Understanding neuroplasticity helps us ask the right questions to encourage our children to develop a growth mindset. Neuroplasticity is the ability of our brain to change and reorganize its structure and its function. Brains are always creating new neurons. Thinking and doing create new connections between neurons. Practicing and working through struggles make neural pathways even stronger (sleep plays an important role in this process). 

Pathways we don’t use become weaker and more disconnected so spaced repetition of thinking and doing is essential. When students believe that they can change their brains through their thoughts and actions they begin to understand the effort is imperative to their learning. Here are some pocket sentences that you can use to leverage neuroplasticity and encourage a growth mindset:

• What is your evidence that something is working for you or not?
• How did that assignment, test, essay, etc go for you? 
• What strategies could you use next time for a better outcome/the same outcome?
• Tell me about your process on this? 
• What do you say to yourself when you are stuck?
• What strategies did you use to figure that out?