Mathematical Mindsets: Unleashing Students' Potential Through Creative Mathematics, Inspiring Messages and Innovative Teaching

Biographical Note:

Jo Boaler is the Nominelli-Olivier Professor of Mathematics Education at Stanford University and the Co-Founder and Faculty Director of youcubed. She is a White House presenter on girls and STEM, was named one of eight people changing the face of education by the BBC, and she has authored eighteen books, including the series Mindset Mathematics for grades K-8.

An accessible roadmap to applying the latest math education research to real-world classrooms

"Mistakes, struggles, creativity, beauty, flexibility, equity--Jo Boaler uses these words to describe a vision of mathematics where every student thrives and becomes a mathematical thinker. By following Boaler's roadmap, perhaps we can once and for all lay to rest decades of archaic and destructive notions about what it takes to be good at math."
--Cathy Seeley, Past President, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and author of Faster Isn't Smarter and Smarter Than We Think

"Jo Boaler is justifiably tired of all the uninformed BS about math education. Too many children's lives are being harmed. In this book, she takes the gloves off and comes out fighting. Her weapon? Scientific data. Lots of it. A readable, engaging, compelling case for revolutionizing math education. Ignore her message and you (or your children, or your students) will be locked out of much of the 21st Century."
--Dr. Keith Devlin, Stanford University mathematician, NPR "Math Guy," and author of Mathematics Education for a New Era

"Jo Boaler calls out the mindsets that can limit a student's aptitude for math and ways to change them. More than just a replacement set of positive messages, Jo's book elaborates practical, research-tested strategies for teaching, assessment, practice, and homework--all to help a student learn and love to learn mathematics."
--Dan Meyer, former math teacher, Dean of Research at Desmos, author, and consultant

In the newly revised Second Edition of Mathematical Mindsets: Unleashing Students' Potential through Creative Mathematics, Inspiring Messages and Innovative Teaching, distinguished Stanford math education professor Jo Boaler demonstrates what it takes to help students become high achievers in mathematics. Filled with brand-new material and updated references, the book integrates a social justice perspective and new research regarding the teaching of data science and math gathered over the past five years.

Foreword vii

Preface to the Second Edition ix

Introduction: The Power of Mindset xi

Chapter 1 The Brain and Mathematics Learning 1

Chapter 2 The Power of Mistakes and Struggle 13

Chapter 3 The Creativity and Beauty in Mathematics 25

Chapter 4 Creating Mathematical Mindsets: The Importance of Flexibility with Numbers 39

Chapter 5 Rich Mathematical Tasks 59

Chapter 6 Mathematics and the Path to Equity 95

Chapter 7 From Tracking to Growth Mindset Grouping 115

Chapter 8 Assessment for a Growth Mindset 149

Chapter 9 Teaching Mathematics for a Growth Mindset 179
References 221
Appendix A 229
Appendix B 281
Index 291

In Mathematical Mindsets: Unleashing Students' Potential through Creative Math, Inspiring Messages and Innovative Teaching mathematics education expert and best-selling author Jo Boaler delivers a blueprint to banishing math anxiety and laying a foundation for mathematics success that anyone can build on.

Perfect for students who have been convinced they are naturally "bad at math," the author offers a demonstration of how to turn self-doubt into self-confidence by relying on the "mindset" framework.

Mathematical Mindsets is based on thousands of hours of in-depth study and research into the most effective--and ineffective--ways to teach math to young people. This new edition also includes:

• Brand-new research from the last five years that sheds brighter light on how to turn a fear of math into an enthusiastic desire to learn
• Developed ideas about ways to bring about equitable grouping in classrooms
• New initiatives to bring 21st century mathematics to K-12 classrooms

Mathematical Mindsets is ideal for K-12 math educators. It also belongs on the bookshelves of the parents interested in helping their K-12 children with their math education, as well as school administrators and educators-in-training.