I’m a big believer in promoting a growth mindset with the children in my class. Children with growth mindsets are not only a delight to teach but studies show they have much better outcomes than students with fixed mindsets. In this blog post I’ll share with you all the resources I use in my classroom to develop a growth mindset in the children I teach.

What is a Growth Mindset?

Dr. Carol Dweck and her colleagues at Stanford University studied the mindsets of children and then identified two different types – Growth and Fixed mindsets.

Growth mindset occurs when we believe our intelligence and abilities can be improved upon with effort and the right strategies. A willingness to confront challenges, a passion for learning and viewing failure as a springboard for growth are all characteristics associated with a growth mindset. Not surprisingly, this type of mindset is strongly linked to greater happiness and achievement in life. In contrast, those with a fixed mindset believe their intelligence and abilities cannot be altered in a meaningful way. As a result, mistakes are often seen as failures rather than opportunities to grow and learn. When stuck in a fixed mindset, we may fear new experiences, avoid risks, and feel the need to repeatedly prove ourselves over and over.

So how do you promote that growth mindset?

I’ve done some research and have also tested a few strategies and programs with my classes over the last few years, and this is what I’ve found.

How to promote a Growth Mindset in Children

The first steps involve teaching your children about their brain and how it works. I highly recommend the Mind Up program developed by The Goldie Hawn Foundation. Mind Up is a program based on neuroscience research. It will help you to teach children how their brains function. This program also teaches children the skills and knowledge they need to regulate their stress and emotions, form positive relationships, and act with kindness and compassion.

You can find out more about the program and view free lessons and videos of teachers implementing the program here – MIND UP.

We also spend some time discussing growth and fixed mindsets. Class Dojo has some great videos your class will love to watch and their Growth Mindset series make for excellent discussion starters. You can check them out HERE.

Affirmations and Growth Mindset

Another worthwhile activity we do is to discuss negative and positive self-talk. Self-talk is usually grounded in your conscious thoughts and your core beliefs. Negative self-talk is extremely damaging to children's self-worth and has a detrimental influence on their mindset.

I use class affirmations to encourage positive self-talk in the children. My Affirmation Posters are perfect for introducing and developing positive self-talk.

I have designed 120 motivational growth mindset posters. These positive affirmation posters are such a beautiful addition to my classroom. They have a nature theme and are a treasured and valuable resource I rely on every day. I display one or two on the main classroom whiteboard next to our visual timetable and our learning intentions. I usually leave the affirmation up for a few days at a time, and we take a moment to repeat it daily.

When I introduce a new affirmation, I spend some time discussing the message with the class. We will tell stories and make personal connections to times in our lives the affirmation may relate to. Then we all say the affirmation together, three times in a row. Sometimes the affirmation has a strong connection to the children in my class so I’ll leave it up for a week and then display it permanently somewhere else in the classroom.