepts. Their evasion and departure hinders math-related pathways and STEM career opportunities. Research has shown very clear methods to change this phenomena, but the information has been confined to research journals--until now. Mathematical Mindsets provides a proven, practical roadmap to mathematics success for any student at any age.

Foreword viiIntroduction ixChapter 1 The Brain and Mathematics Learning 1Chapter 2 The Power of Mistakes and Struggle 11Chapter 3 The Creativity and Beauty in Mathematics 21Chapter 4 Creating Mathematical Mindsets: The Importance of Flexibility with Numbers 33Chapter 5 Rich Mathematical Tasks 57Chapter 6 Mathematics and the Path to Equity 93Chapter 7 From Tracking to Growth Mindset Grouping 111Chapter 8 Assessment for a Growth Mindset 141Chapter 9 Teaching Mathematics for a Growth Mindset 171References 209Appendix A 217Appendix B 269About the Author 279Acknowledgments 280Index 281