Last year, my school invited Eduardo Briceño to talk to us about the importance of having a growth mindset, a concept from "The Power of Belief - Mindset and Success" and this book by Carol Dweck (affiliate link)! He basically asserts that there are two types of people: those who think intelligence and skills are fixed/unchanging and others who believe they are able to be developed/honed. In his speech and his book, he discusses one thing that we all (likely) have done: tell a student how smart he/she is or tell a student how good he/she is at a specific skill. Now, I have heard that telling your kids they are "smart" is not the way to go, but I guess I had filed that info away in a section of my brain that doesn't get much use. Well, according to Briceño, doing this puts kids into a fixed mindset where they think they are either good or bad at something and nothing can change that. He says that children who live in a fixed mindset are less likely to engage in challenging or difficult work because they think it's just too hard and they can't do it. Since I am no longer in the classroom, I decided to use this concept on my 6-year-old to see what kind of affect it had on her. There are tons of examples that I could give that I have done on my own, but I'll just mention one of them that happened recently with my daughter's swim teacher. My daughter takes swimming lessons all year long. She is the type of kid who could care less about sports and would rather just play at home. It bothers me because I grew up in sports (I played competitive and college soccer and high school tennis) and have a very competitive spirit. So, going to swimming is kind of a drag sometimes because she doesn't always want to go. On her first day of swimming this summer, her teacher told us that she would be working mainly on endurance, so that whole practice, they swam laps back and forth in the pool. My daughter cried on the way home because she was so tired and her body hurt so bad. On the second day of swimming, I basically had to drag her out of the house. After a grueling practice, I met with her teacher to discuss how my daughter was doing. During that discussion, the teacher stated to me and my daughter that she was so proud of her because she never complains, even when the work is hard, and even when she's tired, she never quits. You should have seen my daughter's face when she said that. You should have seen MY face! Not only did she mention specific things that she was doing well in, but she cemented in her head that the path to success in swimming is not just being "good" at it. It's from working hard, not complaining, and never giving up. From that day on, I have not heard one complaint out of that child. She starts off every morning with, "When is swimming? I just can't wait to go to swimming!". In the spirit of this, I've decided to come up with a list of words you can use to motivate your students and encourage a growth mindset this coming school year. Say them, write them on stickies, leave them in journals or on homework assignments, and tell your kids' parents! To print this out, click here. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Motivational-Poster-1947983 Find my Growth Mindset resource here! It includes a guide for parents and their children so that growth mindset doesn't stop when the kids walk out your door!
Proven growth mindset parenting tips. Raise kids with a growth mindset who are more resilient and better at overcoming challenges, even as adults. Strategies to encourage a growth mindset for kids!
Guest blogger Cindy Bryant, moderator of the LearnBop PLC, illustrates how the growth mindset aligns with the Common Core Standards for math.
I have a daughter who does not have what Carol Dweck calls growth mindset. So I'm implementing specific parenting strategies to help her develop it.
Neuroplasticity is the science behind growth mindset. When kids understand neuroplasticity, their perception of their own abilities changes. It becomes much easier for them to understand growth mindset and embrace mistakes, obstacles, and challenges. In this article, we’ll provide helpful resources and activities to teach your children or students about their brains ability to grow and change.
Instill a Growth Mindset A collection of images, videos, and links to spark learning.
Here are some tips, as parents and educators, help our children cultivate growth mindset?
One easy way to help children and teens develop a growth mindset is to introduce them to podcasts which promote persistence, love of learning, and other key growth mindset ideas.
This innovative, Brain-Based Emotional Intelligence (EQ) Curriculum is for kids 8-12 years old*. This is an interactive, hands-on curriculum with a parent and teacher guide. Children learn 3 secret strategies that will help them with identifying and regulating their emotions. They also play 3 games to reinforce all concepts and terms learned: Amygdala Hijack! card game, Heads Up! Emotions, and Social Edge! Taboo. In addition, there is a parents and teachers guide with many different extension activities (e.g., creating a mind jar, guided visualizations). In this program students will develop self-awareness, identify and manage emotions, and they will learn to be self-motivated. This program has been piloted with different groups of students through city programs and at an elementary school. Parents and teachers have noticed a significant improvement with kids being able to identify and regulate their emotions. This program will empower your children to learn more about their brain, and why their minds and bodies react in particular ways during times of conflict or stress. It will also provide them with concrete strategies that they can use to help regulate their emotions. This pack includes: -Understanding the Brain: Prefrontal Cortex, Amygdala, and Hippocampus -Understanding an Amygdala Hijack! -Mind/Body Connection during an Amygdala Hijack! -Differences between real and perceived threats -Understanding fight-or-flight responses in their lives -Understanding how Anger is a secondary emotion (and how to figure out the primary emotion felt) -Feelings chart (with over 200 feeling words, many that kids don't know!) -Emotions chart to sort feelings (Positive, Negative, In-between, and Emotions I don't Know) -Weekly Logs (to journal feelings and train their prefrontal cortex to step in before an Amygdala Hijack!) -Understanding Mind Bubbles (mindfulness related activity) -The Strategy STOP -Conscious vs. Subconscious Mind (Limiting beliefs) -Worry Bullies (addressing anxiety and worries) -The Power of Positive Affirmations & Simple Yoga Poses -Failed Successes (Michael Jordan, Katy Perry, Walt Disney) -The Power of Vision Boards (template to create a vision board) -Amygdala Hijack! Card Game (with real-life scenarios kids have encountered) -Heads Up! Emotions Game (reinforcing all the emotion words they learned) -Social Edge! Taboo Game (reinforcing all key concepts learned) The 5 lessons can be broken up in the following way: 1. Your Brain worksheets (Play Amygdala Hijack! card game) 2. Secret Strategy #1 worksheets (Play Heads up! game) 3. Secret Strategy #2 worksheets (Create a Mind Jar, Participate in a Guided Visualization) 4. Secret Strategy #3 worksheets (Create a Vision Board) 5. Culminating Activity! Review what children didn't understand & Reinforce New Vocabulary (Play Social Edge! Taboo game) Having good social and emotional skills will help children be successful in their personal and professional lives. Research shows thats employers hire for EQ and train for IQ. Depression is the fastest growing disease, currently effecting 300M people (WHO). The late childhood years (just before the transitional period of puberty) is a time when there is significant growth in the prefrontal cortex and sets the stage for advances in the executive functioning, how they will organize, sequence, and regulate behavior (Giedd, 2008). Late childhood and upper elementary school is a time period when the child’s personalities, behaviors, and competencies come together to shape who they will become in adolescence and as adults (Collins, 1984). Providing enrichment activities that support healthy forms of self-regulation and reflection and prosocial dispositions could ameliorate or even prevent some of the mental health and school-linked problems that often arise as they transition to puberty (Best & Miller, 2010; M.C. Davidson, Amso, Anderson & Diamond, 2006). *This curriculum was developed by Dr. Amita Roy Shah based on her education and expertise. She has an Ed.D. in Curriculum and Teaching from Teachers College, Columbia University. She was a former teacher for Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). She is currently a Professor in the Child and Adolescent Development at San Jose State University.
A summary of Carol Dweck's book Mindset, which explores our two mindsets (fixed and growth) and how they impact not only our attitudes and learning but also our outcomes.
Practicing mindfulness is incredibly empowering for children. It can help them better manage stress and anxiety when it does occur. It helps with self-regulation, promotes positive emotions and self-compassion. Here are five simple mindfulness activities for kids to help them live in the present and focus on the positive using mindfulness.
Veteran researchers present five strategies—like maintaining success files and allowing choice—to help struggling students develop a positive attitude needed for success.
Here are 101 growth mindset quotes for kids, adults and school. The growth mindset quotes will help you or children face challenges with confidence.
In this article we created a list of our favourite growth mindset mantras we live by.
These growth mindset positive notes from the teacher promote a culture of perseverance and are perfect for any 2nd-6th grade classroom.
Growth Mindset Notes from the Teacher: Encouraging Messages for Kids These encouraging notes from the teacher are perfect for any 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, or 6th-grade classroom! Are you teaching your students about growth mindset and fixed mindset? Create a culture of success, perseverance, and motivation with these growth mindset notes for students. This product also includes a list of teacher suggestions for product use. There are 24 different teacher notes included. Each printable growth mindset note comes in full color and black-and-white (with 6 notes per page). The digital stickers are designed in a different format due to the terms of use we must abide by with the clip art we use, and only come in the full-color option. PLEASE REFER TO THE PREVIEW AND THUMBNAILS FOR MORE INFORMATION! Do you want DAILY Growth Mindset Bell Ringers for ANY GRADE LEVEL? Choose your grade here: GROWTH MINDSET ACTIVITIES: Daily Warm-Ups for Kinder-1st Grade GROWTH MINDSET ACTIVITIES: Daily Warm-Ups for 2ND-3RD Grade GROWTH MINDSET ACTIVITIES: Daily Warm-Ups for 4th Grade and Up You may also be interested in the following GROWTH MINDSET ACTIVITIES: GROWTH MINDSET BOOKMARKS GROWTH MINDSET AWARDS GROWTH MINDSET PRINT AND FOLD REFLECTIONS BOOKLETS GROWTH MINDSET VOCABULARY CARDS FOR A WORD WALL OR BULLETIN BOARD GROWTH MINDSET PICTURE BOOKS: YOUR FANTASTIC ELASTIC BRAIN (UPPER GRADE VERSION) THE GIRL WHO NEVER MADE MISTAKES BEAUTIFUL OOPS BY BARNEY SALTZBERG YOUR FANTASTIC ELASTIC BRAIN (LOWER GRADE VERSION) GROWTH MINDSET PICTURE BOOK BUNDLE: GROWTH MINDSET PICTURE BOOK BUNDLE GROWTH MINDSET QUOTES BUNDLE: CHARACTER TRAITS QUOTES BUNDLE (with GROWTH MINDSET) GROWTH MINDSET AFFIRMATIONS POSTERS (NO cursive)
One easy way to help children and teens develop a growth mindset is to introduce them to podcasts which promote persistence, love of learning, and other key growth mindset ideas.
Does your child need a little help maintaining a positive mindset? We've got you covered with 5 positivity activities for kids.
Use these growth mindset activities for kids and adults to view failure as an opportunity and skyrocket your ability to learn.
Developing growth mindset is crucial in making kids successful in their lives. Click to read how you can teach kids the power of mind and ways to develop a growth mindset.
It is a daily journal for children aged 7-18 years old that focuses on developing positive habits and helps children learn how to believe in themselves and face challenges with confidence.
Learn how to change a child's inflexible thinking with this collection of tips, books, and activities to develop a growth mindset for kids!
We ALL have beliefs about ourselves and the world around us. How we understand and react to that world depends on our mindset. Discovered by psychologist Dr. Carol Dweck, mindset refers to the way we look at our abilities and intelligence as qualities we can change and grow. Check out the
Use this free growth mindset for kids printable book to encourage your kddos to keep tyring new things. It's full of easy to try growth mindset activities!
Here are 101 growth mindset quotes for kids, adults and school. The growth mindset quotes will help you or children face challenges with confidence.
I have a daughter who does not have what Carol Dweck calls growth mindset. So I'm implementing specific parenting strategies to help her develop it.
Frozen by fear of failure? It takes time, practice, and patience for kids to transform their BIG emotions into personal strengths. Children and teens are bound to experience frustration in everyday situations. And while they're actively searching for support so they can cope with their big feelings, being afraid of…
What is a Growth Mindset? One of the latest education buzz-words is "growth mindset." What exactly is a growth mindset? Simply put, growth mindset is the belief that we can get smarter through hard work and challenges. In schools, this involves teaching students how to persevere through challenges and look for success within their failures. As a school counselor, I try to incorporate characteristics of a growth mindset into my classroom lessons, small groups, and school-wide programming. This post will provide you with some of the best FREE resources I have found for teaching growth mindset to elementary-aged students. Growth Mindset Videos I love kicking off my classroom lessons with a video clip. It draws students into the lesson and provides a quick overview for what we will be learning about in the lesson. Here are three of my favorite videos for introducing a growth mindset. 1) Growth Your Brain This is a great video for grades 2-5. It shows what happens in our brains when we do hard things! I love how the video integrates some brain-based vocabulary into the growth mindset concept. 2) Sesame Street: Growth Mindset This is a great clip of a Bruno Mars song called "Don't Give Up." I use this with grades K-1. 3) Which Step Have You Reached Today? This is a 30 second clip that I use with grades 3-4 to illustrate the power of our words. Growth Mindset Hands-On Lessons One of the best ways to illustrate a growth mindset is by having students attempt hands-on challenges. The challenges below involve very few supplies and are quick to set up. Throughout each challenge, stop and discuss what it feels like to attempt something hard. At the end of the challenge, talk with the class about what strategies were used to make each challenge successful. Or, if the challenge was not successful, discuss what students would try differently next time. If you are a school counselor and your schedule does not allow you to do many classroom lessons, a great way to introduce these challenges is to try them out with your staff. At a staff meeting, complete one of the challenges as a team-building activity and then make all of the supplies available to staff members. There's a good chance that if your staff enjoyed the activity, they will try it out with their students! Here are 3 challenges my students (and staff!) have enjoyed. 1) Index Card Body Challenge Can you fit your whole body through an index card?! With the correct folding and cutting technique, it's possible! I tried this activity out with 3rd and 4th graders and they were up for the challenge. Have a large stack of index cards available because they will need several cards to experiment with! Here are some hints to give along the way (tip: give a new hint every few minutes): -Your whole body must fit through the index card without using any tape or glue. -You can cut the index card, but you must use the whole card to complete the challenge. -You will need to fold the card in half "hot dog style" before doing any cutting. Want the answer? Click the image below for the directions! You can also use this video to show your students the solution. 2) Solo Cup Pyramid Challenge Prior to the lesson, prepare several sets of the following materials: -13 Solo cups -1 rubber band with 4 pieces of yarn (about 1.5 ft long) tied to the rubber band Put students into groups of four and introduce the challenge: Your job is to build a pyramid of cups using the special tool. You can only touch the yarn. You may not touch the cups or the rubber band. You may spread the cups out on the carpet before you begin. Allow students several minutes to experiment and then give the following clues, if needed: -There are 4 members in the group and 4 pieces of yarn. Do you think that may help you figure out how to hold the yarn? -Once you figure out how to hold the tool, experiment with where you place your hand. Does it make a difference if you and your teammates hold the yarn close to the rubber band vs. far away from the rubber band? -If a team is doing very well, challenge them to create the pyramid without talking to each other! 3) Tie a Knot in a String Challenge Give each student a piece of yarn about 1.5 feet long. Tell students that they must hold onto the string with one end of the string in each hand. Without letting go, students must tie a knot in the string! Watch out, students will get creative and try to slip the yarn out of their fingers to tie the knot! Ask students to prove their answers to you. :) Want to see the solution? Here a great video from the lovely Barbara Gruener with the solution to the challenge! Favorite Growth Mindset Picture Books Besides video clips and hands-on challenges, I also love using children's literature to teach social-emotional concepts. Ok, I know this is a FREE resource round-up, and books aren't free, but I have to share my favorites with you! :) There are several wonderful books that illustrate the growth mindset concept. Here are just a few of my favorites! (Amazon Affiliate Links) Parent Resources The phrase "growth mindset" is new for many parents. When you start working with students on the concept, it is helpful to take a moment to educate parents, too. I LOVE this free resource from Sarah Gardner. She uses parent-friendly language to explain the growth mindset concept and gives parents some practical suggestions to help their children. Click on the image below to access the free printable. My second favorite parent resource is this list of questions parents can ask their children to illicit a growth mindset response. Click on the image below to access the free printable to send home to parents! Do you have any favorite growth mindset resources? Please share your favorite ideas in the comments! Pin the image below to save these ideas for the future!
Growth mindset, for good reason, has become one of the biggest buzz words and theories in education today. The concept comes from Dr. Carol Dweck's studies of
Neuroplasticity is the science behind growth mindset. When kids understand neuroplasticity, their perception of their own abilities changes. It becomes much easier for them to understand growth mindset and embrace mistakes, obstacles, and challenges. In this article, we’ll provide helpful resources and activities to teach your children or students about their brains ability to grow and change.
Having a growth mindset is powerful! There are many ways we can cultivate a growth mindset each day. Mantras and statements are simple and effective tools to encourage children and they can be used in a variety of ways.
Instill a Growth Mindset A collection of images, videos, and links to spark learning.
Looking for strategies to help your kids adopt a growth mindset? Let's talk about specific strategies that can direct you and your children towards that end. The big point of growth mindset is that it can help kids persist, fail and try again, and reconsider what being successful means.
Learn how to change a child's inflexible thinking with this collection of tips, books, and activities to develop a growth mindset for kids!
Looking for a list of growth mindset books for kids? These children's books about a growth mindset are for you to help create classroom lessons and teach kids. These are great books for the classroom to teach kids to use the power of YET.
