Background:

Dr. Jo Boaler is a professor of education and equity at Stanford University and the faculty director of youcubed—an education resource that has reached over 230 million students. She is the author of the first MOOC on mathematics teaching and learning, as well as nine mathematics books and numerous research articles. Her work has been published in the New York Times, TIME magazine, The Telegraph, The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal, and many other news outlets. She was named by the BBC as one of eight educators “changing the face of education.” Her latest book is: Limitless Mind: Learn, Lead & Live without Barriers, published by Harper Collins.

In this episode Jo shares:

• Her incredible story of overcoming academic bullying and what it taught her about resilience and connection

• What neuroplasticity is, why it's a game changing finding in neuroscience, and how understanding the way our brains work can transform the ways we learn, lead & live

• The neuroscience behind why mistakes are actually a good thing

• How she teaches students to embrace mistakes, and learn from failure

• The neurobiology of fear, and how curiosity may be an antidote to the fear response

• How adopting a growth mindset can be a key to living without limits

• The importance of believing in oneself and why anyone can learn anything

People, references, and resources mentioned:

• Limitless Mind

• Youcubed

• Carol Dweck

• Mindset

• Scott Barry Kaufman

• Mark Nepo

• Barbara Arrowsmith

• The Arrowsmith approach

• Rethinking Giftedness

• Amy Edmondson

• Norman Doidge

• The Brain That Changes Itself

• Ellen Langer

• Claude Steel

• Counterclockwise

• Judson Brewer

• Brown Center for Mindfulness