Growth Mindset in the Classroom: Inspiring Ideas to Start the Year

Teaching growth mindset in the classroom this year? Or want to know how to start the school year off right? This article provides the information you need.

Growth Mindset in the Classroom for back to school

Classroom Ideas for Building Growth Mindset

Congrats! Another year of school is about to begin. It’s a fresh start with new students and young minds that are ready to learn. As you dive into this new year, start it off well by encouraging a growth mindset in the classroom, beginning on the first day.

What is Growth Mindset?

If you are new to the term “growth mindset” you may want to check out these growth mindset books or the growth mindset TEDTalk by Carol Dweck, an expert on growth mindset.

A basic definition is that persons with a growth mindset believe that intelligence and abilities can be improved; they are not fixed.

It is important to teach this to kids early on and to continue reinforcing it throughout their education so they do not develop a fixed mindset.

Growth Mindset in History

If I had to guess, I would bet that you have a can of WD-40 in your garage. Did you know that WD-40 stands for water displacement on the 40th try? Imagine if they had stopped after a few tries, or even after 39? What if Dr. Chris Barnard gave up on the idea of successful heart transplants?

Our world is a better place because of the resilience and perseverance of so many scientists, researchers, inventors, and everyday people who refused to give up. Let’s teach our students to do the same.

On the first day of school, introduce students to the idea that they are truly the master of their own making.

To inspire the idea that this can work for them, share examples of people who have succeeded with this same mindset. Athletes and/or persons who have overcome adversity can be a great source of motivation for young people. Imagine if Michael Phelps never practiced; he just stuck with the status quo. Would he have continued to break records? What if Michael Jordan gave up when he was cut from his high school basketball team?

We must teach our students to persevere, to keep trying, and to know that focused practice does make a difference.

Growth Mindset in the Classroom

Once you have introduced the idea of a growth mindset, you can incorporate a variety of growth mindset activities and learning experiences to reinforce the idea of continual improvement and growth.

Talk through your own thought process when solving a problem or setting a goal as a way of modeling your own growth.

Have students brainstorm solutions and ideas for practicing a certain skill. Remind students that the process is just as important as (if not more important than) the product. The mistakes and confusion are where the magic happens!

Instilling a growth mindset in a classroom takes time and requires multiple avenues but it is worth the results the students will experience.

Over the course of the year, each student will begin to understand that they can achieve if they are willing to work hard and keep trying. Begin the year off right so that students can achieve more each and every day.

Teach Growth Mindset in the Classroom with these Resources

FREE Mantra Posters & Coloring Sheets

Here’s a freebie for you to use in your classroom. Give students a growth mindset mantra poster to color and decorate. Hang in the classroom or take home to teach families about growth mindset.

Click the image to download.

Growth Mindset Resources

For the complete set of growth mantra posters, lessons, activities, and more, click HERE.

Teaching growth mindset is simple with this curriculum for K-2 which includes 5 detailed, research-based lessons filled with hands-on and mindful activities. Teach children about their elastic brain, a fixed and growth mindset, perseverance, learning from mistakes, failures, challenges, and the power of YET.

teaching growth mindset in the classroom with a growth mindset unit for K-2

Watch the video to see the growth mindset unit for K-2 in action!

Teach grades 3-5? The complete growth mindset unit for 3-5 includes tons of helpful lessons and activities to help older kids build a growth mindset, learn about the parts of the brain, and how to set SMART goals. Click here to see everything included.