Speaking to the Numbers: Impacts of Growth Mindset on Student Mathematics and Achievement

The purpose of this study was to determine if an increase in teacher growth mindset language and practices positively impacted students’ mindset and mathematical achievement. This study took place in a suburban public school. Twenty-one fifth grade students’ mathematics data were collected as part of this study. At the beginning of the academic year, students were administered a mathematical growth mindset survey. During a mathematical unit involving mathematical operations with percentages, taught near the end of the academic year, students’ mathematics journals, mathematics unit pre-and post- assessments, and a teacher reflection journal were collected. The results showed that students increased in their performance in pre- and post- mathematics assessments after receiving instruction centered in growth mindset language and practices. The results of this study indicate that growth mindset-centered language and practices may help increase student achievement. Implications for the results, including this study’s limitations and further research are discussed