Growth mindset and neuroplasticity: Retrain student brains
Recent research findings by neuroscientists show that the brain has phenomenal rewiring capabilities. Intelligence isn’t as fixed as it was once thought to be. When nerve cells connect, new neuropathways form. This is called learning.
The implications for being able to build new neuropathways and learn throughout life are changing the way educators approach student potential. Teaching is one of the only professions tasked with rewiring brains on a daily basis.
Neuroplasticity can be described as the ability of the brain to be able to continue changing. The notion that intelligence is not static, but can be developed throughout life has come to be known as a growth mindset.
It is now estimated that only about 25 percent of a student’s IQ contributes to achievement while approximately 75 percent of achievement is related to noncognitive factors such as perseverance, resilience, grit and self-confidence. One of the new math standards includes perseverance. The ability to keep going when a problem is hard requires some coaxing. Math achievement is now measured on the new CAASPP assessment which requires that students not only do calculations, but also do more reading, writing and explaining.
The CAASPP assessment for ELA requires that students read several articles, take notes and then write an essay citing information from those sources in a fluid, articulate and cohesive manner. When instructing, this writing process might develop over the course of a week with a lot of student collaboration and teacher intervention, but students are now challenged to do it individually in one or two class periods.
Many students resist rigor because it requires grit and gumption. When learning is challenging, it often triggers emotions such as frustration. Learning to regulate emotions and handle constructive feedback are key skills for success that need to be modeled. Students need to learn how to overcome invariable setbacks which will occur on their way to success.
Josh Waitzin said, “The moment we believe that success is determined by an ingrained level of ability, we will be brittle in the face of adversity.” Teaching students the skills to cope with these failures helps to cultivate a growth mindset and grow a love of learning.
A fixed mindset is when students do not think they can get smarter at something like math or sports. If students learn to catch their negative self-talk and replace it with empowering statements, they can change it to a growth mindset.
Instead of saying “I just can’t do math,” they can say, “I’m going to retrain my brain.” Learning that challenges are required in order to make them smarter, can help students embrace tough problems.
Once the connection between two neurons is made and is traveled multiple times, it becomes a path. As the concept is practiced repeatedly, this pathway becomes a road and eventually a habit.
If students can find the grit to keep trying hard, new pathways will continue to be traveled making the trip easier and the connections stronger. Building new neuronal pathways is a fancy way to describe learning.
Everything that’s encountered changes the brain. Students get to choose if that change is for the better. Habits are well traveled brain pathways. Practicing a new skill helps to connect those neurons or brain cells together.
One way to help students adopt a growth mindset is by sharing famous people who suffered setbacks before they succeeded. Walt Disney was told that he “lacked imagination.” Vince Lombardi said, “Once you learn to quit, it becomes a habit.”
When students know more about how the brain’s neural networks work, they learn that challenging problems are critical to making them smarter. Effort contributes to building knowledge. Praising effort increases learning outcomes.
Teachers are learning the power of exploring growth mindset videos, activities and strategies in order to help change student’s thinking about their ability to increase their knowledge by rewiring their brain. This can motivate students to increase their effort.