Teaching growth mindset in a middle school classroom

Growth mindset…Is it just a pile of hocus pocus or is there really a legitimate practice behind the science?

Teachers can help students develop a growth mindset by teaching them about the “HOW” the brain works.

This knowledge needs to be age appropriate of course, by showing students how the brain works and not simply expecting them to demonstrate a growth mindset, creates a deeper “buy in” by students.

In teaching students about the development of the brain, students are able to think about thinking and the influence of their own mindset.

In my own middle school classroom this year, I began the process of teaching my students about growth mindset.

I have done this by beginning or ending a class once a week with a short video…like this one…

When we’re done watching the video, we always reinforce the concepts by discussing the video and what the students took from it.

I have seen the evolution of their thinking since beginning this process. 

I know it’s working when students are “talking the talk” naturally.

An example of this came a few weeks ago… I overheard a struggling student of mine, who had very little strategies when he became frustrated, other than lashing out at any adult who tried to help him or would simply shut down all together actually using a growth mindset strategy.

I overheard him ask one of the educational assistants…

“ Can you help me with this problem, because I don’t understand it yet?”

That little moment in time was a game changer for me.

I had actual proof that the strategy worked…It was a simple matter that my students needed to understand the “WHY” behind the concept of growth mindset. Otherwise, I was simply paying lip service to some cute motivational posters and brightly decorated bulletin boards.

Now, the bulletin board actually means something. 

In the same line as displaying your school mission or vision statement, growth mindset posters are how I add visual reminders and references to how things work in my classroom.

Having a growth mindset is simply the way it is… not negotiable… this is how we work and learn in room 103.

For a copy of my elementary growth mindset posters click HERE

For a copy of my upper elementary/middle school posters click HERE

For a copy of my French growth mindset (état d’esprit de développement) posters click ICI