Much of the information in this book was not new to me. I’m an educator with extensive experience in special needs, growth mindset, and math concepts. However, this book was nicely packaged and I appreciated the focus on math. So much of early childhood education focused on literacy (important!) it was refreshing to hear the impact of growth mindset and beyond specifically in the area of math. This is a book I’ll be recommending to parents to read, especially during this time of distance learning when they are experiencing the teaching in “real time” as they listen in on their children. This is a relatively quick read with lots of impact.

I adored how this book goes about teaching its reader that people do not have a fixed brain and that someone who “isn’t a math person” for example can become one just by changing their way of thinking and practicing more. It teaches how believing people don’t have the aptitude for certain topics is not only wrong, but also negatively impacts our education and other events in our daily lives. There were however some sections I believe should have been edited a bit more because at some points there was a lot of babbling and repetition of the same thing being said just in a different way.

This book reads like a fascinating conversation with a brilliant friend. Boaler shares her tremendous experience, expertise, and dogged effort in countering assumptions about learning and human potential -- and in so doing, encourages, motivates, and inspires us to do the same for ourselves. Simply put: believe in your ability to learn anything and change--and go out and live that potential in the world. You'll live a fuller, happier, richer life. It is difficult to express the passionate intelligence that lays out the science, the counterintuitive realities of learning math and the sciences in addition to insisting on learning and mastering difficult, complex, and daunting. The book resonated for me powerfully--I nodded throughout in recognition of my experiences and those of my friends and family in being our persistent, individual selves. Wonderful read -- fast and informative -- a book that you don't want to put down until you're finished it and heading out to wreak order and genuine learning in the world.

This book opened my eyes that no matter your age you are capable of learning new things. There is no limitation on the mind so why do we limit ourselves into believing that me are incapable of learning certain things. Great book.

I teach 3rd graders, so I would not directly use this in my classroom. However, the ideas inside are wholly applicable to a variety of people. The ideas would be great for any teacher of mathematics, but it doesn't stop there in its application. The ideas that our brains can grow and change over our lifetime is something anyone can benefit from. I would encourage anyone who is interested in growth mindset, or Jo Boaler's work to check this out. I have read some of her other work and this helps bring the ideas down to a level that is "low floor and high ceiling" for the reader.

I cannot recommend this book to 8 year olds. :-) But I will likely use these ideas to help my students move from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset. So, in a way this book is for 8 year olds, just not in the same way. :-) We are all on a "growth journey" and Jo Boaler is helping us embrace the idea that that is not only okay, but so important to our lives as workers, mathematicians, teachers...as people. I cannot recommend this book to 3rd graders, but I will certainly recommend it to anyone I can.

What a fun, interesting read. Loved this one!
Many thanks to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Jo Baoler takes key facts about how we learn that brain science has unearthed and wrapped them into a coherent approach to mathematics education. Read the book, look up the research that shows these ideas are indeed better than the traditional math classroom to which so many parents and teachers cling, and help our students finally enjoy—and-learn mathematics.

Jo Boaler's Limitless Mind goes in depth into six habits of what she calls a "limitless mind", each of which is based on her own & other's research. Each chapter explains a habit and shares case study-like testimonials about people adopting the habit.

The book has some practical application woven throughout; however, the weight of each chapter is on the many testimonials regarding how adopting a limitless outlook helped both teachers and students. I do wish she would have shared more practical ways to apply the research, especially in the beginning chapters. I'm convinced--but how do I apply these in my classroom?

The appendix has suggested resources with typed out links, & I'm hoping the final edition will have QR codes (print version) and live links (e-book version) for ease of use.

Overall, I recommend this book & will be reading it with colleagues as a book club selection.

*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.*

"In every moment of our lives our brains have opportunities to make connections, to strengthen pathways, and form new pathways."

I've highlighted almost every page of this book. None of the concepts around growth mindset were new to me. I took a course by the amazing teachers at Stanford almost 5 years ago when my son was in elementary school and the concepts resonated with me then. I believed in it and wanted to encourage my kids to think this way.

"This approach illustrates a key takeaway - when you hit a barrier, it is advantageous to develop a new approach and come at the problem from a new perspective."

But none of it brought it home the way this book did, for me. Even though parts of it were repetitive, I needed that repetition, I needed to hear the ideas again and again so I could internalize them in the right way. I've been taught the opposite messages my whole life, it's going to take a long time to unlearn and repetitive exposure to these ideas and examples is a start.

"The difference between positive and negative interactions frequently depends on three aspects of being unlocked: having an open mind, asking analytical questions, and embracing uncertainty."

There are parts of a growth mindset that I think I already do naturally. I am not afraid to ask questions, try new approaches, and I will often work on having an open mind. But uncertainty is almost never my friend. And yet, even there, I have many examples in my life when I've taken a big uncertain risk and have learned more in the process.

"If you settle into routines and do the same thing everyday, it is unlikely that your brain will grow new pathways and connections."

This one was hard on me, I am a person of routine. I do so much of the same thing every day. So it's a reminder for me to try one new thing every day. However small or big, it means I am growing and creating new connections in my brain.

"So my final advice for you is to embrace struggle and failure, take risks, and don't let people obstruct your pathways. If a barrier or roadblock is put in your way, find a way around it, take a different approach...Do not accept a life with limits. Instead of looking back on things that have gone badly, look forward and be positive about opportunities for learning and improvement. See others as collaborators, with whom you can grow and learn. Share uncertainty with them and be open to different ways of thinking."

I am going to print this quote and frame it both at home and at my desk at work. I don't want a life with limits. I want to grow and learn and thrive every single day of my life in every area of my life. I am eternally grateful to Jo Boaler for the reminder of the mindset I need to practice to ensure my life can be limitless.

with gratitude to netgalley and harper collins for an early copy in return for an honest review.

Limitless Mind is most aptly named. Jo Boaler left me feeling that my students and I can accomplish anything. I was so excited to see this book coming out because I have followed Jo Boaler's work for awhile now. I read youcubed regularly, and her work has helped shape who I am becoming as a teacher.

She carefully uses research and her experiences to show that we are all capable of learning anything we put our minds too. One part that I especially love is her encouragement about the importance of mistakes. We should embrace mistakes. Mistakes help us grow. I have read this before in her work, and I have really worked on emphasizing this point with my students.

She debunks the ideas that math skill is something you are born with. Instead with hard work, persistence and a positive attitude (I love her chapter about attitude) everyone is capable of learning. (She has focused on her math in much of her work given the anxiety that so often accompanies learning math, but she is really talking about any type of learning.) She also insists that math is not about SPEED. Instead it is about flexibility in problem solving and learning should be multidimensional and never just about memorization.

Every educator and parent could benefit from reading this book. I can not recommend it highly enough.

Thanks so much to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book. #netgalley #

LIMITLESS MIND by Jo Boaler encourages us to "Learn, Lead, and Live Without Barriers." Boaler is the Nomellini-Olivier Professor of Mathematics Education at Stanford University, and the faculty director of youcubed. As you can see from that website, much of her work has focused on mathematics and students in the K-8 range. However, the soon to be released LIMITLESS MIND has application across ages. Boaler first debunks damaging assumptions that limit confidence and willingness to try new things. Using a fairly academic tone, she discusses neuroplasticity and then outlines six keys that deal with our growth journey, the value of mistakes, relationships between beliefs and health, multiple ways of learning, importance of creativity and flexibility over speed, and importance of connections. I especially liked this last section where she discusses how "part of the reason students give up on learning is because they find it difficult and think they are alone in their struggle." Boaler stresses the importance of working together so that student realize that "for everyone learning is a process and that obstacles are common." Just as I encourage my student researchers to be sure they use a variety of sources (who will they invite to that metaphorical dinner party?), Boaler also notes that "connecting with another person's idea both requires and develops a higher level of understanding." Her examples for schools to encourage community involvement are practical, including a profile of Shane Feldman, founder of Count Me In movement. LIMITLESS MIND is filled with inspirational stories and is worth a look as we continue to grow and "think differently." As Boaler says, "we are all learning all the time."

This book is fantastic! I could clearly see how I can use the information from this book in my work with students, adults and for my own personal growth. I have quite a few highlighted sections that I wish I could quote from memory.

I am a huge fan of Jo Boaler and her work. This was yet again, another title that did not disappoint. I first got started with her mindset work. I’m a teacher so this works amazingly with my staff and students. I love how she starts out the book with the background of neuroplasticity and how the brain is changing and growing while synapses are firing from making mistakes and learning. She leads off with this need to embrace mistakes, being flexible, collaborating. How we have the ability to shape our own reality simply based on our mindset. Again, another fabulous piece of work by her.

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for an ARC.

I love Jo Boaler and have followed her over the past few years. I've immersed myself I her literature and work with mathematics.

I was so thrilled to recieve this copy!

Boaler shares insightful information in this book and breaks it down into 6 keys. I loved this book and it really held my attention. There were great visuals and resources. Some of the stories were repeats from other books and articles I read. However, there was plenty of new information that I learned a great deal.

I appreciate Boaler's more critical look at the brain and learning. This is where I benefitted most. After having a child with Temporal Lobe Sclerosis, I myself have benefitted greatly when it comes to learning about how the brain processes new information.

As a teacher, this book was very beneficial and I know that I have grown and learned mich as a teacher from this book

I highly recommend this to parents and teachers!!

Limitless mind is a fantastic and interesting book. I was truly engaged by the author's ideas and her writing was easy to follow. A must read for those interested in learning and their brains.

Limitless Mind by Jo Boaler presents the idea that brains are not fixed from birth. Boaler shares research and studies that back up this message as well as how this can help us move from from the fixed brain mindset to the brain growth mindset as learners.

Boaler is a professor at Stanford and backs up her book with a plethora of research. She shares this information in an accessible manner that is readable for someone who is not an academic in her fields of work. She breaks down her message into accessible chapters that help us better understand this newer research.

The crux of her book is the idea that when we learn and push ourselves, we develop new pathways in our brains. We are not born with brains that are made to be good (or not) at certain subjects but we actually develop them, and this ability never stops. Our brains are constantly growing and this happens by stepping outside our comfort zones.

We can do this by pushing ourselves in areas that are challenging and pushing through struggles and even mistakes. As we do this, the pathways in our brains are delicate but the more deeply we use these pathways the stronger they become. This message is the push for why struggle and mistakes are actually beneficial and allow our brains to continue to grow.

When we face challenging situations, rather than fear causing us to turn around, forge ahead, knowing these are the situations that help brain growth. Mistakes are a part of our everyday lives but many of us have grown up to think of mistakes as things are "bad" and something we should try and avoid.

Boaler encourages mistakes and strongly feels that facing obstacles is how we can learn and thrive. When we struggle, our brains are more active and are working harder than when we are just in" auto pilot" mode. When we are able to change our perspective on failure, we are able to live a more limitless life and continue on the path to improve and grow.

Life gives us endless moments where we can learn, grow and connect. Mistakes can help us be determined, proactive and move forward. Boaler shares that we are often unmotivated in areas where at one time someone or something gave us the idea that we couldn't be successful. I found this message to be so motivating and inspiring. As someone who has spent much of my academic life feeling like I wasn't "good" at certain subjects, this book is such a wonderful reminder that life long learning and growing can not only help us live fuller lives but the things we can master are, indeed, limitless.

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins and Jo Boaler for an advanced copy to review. All opinions are my own.