Skip to main content
Springer Nature Link
Log in

The Power of Mindsets: Nurturing Engagement, Motivation, and Resilience in Students

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Handbook of Research on Student Engagement

Abstract

In this chapter, three interrelated concepts—student engagement, motivation, and resilience—are examined through the lens of “mindsets.” Mindsets are assumptions that we possess about ourselves and others that guide our behavior. The mindset that educators hold about the factors that contribute to student engagement, motivation, and resilience determines their expectations, teaching practices, and relationships with students. We identify the key components of these three concepts, highlighting those that overlap. We distinguish between extrinsic and intrinsic motivation and the ways in which the latter is more closely attuned with student engagement and resilience than the former. We encourage the ongoing discussion of mindsets at staff meetings so that teachers become increasingly aware of the mindset of engaged, motivated learners and consider how to nurture this mindset in the classroom. We offer many strategies to facilitate the enrichment of this mindset in all students.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adelman, H. S., & Taylor, L. (1983). Enhancing motivation for overcoming learning and behavior problems. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 16, 384–392.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, A. R., Christenson, S. L., Sinclair, M. F., & Lehr, C. A. (2004). Check & Connect: The importance of relationships for promoting engagement with school. Journal of School Psychology, 42, 95–113.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Andrews, G. R., & Debus, R. L. (1978). Persistence and the causal perceptions of failure: Modifying cognitive attributions. Journal of Educational Psychology, 70, 154–166.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Appleton, A. R., Christenson, S. L., & Furlong, M. J. (2008). Student engagement with school: Critical conceptual and methodological issues of the construct. Psychology in the Schools, 45, 369–386.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Appleton, J. J., Christenson, S. L., Kim, D., & Reschly, A. L. (2006). Measuring cognitive and psychological engagement: Validation of the Student Engagement Instrument. Journal of School Psychology, 44, 427–445.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Betts, J. E., Appleton, J. J., Reschly, A. L., Christenson, S. L., & Huebner, E. S. (2010). A study of the factorial invariance of the Student Engagement Instrument (SEI): Results from middle and high school students. School Psychology Quarterly, 25, 84–93.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brooks, R. (1991). The self-esteem teacher. Loveland, OH: Treehaus Communications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brooks, R. (1994). Children at risk: Fostering resilience and hope. The American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 64, 545–553.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brooks, R. (2001). To touch a student’s heart and mind: The mindset of the effective educator. In Proceedings of the 1999 Plain Talk conference sponsored by the Center for Development and Learning, New Orleans (pp. 167–177). Cambridge, MA: Educators Publishing Service.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brooks, R. (2004). To touch the hearts and minds of students with learning disabilities: The power of mindsets and expectations. Learning Disabilities: A Contempo-rary Journal, 2, 9–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brooks, R., & Goldstein, S. (2001). Raising resilient children. New York: McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brooks, R., & Goldstein, S. (2004). The power of resilience. New York: McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brooks, R., & Goldstein, S. (2007). Raising a self-disciplined child. New York: McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brooks, R., & Goldstein, S. (2008). The mindset of teachers capable of fostering resilience in students. Canadian Journal of School Psychology, 23, 114–126.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Canino, F. (1981). Learned helplessness theory: Implication for research in learning disabilities. Journal of Special Education, 15, 471–484.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Christenson, S. L., & Anderson, A. R. (2002). Commentary: The centrality of the learning context for students’ academic enabler skills. School Psychology Review, 31, 378–393.

    Google Scholar 

  • Christenson, S. L., Reschly, A. L., Appleton, J. J., Berman, S., Spanjers, D., & Varro, P. (2008). Best practices in fostering student engagement. In A. Thomas & J. Grimes (Eds.), Best practices in school psychology (5th ed., pp. 1099–1119). Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists.

    Google Scholar 

  • Christenson, S. L., & Thurlow, M. L. (2004). School dropouts: Prevention considerations, interventions, and challenges. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 13(1), 36–39.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, J. (2006). Social, emotional, ethical, and academic education: Creating a climate for learning, participation in democracy, and well-being. Harvard Educational Review, 76, 201–237.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, J., & Sandy, S. (2003). Perspectives in social-emotional education: Theoretical foundations and new evidence-based developments in current practice. Perspectives in Education, 21, 41–54.

    Google Scholar 

  • Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1975). Beyond boredom and anxiety: Experiencing flow in work and play. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1998). Finding flow: The psychology of engagement with everyday life. New York: Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davis, S. (2003). Schools where everyone belongs. Wayne, ME: Stop Bullying Now.

    Google Scholar 

  • Deci, E. L., & Flaste, R. (1995). Why we do what we do: Understanding self-motivation. New York: Penguin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Deci, E. L., Hodges, R., Pierson, L., & Tomassone, J. (1992). Autonomy and competence as motivational factors in students with learning disabilities and emotional handicaps. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 25, 457–471.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Deci, E. L., Koestner, R., & Ryan, R. M. (2001). Extrinsic rewards and extrinsic motivation in education: Reconsidered once again. Review of Educational Research, 71, 1–27.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The “what” and “why” of goal pursuits. Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11, 227–268.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DiCintio, M. J., & Gee, S. (1999). Control is the key: Unlocking the motivation of at-risk students. Psychology in the Schools, 36, 231–237.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dweck, C. S. (1986). Motivational processes affecting learning. American Psychologist, 41, 1040–1048.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. New York: Random House.

    Google Scholar 

  • Elias, M. J., Zins, J. E., Graczyk, P. A., & Weissberg, R. P. (2003). Implementation, sustainability, and scaling up of social-emotional and academic innovations in public schools. School Psychology Review, 32, 303–319.

    Google Scholar 

  • Finn, J. D. (1989). Withdrawing from school. Review of Educational Research, 59, 117–142.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fredricks, J. A., Blumenfeld, P. C., & Paris, A. H. (2004). School engagement: Potential of the concept, state of the evidence. Review of Educational Psychology, 74, 59–109.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gardner, H. (1983). Frames of mind. New York: Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldstein, S., & Brooks, R. (Eds.). (2005). Handbook of resilience in children. New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldstein, S., & Brooks, R. (2007). Understanding and managing classroom behavior: Creating resilient, sustainable classrooms. New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goleman, D. (1994). Emotional intelligence. New York: Bantam.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grolnick, W. S., Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (1991). Inner resources for school achievement: Motivational mediators of children’s perceptions of their parents. Journal of Educational Psychology, 83, 508–517.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Henderson, N., & Milstein, M. (1996). Resiliency in schools: Making it happen for students and educators. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holt, P., Fine, M., & Tollefson, N. (1987). Mediating stress: Survival of the hardy. Psychology in the Schools, 24, 51–58.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jacobson, L. (1999). Three’s company: Kids prove they have a place at the parent-teacher conference. Teacher Magazine, 11, 23.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jimerson, S. R., Campos, E., & Greif, J. L. (2003). Toward an understanding of definitions and measures of school engagement and related items. California School Psychologist, 8, 7–27.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, R. D. (2009). Student engagement: Teacher handbook. Rexford, NY: International Center for Leadership in Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, R. D., Marrazo, M. J., & Love, C. J. (2007). Student engagement: Creating a culture of academic achievement. Rexford, NY: International Center for Leadership in Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • Katz, M. (1994, May). From challenged childhood to achieving adulthood: Studies in resilience. Chadder, 8–11.

    Google Scholar 

  • Katz, M. (1997). On playing a poor hand well. New York: Norton.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klem, A., & Connell, R. (2004). Relationships matter: Linking teacher support to student engagement and achievement. Journal of School Health, 74, 262–273.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kobasa, S., Maddi, S., & Kahn, S. (1982). Hardiness and health: A perspective inquiry. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 42, 168–177.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kobasa, S., & Puccetti, M. (1983). Personality and social resources in stress resistance. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 42, 839–850.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lepper, M. R., Greene, D., & Nisbett, R. E. (1973). Undermining children’s intrinsic interest with extrinsic rewards: A test of the “overjustification” hypothesis. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 28, 129–137.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Levine, M. D. (2002). A mind at a time. New York: Simon & Schuster.

    Google Scholar 

  • Levine, M. D. (2003). The myth of laziness. New York: Simon & Schuster.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maehr, M. L., & Meyer, H. A. (1997). Understanding motivation and schooling: Where we’ve been, where we are, and where we need to go. Educational Psychology Review, 9, 371–408.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martinez, J. (1989). Cooling off before burning out. Academic Therapy, 24, 271–284.

    Google Scholar 

  • Masten, A. S. (2001). Ordinary magic: Resilience processes in development. American Psychologist, 56, 227–238.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Masten, A. S., & Coatsworth, J. D. (1998). The development of competence in favorable and unfavorable environments: Lessons from successful children. American Psychologist, 53, 205–220.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McCombs, B. L., & Pope, J. E. (1994). Motivating hard to reach students. Washington, DC: American Psycholog­ical Association.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Middleton, K., & Pettit, E. A. (2010). Simply the best: 29 things students say the best teachers do around relationships. Bloomington, IN: Author House.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miserandino, M. (1996). Children who do well in school: Individual differences in perceived competence and autonomy in above-average children. Journal of Educational Psychology, 88, 203–214.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Olweus, D. (1994). Bullying at school: What we know and what we can do. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pink, D. H. (2009). Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us. New York: Riverhead Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reivich, K., & Shatte, A. W. (2002). The resilience factor: 7 keys to finding your inner strength and overcoming life’s hurdles. New York: Random House.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reschly, A. L., & Christenson, S. L. (2006). Prediction of dropout among students with mild disabilities: A Case for the inclusion of student engagement variables. Remedial and Special Education, 27, 276–292.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Russell, V. J., Ainley, M., & Frydenberg, E. (2005). School issues digest: Student motivation and engagement. From: http://dest.gov.au/setors/school_education/publication_resources/schooling_issues_digest_motivation_engagement.htm

  • Rutter, M. (1980). School influences on children’s behavior and development. Pediatrics, 65, 522–533.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rutter, M. (1985). Resilience in the face of adversity: Protective factors and resistance to psychiatric disorder. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 147, 598–611.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rutter, M. (1987). Psychosocial resilience and protective factors. The American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 57, 316–331.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55, 68–78.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schunk, D. H., & Rice, J. M. (1993). Strategy fading and progress feedback: Effects on self-efficacy and comprehension among students receiving remedial reading services. The Journal of Special Education, 27, 257–276.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Segal, J. (1988). Teachers have enormous power in affecting a child’s self-esteem. Brown University Child Behavior and Development Newsletter, 10, 1–3.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seligman, M. E. P. (1990). Learned optimism: How to change your minds and life. New York: Pocket Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seligman, M. E. P. (1995). The optimistic child. New York: Houghton Mifflin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sheridan, S. M., Eagle, J. W., & Dowd, S. E. (2005). Families for contexts for children’s adaptation. In S. Goldstein & R. Brooks (Eds.), Handbook of resilience in children (pp. 165–180). New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Shure, M. B. (1996). Raising a thinking child: Help your young child resolve everyday conflicts and get along with others. New York: Pocket Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shure, M. B. (2003). A problem-solving approach to preventing early high-risk behaviors in children and preteens. In D. Romer (Ed.), Preventing adolescent risk (pp. 85–92). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sinclair, M. F., Christenson, S. L., & Thurlow, M. L. (2005). Promoting school completion of urban secondary youth with emotional or behavioral disabilities. Exceptional Children, 71(4), 465–482.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thomsen, K. (2002). Building resilient students: Integrating resiliency into what you already know and do. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vansteenkiste, M., Simons, J., Lens, W., Sheldon, K. M., & Deci, E. L. (2004). Motivating learning, performance, and persistence: The synergistic effects of intrinsic goal contents and autonomy-supportive contexts. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 87, 246–260.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wagner, T., Kegan, R., Lahey, L. L., & Lemons, R. L. (2005). Change leadership: A practical guide to transforming our schools. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weiner, B. (1974). Achievement motivation and attribution theory. Morristown, NJ: General Learning Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Werner, E. E. (1993). Risk, resilience, and recovery: Perspectives from the Kauai Longitudinal Study. Development and Psychopathology, 5, 503–515.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Werner, E. E., & Smith, R. (1992). Overcoming the odds: High risk children from birth to adulthood. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Werner, E. E., & Smith, R. (2001). Journeys of childhood to midlife: Risk, resilience, and recovery. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wright, M. O., & Masten, A. S. (2005). Resilience processes in development. In S. Goldstein & R. Brooks (Eds.), Handbook of resilience in children (pp. 17–37). New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Robert Brooks

  2. Weston Public Schools, Weston, MA, USA

    Suzanne Brooks

  3. University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA

    Sam Goldstein

Authors
  1. Robert Brooks
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Suzanne Brooks
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Sam Goldstein
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Robert Brooks .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Educational Psychology, University of Minnesota, E. River Road 56, Minneapolis, 55455, Minnesota, USA

    Sandra L. Christenson

  2. Dept. Educational Psychology &, Instructional Technology, University of Georgia, Aderhold Hall 325N, Athens, 30602, Georgia, USA

    Amy L. Reschly

  3. Educational Research, New Zealand Council for, Wellington, New Zealand

    Cathy Wylie

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2012 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Brooks, R., Brooks, S., Goldstein, S. (2012). The Power of Mindsets: Nurturing Engagement, Motivation, and Resilience in Students. In: Christenson, S., Reschly, A., Wylie, C. (eds) Handbook of Research on Student Engagement. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-2018-7_26

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics