While setting up a classroom, you must include a few important features to foster a growth mindset in your students. Research shows a link between a growth mindset and math success. In addition, kids with a growth mindset about their abilities perform better and are more engaged in the classroom. By incorporating these three easy ideas into your classroom setup, you will be helping your students.
Students who feel successful in math class are happier and more engaged in learning. Check out The Bonus Guide for Creating a Growth Mindset Classroom and Students Who Love Math for ideas, lessons, and mindset surveys for students to use in your classroom to cultivate a positive classroom community in mathematics. You can also sign up for other freebies from me Here at Easternshoremathteacher.com.
I love to plan and organize to make my classroom a positive and efficient learning space that fosters a love of learning. I always have so many different ideas that I want to make sure I incorporate into my classroom that I get overwhelmed. Eventually, I came up with a list of ideas for setting up a classroom to help others create an environment that fosters a growth mindset.
What Does Having a Growth Mindset Mean?
The way we think is called our “mindset.” Mindset is present in virtually every aspect of our lives and heavily influences the lens through which we see the world. There are two different kinds of mindsets: fixed mindset and growth mindset.
Define Growth Mindset in Mathematics
People with growth mindsets believe they can develop their skills, talents, and abilities over time with hard work, effort, and perseverance. Thus, our qualities are not inherent, but our willingness to learn, effort, and persistence determine how well we do.
Your skills can be improved with experience and effort, regardless of where you started. With hard work and perseverance, anyone can achieve success in any area. Failures are viewed as opportunities for improvement. Therefore, all children can be successful.
What is the Difference Between Growth and Fixed Mindset?
People with fixed mindsets believe that intelligence and talent are abilities that we are born with. They are fixed traits that cannot be significantly developed, and some people just have a talent for things that others do not.
People with a growth mindset believe our qualities are not inherent or natural but that our willingness to learn, effort, and persistence dictate how well we do.
Everyone has both mindsets, and it’s more a matter of which mindset you’re prone to choose in certain situations. And with this new information, reframe challenges and setbacks as opportunities for growth.
How Does a Growth Mindset Help Students?
When students buy into the idea that the brain can grow and get stronger, motivation improves, and students strive to do better in school.
People with a growth mindset have better outcomes in academics, relationships, and other facets of life.
Read more…5 Powerful Ideas to Help Students Develop a Growth Mindset in Mathematics.
Ideas for Classroom Setup for Developing a Growth Mindset
When setting up your classroom, think about how you will create a positive learning space that fosters a love of mathematics. Students need to feel safe to take risks and make mistakes.
Introducing students to these ideas by reading books, showing videos, and having discussions throughout the year will foster a growth mindset classroom. Over time, students will start using the language of someone with a growth mindset.
Positive Displays and Messages
In addition to teaching lessons and using positive language, think of ways you can embed these messages around the classroom.
I like to give this Math Mindset Survey for students as a starting point before I start talking about growth mindset. Then again, at the end of the year, to see how their mindset changed through practice and effort.
Creating a bulletin board with positive messages and ideas left up all year reminds students to choose a growth mindset over a fixed mindset. Here are some Posters and Visuals with Growth Mindset terminology to hang around the Classroom- Click Here for 6 Growth Mindset Classroom Display Free Posters
Student work from lessons about having a growth mindset also makes an excellent display for the classroom. Check out these 5 Ready-Made Lessons that help to define growth mindset.
Another way to make math fun and engaging are by using Math Puzzles. You can also sign up to receive 71 Math Puzzles delivered to your mailbox for Free HERE.
Other ideas:
- Inspirational Quotes
- Pictures of People who exemplify a Growth Mindset
- Pictures from Videos and Movies showing Failures and Perseverance
- Growth Mindset Lesson Plans
- 6 Growth Mindset Classroom Display Free Posters
- Student Work showing off their Hard Work and Showcasing Mistakes.
- Math Puzzles with Answers
Teaching Mindset in The Classroom
Research has shown that teaching students the concept of a growth mindset and how they can harness its power can positively impact student achievement. They need to learn that they can achieve in all areas and that struggling is part of the process. We need to help them understand the connection between effort and improvement.
Here are 5 Growth Mindset lessons for students I believe are essential first steps in teaching students about mindset. Find ready-to-use versions of these lessons HERE with lesson plans, Google Slides with talking points, and digital and printable worksheets for students to complete. These lesson plans also contain suggested books and videos to use with students.
Read more… 5 Powerful and Easy Lessons Teaching Students How to Get a Growth Mindset
Classroom Library
Include books in your classroom library showing struggle, perseverance, and mistakes. Discuss the books and how the characters handle the situations.
In addition, share videos and movie clips that show characters not giving up and overcoming challenging situations.
Bonus Guide to Cultivate a Positive Classroom Community
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Classroom Setup Ideas to Encourage Collaboration and Communication
Providing time for students to work together and solve problems using collaboration and communication is essential for them to see the joy in mathematics.
Students often believe that math is about getting the correct answer quickly. But unfortunately, this isn’t true, and we need to focus on the process, not speed.
Finding ways to set up your classroom with the idea of collaboration and communication is essential for a growth mindset classroom. I try to have my students sit in groups of 2-4 to foster discourse. I also try to have ample space on the floor where we can gather and share ideas. How can you set up your classroom to encourage collaboration and communication?
Ideas for Classroom Storage
Finding ways to store all your materials and supplies so they are easily accessible can eliminate delays and disruptions and encourage students to use them. For example, in poorly arranged classrooms, students spend a lot of time waiting for materials.
Try focusing on finding creative ways to take your storage vertical. For example, instead of getting a low shelf to the ground, find a taller one and use the top shelves to store things that students don’t need to reach every day.
A well-organized classroom improves engagement and happiness levels in the classroom. Read more about setting up your classroom and engaging students:
- 5 Best Strategies for Engaging Students to Learn in Mathematics Class
- 7 Easy and Inspiring Ideas for Classroom Setup of your Math Classroom
Build Relationships and a Positive Math Climate During Your Classroom Setup
Students simply don’t learn as much from teachers they don’t like. If you want students to develop a growth mindset and believe in their abilities, they must know that you believe in them.
Students in the fixed mindset are fearful of appearing stupid in front of teachers and classmates. They want everyone to know how smart they are, and they tend to avoid challenges.
Building strong relationships with your students is key to letting them know they’re valued classroom community members.
How to Get a Growth Mindset
Mistakes should be a regular and helpful part of the learning process. A classroom where learning from mistakes is welcome fosters growth mindsets. Students must understand that struggle is essential to the learning process and embrace it.
During the productive struggle, kids develop perseverance to understand that when they struggle, they get smarter. Making mistakes is how we improve and get better.
More Ideas & Videos on Growth Mindset
- Growth Mindset in Math video
- 5 Powerful Ideas to Help Students Develop a Growth Mindset in Mathematics
- Why Jo Boaler Believes This Math Curriculum Is the Key to Promoting Growth Mindset
- How to Foster a Growth Mindset in the Classroom
- Growth Mindset Lessons
- 5 Powerful and Easy Lessons Teaching Students How to Get a Growth Mindset
Classroom Setups
The goal of the growth mindset classroom is to develop the love of learning in each student. A growth mindset in mathematics is all about improving and getting better over time. You must keep trying to improve and not give up when things are hard.
Check out The Free Ultimate Guide for Creating a Growth Mindset Classroom and Students Who Love Math for ideas, lessons, and mindset surveys to use in your classroom.
With hard work and perseverance, everyone has the potential to achieve great things. By incorporating these ideas for setting up a classroom, you will be fostering a growth mindset in your students.
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