Are you interested in learning how to develop a growth mindset in the classroom? Then you need to check out this post!
As teachers we have such a special job – not only are we teaching essential knowledge and skills but we also help shape our students characters. And that is why it is so important to develop a growth mindset in the classroom
In this post you will learn what a growth mindset is and how we can encourage our students to become more resilient.
This post is all about developing a growth mindset in the classroom.
Growth Mindset In The Classroom:
What does it mean to have a growth mindset?
Before we talk about how to develop a growth mindset in the classroom, let’s first look at exactly what having a growth mindset means. If you’ve just recently finished your teacher training, I’m sure you’ve heard all about it haha, as it has been super popular in the last decade or so.
Psychologist Carol Dweck has done lots of super interesting work all about what she calls having a growth mindset. In her book ‘Mindset: The New Psychology of Success’, she introduces the concept of having a growth mindset vs having a fixed mindset. Essentially, having a fixed mindset means believing you are not good at something or that you can’t do something. For example, you think being bad at spelling is just part of who you are and not something you can change with practise. But if you have a growth mindset, it means that you believe your qualities and abilities can be changed through effort. So rather than thinking you’re just destined to be a bad speller, you would believe that through continued effort and practise, you could improve.
Dweck’s book is definitely worth a read and is backed by decades of research. I know what you’re thinking – I don’t have time to read! Then why not check out Carol Dweck’s 10 minute Ted Talk where she talks about the power of yet and developing a growth mindset in the classroom.
[Related Post: 11 Positive Classroom Management Strategies To Try Right Now!!]
Why is it important?
Teaching our children to have a growth mindset is so important and can have such a huge impact in your classroom. Traditionally, the education system is set up to reward academic success, whether that’s the best pieces of writing going up on display or certificates for getting full marks in the spelling test. Now just imagine what it is like to be the child who never wins any of those prizes. How damaging is that for their self-esteem?
The flip side is that those kids who are routinely being praised for their academic success are going to run into something they find hard at some point. And they are not going to know how to cope. I’m sure we’ve all seen it happen in some way or another in our classrooms. I remember seeing one student who was consistently top of the class have a complete emotional meltdown when we were doing a sewing project because they just kept getting themselves in such a tangle. They had never experienced struggling at school and did not know how to handle it.
So developing a growth mindset in the classroom is super important for all students because we are teaching them that they can all learn and improve through practise and struggles.
Dweck says it is so important that we praise the process rather than praising intelligence or talent. We need to focus on praising effort, improvement and resilience rather than the grade. By doing this, we are teaching our children to be resilient and to keep on trying. Helping students develop a growth mindset teaches them that mistakes are okay and are something we can learn from.
How can I cultivate a growth mindset in the classroom?
Now that we are clear on what it means to have a growth mindset and why it is important, let’s look at some ways we can develop a growth mindset in the classroom.
1. Have a growth mindset display in your classroom
Having a visual reminder in your classroom reminding your students how to develop a growth mindset can be really helpful. Give examples of how they can reframe their thoughts to take them from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset.
I have complete growth mindset display kits in my Teachers Pay Teachers shop and Etsy shop. You can also check out my cute positive affirmation posters on TPT and Etsy too. 🙂
2. Dedicate lessons to teaching growth mindset
It is really important that we actually teach our children to have a growth mindset. Explain to them what a fixed mindset is vs a growth mindset and why a growth mindset is important. Talk about the power of yet and why showing resilience is so important. Make sure they know that making mistakes in okay!
Try to set some time aside to teach growth mindset and be sure to keep revisiting it throughout the year.
3. Demonstrate a growth mindset
As teachers, our students learn so much from the way we behave. We need to make sure we are modelling a growth mindset to make sure we are setting the example!
I’m sure we can all think of a time where we’ve been halfway through demonstrating something to the class and realised we’ve done it wrong! Rather than trying to pretend you meant to do it (!), admit the mistake! Show your students in real time how to adopt a growth mindset and try a different strategy.
4. Have an affirmation station in your classroom
An affirmation station makes a great addition to any classroom! You can check out my full post all about creating an affirmation station in the classroom here. But in summary, an affirmation station is an area in your classroom where students can repeat positive affirmations to themselves.
This helps build their self-esteem and self-belief and works hand in hand with developing a growth mindset in the classroom.
Check out my TPT shop and Etsy store for affirmation station kits.
[Related Post: A Complete Guide To Creating The Best Classroom Affirmation Station]
5. Encourage collaboration
An important strategy to help develop a growth mindset in the classroom is encouraging students to work together and learn from each other. So make sure to plan some activities that will require your students to work together as a team.
6. Praise the process over the results
Remember that it is so important to praise the process of learning and not only the end result. That’s not to say that we can’t celebrate fantastic pieces of work but we also need to remember to praise those students who showed great resilience and effort or who have shown amazing improvements. This helps build self-esteem among our students. So be mindful of this when you are in the classroom!
