Brain Plasticity and Growth Mindset Training– Research has established that when students labeled “at risk” for becoming high school dropouts were given two types of psycho-social interventions that their GPA increased along with their academic engagement.

Other studies found that African-American students who learned Growth Mindset showed an increase in academic achievement and developed attitudes of valuing and enjoying school more. Hence, this is a possible strategy for narrowing the racial achievement gap.

1) Sense of Purpose Intervention – helps students understand how education will help them achieve long-term goals. It answers the questions: Why? Why does this work matter? Why bother? What’s in it for me?

2) Mindset Intervention – Students learn about growth mindset versus fixed mindset. They learn that all people are capable of learning and that struggle, challenge and mistakes in academic work is simply part of the learning process and not an indication of failure or inadequacy.

These strategies are embedded throughout each of our courses.