A Look into Mindset, Motivation, and Self- Regulation: How to Foster Motivation and the Growth Mindset in the Classroom

People are naturally curious beings, and the desire to learn is a natural and innate part of human nature. So why is it that by the time students reach their secondary education, their motivation is at an all time low? As students’ motivation is directly linked to their success and well-being, this problem is troubling. Many researchers have sought to find the cause of this shift, and what they have found is that although there cannot merely be a single determining factor to account for this shift, the vast majority of our schools and classrooms are promoting strategies, systems, and climates that undermine the natural desire to learn. To foster motivation and a growth mindset, teachers and administration alike must reevaluate the ways they attempt to control student behavior to allow students to feel autonomous, competent, and connected to others. However, current research is disconnected from the every day classroom; the practical means for teaching staff to adopt these philosophies is unmistakably absent. Therefore, this project proposes authentic structures, strategies, and lessons that provide teachers with the frameworks needed to promote these ideals within their schools and classrooms, thereby increasing student motivation and success