We know that growth mindset—the belief that intelligence can be developed—is essential in effectively teaching math. But what kind of habits should you encourage in your students to achieve a growth mindset?
Download the MATH 180 “Habits of a Growth Mindset” poster for your classroom.
We pulled together this helpful list of healthy habits to enable a growth mindset in math.
- Put in effort: Math does have a purpose and putting in effort to understand will lead to success.
- Believe in yourself: Change is possible. Remind yourself that you are capable of learning.
- Have grit: Hard work will lead to success and understanding.
- Take risks: Failure isn’t the end of the world—it’s an opportunity to learn.
- Persevere: Don’t give up on yourself. Despite mistakes, keep looking for a successful solution.
- Embrace criticism: Constructive criticism can help you see things in a different way.
- Solve problems: Try different ways to find a solution.
- Seek challenges: Take risks and try things that seem difficult.
- Be resilient: Pick yourself up from failure and tackle the next challenge.
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This blog, originally published in 2021, has been updated for 2025.
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