Towards Growth-Mindset Mathematics Teaching in the Netherlands

Mathematics is the foundation of sciences and it is important in a learner's career success. Growth mindset in mathematics teaching is essential to reach a broader student population effectively. Shifting the focus from performance and time pressure to deep understanding and personal growth, unnecessary competition vanishes among learners. As a result, they develop a better relation with their own thinking and they gain insights into the thinking of others. At the same time, collaboration and communication emerge naturally. The fear of mathematics and making mistakes disappear, while students learn by connecting ideas and applying the already learned study material.In the academic years of 2017-2018 and 2018-2019, two Dutch research projects dealt with the application of a growth mindset in mathematics teaching. One was in secondary schools, the other one at universities. In this article, we briefly report about and reflect on the exciting results of these studies and suggest further directions for research and the development of best practices.The ideas and experiences described in this paper are urgent as currently we are at the threshold of a new era in which education and learning are (and should be) really open for everyone; with low floor and without ceilings