When Teachers Become Students: Impacts of Neuroscience Learning on Elementary Teachers’ Mindset Beliefs, Approach to Learning, Teaching Efficacy, and Grit

Previous research suggests that learning basic neuroscience constructs, especially about the malleability of the brain, impacts middle school and older students’ academic mindset, response to failure and academic persistence. This research targets teacher beliefs using a similar model. Teachers were taught introductory neuroscience concepts related to how the brain learns. Session topics included: basic neurodevelopment, neuroplasticity, sleep and the brain, stress and the brain, exercise and the brain, growth mindset, growth mindset feedback, selfcontrol and grit. Results of this school level intervention suggest significant impacts on teachers’ mindset, teaching efficacy, teachers’ approach to learning and grit. In particular, teacher mindset beliefs significantly increased after the teachers were taught the concepts. Implications for schools and teacher preparation are discussed.