Developing ”Growth Mindset” Programs

OECD studies revealed that Israeli students believe that talent is the best predictor for success in mathematics studies at school, in contrast to Korean students who pointed to effort as the primary factor. In conversations we held with teachers in Israel’s social periphery, we found out that especially there, the Israeli way of thinking might turn into a vicious cycle.  They noted that many of their students define themselves as unable to succeed in mathematics at the higher levels. Even the very talented students sometime feel that studying in a top university department or having a career in high tech is not open to them. They typically have low expectations of their own capabilities and low self-esteem.

In many cases, this feeling is reinforced at home by their parents and siblings and even in in school by their teachers. Research work by Carol Dwek and Jo Boaler of Stanford University revealed that teachers’ and students’ patterns of thinking have a great influence on academic performance. Especially in mathematics studies, these patterns of thinking have a self-fulfilling effect. On the other hand, when students and teachers believe that performance is determined mostly by effort and motivation, and not just by talent, then the pace and level of learning profoundly improves, particularly with students who come from difficult life circumstances.

This “growth mindset” approach has aroused interest around the world and in recent years has underpinned many attempts to develop supportive teaching techniques and learning methodologies. In order to encourage this kind of work in Israel, we approached the National Center for Educational Simulation at Bar Ilan University, with whom the foundation already successfully collaborates on a program providing simulation workshops for trainee mathematics teachers in residency programs.

They propose to develop scripts for workshops based on the growth mindset approach in mathematics teaching with 240 teachers. During a first stage, a team of mathematics teachers from Israel’s periphery and experts in mathematics teaching and in developing simulation workshops will visit schools in the periphery to observe lessons and interview students and teachers. Based on their findings they will develop scenarios and scripts for four different simulation workshops, which they will test with 60 teachers who participate in professional learning communities.

Following feedback and improvements, they will deliver the workshops to a wider audience of additional 180 teachers. They will recruit these teachers by inviting teacher community leaders and advertising the program among school networks. They will also prepare three instructional films demonstrating the methodology, which will be online and freely available to all mathematics teachers in Israel.

* The text presented above shows the grant as approved by the Foundation Board / Grant 252