Have you heard a few of these in your classroom? You probably have heard all of them in one day! Teaching growth mindset in the classroom will benefit the students as well as the parents, teachers, and everyone in our community.
- “I can’t do this.”
- “I don’t understand.”
- “This is too hard.”
- “I quit.”
- “I will never get it.”
All of these phrases are common in our world today. It is very easy when you are faced with challenges to have a negative mindset and just give up.
This, too, often happens in education today. We must change our way of thinking as parents and educators, to help the students change their ways of thinking.
Why is Growth Mindset Important in the Classroom?
Students have to juggle many different responsibilities and tasks thrown at them.
Students have a fixed mindset from…
- Daily responsibilities in the classroom
- Homework
- Home responsibilities
What are the Benefits of Growth Mindset in the Classroom?
- Having a growth mindset makes challenging situations or events more comfortable to deal with.
- Growth thinking focuses on just that growth. It helps drive motivation and achievement. It allows people to achieve more because they are focused on the positives.
- This type of enhanced mindset allows you to think differently.
- Students who think positively worry less about “looking” smart and focus more on learning.
Example Growth Mindset Phrases
- “I can’t do this, YET.”
- “I don’t understand, YET.”
- “This will get easier.”
- “I will continue to work hard.”
- “I will eventually understand.”
All of these phrases are examples of a growth mindset. Students who have embraced this type of growth thinking tend to achieve more than those with a fixed mindset.
Growth Mindset in Teaching
Students have both fixed and growth mindsets. This mixture of perspectives continually evolves with experiences.
This frame of mind is developed over time by rewarding learning and progress. It is not just the effort involved and emphasizing the processes that yield this way of thinking.
Mindset Growth Activities should include:
- Experiencing positive challenges
- Reaching out to others when help is needed
- Exploring new strategies
- Capitalizing on setbacks to make progression
Failures and Setbacks Strengthen Positive Mindset
Students need to understand that making mistakes is part of life. Failures will occur regardless of what they do or don’t do. To strengthen their mindset, students should experience failure in a positive manner.
It is essential to help students see that growth and development, no matter how large or small, impact you as an individual.
When students experience positive challenges, they develop talents and abilities they did not realize they had. Discovering these hidden talents and skills enables the student to be an all-around better person. Students who have this mindset recognize that not every person is the same, and everyone has different talents.
Experiencing setbacks empowers the student to persist even when things get difficult. With this attitude, students believe that everyone develops their abilities through…
- Hard work
- Strategies
- Lots of help, assistance, and mentoring from others
More Resources to Help You Succeed as a Special Education Professional
A growth mindset is critical in the educational world today. It allows for positive experiences in every environment and in everyday life. The key to success is about hard work, effort, persistence, and, most importantly, a positive mindset.
What growth mindset classroom activities have you tried in your classroom? Please share your experience with us! Get weekly tips and techniques from a fellow Special Educator and parent of a special needs child.
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