Research Poster: Mindset Theory and Parent Engagement
This poster presentation represents my research into growth mindset with regard to parent education and empowerment, completed as part of my M.Ed from Xavier University in the Spring of 2024.
From my abstract:
“In the study that follows, the researcher explores the intersection of mindset theory and Montessori education for parents of pre-adolescent and adolescent children. Using a qualitative approach, the data was collected within a constructivist, phenomenological framework through a series of parent workshops with a sample of participants collected through voluntary convenience sampling from a small, private, tuition-based Montessori school in a large Midwestern city. Through thematic analysis, the researcher describes key understandings among participants with regard to Carol Dweck’s mindset theory based on participants’ open-ended survey question responses and collaborative discussions. This research is also situated within a cultural moment of high levels of stress and anxiety among pre-adolescent and adolescent learners, and the researcher hopes that by providing parents with more opportunities to collaborate and discuss mindset theory and related strategies, families feel more empowered and connected to take on this social and emotional challenges with their students.
Keywords: mindset theory, Carol Dweck, growth mindset, Montessori, adolescence, parent education, parent engagement, private education