I remember sitting in one of my last classes of college and hearing about growth mindset for the first time. Growth Mindset by Carol Dweck had just caught on in the education world and it became the buzzword. Everything seemed to be about a growth mindset vs a fixed mindset. How do we get students to realize their potential? What growth mindset activities should we be using? What books for growth mindset should we read and have in our classroom libraries?
Since first hearing about what growth mindset is, I set out to incorporate it into my own classroom. I could see how having a fixed mindset changed my path in schooling and even in my career choice. So I wanted to incorporate this ‘new’ education topic into my upper elementary math classroom.
In order to do that, I’ve used a bunch of different books, posters, quotes, activities, and bulletin boards. Today I’m sharing what growth mindset activities I use in my own classroom.
A growth mindset definition
Before I get any further, let’s talk about what growth mindset is. Simply put, growth mindset is the idea that anyone can learn any thing. People aren’t automatically gifted talent, then work to grow their skills. Fixed mindset is the opposite. That’s the idea that the talent and skills one has is all they will have. That their talent is fixed.
People with a growth mindset are more willing to make mistakes, and learn from them. People with a fixed mindset tend to narrow their thinking into just doing what they feel like they are good at.
In general, we as educators want our students to feel confident and learn from their mistakes. That’s the power that growth mindset teaches our learners. If you want to learn more about what growth mindset is, I recommend Growth Mindset by Carol Dweck. She is the first guru to write about this research. There is also a math specific book called Mathematical Mindset by Jo Boaler. Both resources go more in depth into a growth mindset definition.
Growth mindset for kids
Now that we know what growth mindset is, what does it look like for kids? How do we help students grasp this concept that can so radically change their educational pathway? I broke down the resources I use in my upper elementary classroom. I think its important to have a variety of resources to help students find something they resonate with.
What Growth Mindset Picture Books I Love
I love incorporating books into my classroom, no matter what subject I teach. My favorite growth mindset books are linked below.
Bubble Gum Brain: hands down my favorite recommendation!
After the Fall: a cute picture book that shows how everything isn’t as it seems, and how to pick yourself back up again
Fish in a Tree: This is a chapter book but makes a great read-aloud for students any time of the year. The main character struggles with dyslexia which makes it a great read no matter what subject you teach.
The Most Magnificent Thing: This one pairs really well with stem challenges!
Poster Ideas
I use this banner all about growth mindset at the beginning of the year. Students color their own pennate and then I string them together. Some years I have hung this in the hallway, other years I’ve hung it above my whiteboard. Either way, these growth mindset posters serve as a quick reminder to students. This is also something that stays up for state testing so having that reminder year-round is truly special.
Growth mindset quotes for kids
If you are looking for poster ideas or just want to incorporate something a little extra to your teaching slides, these quotes are the way to go. You can copy and paste these quotes to a word document and make your own poster, or you can grab a pre-made set here in my Teachers Pay Teachers Store.
Live as if you were to die tomorrow; learn as if you were to live forever. Mahatma Gandhi
Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed no hope at all. Dale Carnegie
Nothing is IMPOSSIBLE. THE WORD ITSELF SAYS I’M POSSIBLE! Audrey Hepburn
Success is not an accident, success is a choice. Stephen Curry
It is hard to fail but it is worse never to have tried to succeed. Theodore Roosevelt
Work hard now. Don’t wait. If you work hard enough, you’ll be given what you deserve. Shaquille O’Neal
No problem can withstand the assault of sustained thinking. Voltaire
There’s no such thing as failure, only results. Tony Robbins
It’s not that I’m so smart. It’s just that I stay with problems longer. Albert Einstein
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So sail away from the safe harbor. Explore, Dream, Discover. Mark Twain
Activities for growth mindset
What growth mindset activities are students’ favorites? Honestly, so many! Just like with all things we teach, variety is key. I use digital activities, growth mindset ted talks, stem challenges, and discussion prompts to help my students learn more about what growth mindset is and the power having a growth mindset can have.
Digital Activities
Digital Activities Recommendations: This digital (and paper) Flipbook is perfect for the beginning of the school year. I usually use science time during the first few weeks of school to talk about our brain and how it works. A little bit of science with a little bit about how our brain learns. Win-win.
What Growth Mindset Ted Talks to Show
Growth Mindset Ted Talks: Using Ted Talks is a powerful way to engage students with a sometimes difficult, life-changing topic. Hearing from people who have overcome challenges with a growth mindset can change students’ perspectives. I use these before sharing test results, or during homeroom now that I teach 6th grade in a middle school. These also work during morning meetings or those random 10 minutes to fill throughout the weeks and months. I also use one of these videos at the start of my add and subtract fractions unit or operations on decimal numbers unit.
Science is for everyone, kids included
Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance
The Boost Students Need to Overcome Obstacles
What Adults Can Learn from Kids
Inside the Mind of a Procrastinator
Three Reasons You Should Be Bullied
A New Way to Define Self-Worth
Stem Challenges
Building stuff and overcoming mistakes? That’s essentially what stem challenges are all about! This makes an easy ‘fun Friday’ activity or right before a holiday break. I also use stem challenges during science time if we finished a unit and need a break before starting the next topic. There’s a bunch of different challenges, but these are my favorite that often don’t require a lot of extra materials.
Discussion Prompts & Morning Meeting Ideas
After a stem challenge or ted talk, I like to regroup and discuss what growth mindset learning just happened. These are open-ended and could be applied to just about any activity.
- What challenges did you face?
- How were those challenges overcome? What did you do to solve the problem?
- Did you make a mistake? What did that mistake teach you?
- How could making a mistake be a good thing?
- What did you learn about yourself or the world around you?
Bulletin Board Ideas
Pinterest has countless ideas for growth mindset bulletin boards so be sure to check that out. I’ve included a few of my personal favorites to help inspire you.
Growth mindset vs fixed mindset set ups are another great bulletin board idea.
I make a bulletin board using one of the growth mindset books mentioned above. I make a poster about Bubble Gum Brain verse Brick Brain and keep it up all year. Also, I have a bubble gum brain wall of fame where students can catch each other having a bubble gum brain. Students will fill in a slip of pink paper and write the name, date, and what the other student said/did that showed a bubble gum brain. My students love catching each other persevering and it serves as a reminder to have that growth mindset. By the end of the year, this bulletin board is quite full of all of the mistakes my class has learned from!
Looking for other activities for teaching what growth mindset is?
These blog posts dive more into a growth mindset definition if you want to learn more.
These blog posts have activities for a growth mindset that you can use in your classroom.
Teaching Growth Mindset – Music City Counselor
Growth Mindset in the Classroom: Inspiring Ideas to Start the Year – Proud to be Primary
How to Teach Growth Mindset with The Dot – Carly and Adam
26 Best Growth Mindset Bullet Boards – Develop Good Habits
I’d love to know from you! What are your favorite ways to teach what growth mindset is to your students? Drop your answers in the comments below!
[…] If you are looking for even more growth mindset activities, check out this blog post. […]