Summary
Beautiful things happen if you can create a classroom environment where your students feel connected to you and their peers. Creating a classroom culture at the beginning of the year will have lasting benefits.
Creating a classroom culture is the secret to having a successful school year. The start of the school year is always a busy time. Those first six weeks of school are crucial for getting to know your students, setting routines and procedures, and building a classroom community. Everyone in your classroom will benefit when students feel part of a classroom community. Beautiful things happen if you can create a classroom environment where your students feel connected to you and their peers.
☀Download this BONUS Guide with everything you need to create a growth mindset classroom and positive classroom community.
➕Includes definitions, lesson ideas, mindset surveys for students and teachers, and printable posters.
🧠💪Research shows a link between a growth mindset and math success. Kids with a growth mindset about their abilities perform better and are more engaged in the classroom.
👉Includes everything you need to start cultivating a more positive math classroom and students who love math. Download and get started today! Click here to download the Mindset Guide & Survey.
You can also sign up for other freebies from me Here at Easternshoremathteacher.com.
At the beginning of every school year, I like to spend some time getting to know my students and their mindsets. We do some getting-to-know-you activities, and I usually share my beliefs about cultivating our mindsets and building positive classroom communities. This way, they understand that I believe in them and that struggling and making mistakes is part of the process.
What is a Classroom Community?
In a classroom community, you and your children work together to create a place where every class member feels welcome and valued. A strong feeling of connection is one of the characteristics of a classroom community. A classroom community is achieved when you have a class where the children have a sense of belonging.
And research shows that fostering a sense of community in the classroom is extremely important. Not only does this help your students feel good about coming to school, but it also directly impacts their mental well-being and academic achievement.
Creating Positive Classroom Connections
When children feel respected and valued, they will be much more likely to take ownership of their behavior and learning.
Building a sense of community in the classroom can increase participation and engagement. As students’ sense of community increases, participation increases.
If your children feel confident and safe in your classroom, they will be more likely to try answering those challenging questions. They will also be confident to tackle problems and willingly share their thoughts and ideas.
Building a Classroom Community
The first step in creating a classroom community is by getting to know your students. This can easily be done by talking to them and using some getting to know you activities.
Try out the All About Me Activity Sheets. These All About Me Activity Sheets are perfect for the beginning of the school year. All about me assignments are important for learning about your students, making connections, and establishing relationships.
This All About Me by the Numbers is a way to incorporate math into the activity. One All About Me Using Numbers version allows younger students to enter a number into the box.
One All About Me in Numbers version allows older students to enter an equation to represent the statement. This is a great getting to know you math activity that can be displayed on a math bulletin board or turned into a slide deck.
Or check out these other ideas… All-About-You Activities for the First Days of School
Growth Mindset Survey for Students
Give students a mindset survey at the beginning of the year to gauge your student’s mindset and get to know them. Then, again at the end of the year to see if their mindset improved over time. Asking questions like these will help you determine how they learn best:
- How do they feel about math?
- How do they like to learn?
- Do you like to struggle or do hard things?
Mindset Survey for Students
Check out The Bonus Guide for Creating a Growth Mindset Classroom and Students Who Love Math which includes a mindset survey for students to use in your classroom to get to know your students and cultivate a positive classroom community
Growth Mindset Survey for Teachers
Before we can help others with their mindset, we need to understand our mindset and look for ways to improve it. The Guide for Creating a Growth Mindset Classroom and Students Who Love Math includes a complimentary growth mindset survey for teachers.
Definition For Mindset
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.
How Do You Define Growth Mindset?
People with growth mindsets believe they can develop their skills, talents, and abilities over time with hard work, effort, and perseverance. Our qualities are not inherent, but our willingness to learn, effort, and persistence determine how well we do.
How to Get a Growth Mindset
There is no such thing as a “math person.” With hard work and perseverance, anyone can achieve success in any area. Failures are viewed as opportunities for improvement.
It doesn’t ignore that some people have more inherent skills for some things. We are all born with potential, but we might have innate strength or capacity in one or more specific areas. Your skills can be improved with experience and effort, regardless of where you started.
It doesn’t matter how fast students master learning; it is about the perseverance and effort they put forth and the strategies they utilize. All children can be successful.
Characteristics of a Growth Mindset
History is filled with people who worked hard, refused to give up, and succeeded against all odds. People with a growth mindset are more resilient when things get hard and focus on the process.
- “ I will learn to do this”
- “I’m going to get better at math.”
- “I will improve if I concentrate, practice, and keep trying.”
Growth Mindset vs. 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.
Current neuroscience research emphasizes the concept of neuroplasticity and the ability of the brain to change and adapt throughout our life.
All people have 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.
Growth Mindset Classroom,
The growth mindset teacher can positively influence student performance and use the growth mindset ideas to change their classroom for the better. Your mindset changes the way you relate to people, and that mindset is infectious.
Creating a Growth Mindset Classroom
When you get students to buy into the idea that the brain can grow and get stronger, motivation improves, and students strive to do better in school.
A growth mindset is about practice and persistence, taking new challenges, and understanding that failures are part of the process.
People with a growth mindset have better outcomes in academics, relationships, and other facets of life.
Building Classroom Community
A growth-oriented classroom focuses on growth over grades and progress over performance. Students and their potential are viewed through the lens of growth and modeling a growth mindset daily.
In addition to teaching lessons, think of ways you can embed these messages within the classroom.
- Visuals with Growth Mindset terminology around the classroom- Click Here for 6 Growth Mindset Classroom Display Free Posters
- Inspirational quotes
- Pictures of people who exemplify a growth mindset
- Videos and movies showing failures and perseverance
- Mindset Survey for Students
Ideas for Creating a Positive Classroom Community
- TeachingChannel.org (My Favorite No)
- Youcubed.org
- mindsetkit.org
- Growth Mindset in Math video
- 5 Best Strategies for Engaging Students to Learn in Mathematics Class
- 7 Easy and Inspiring Ideas for Classroom Setup of your Math Classroom
Growth Mindset Classroom Resources
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
Growth Mindset Lesson For Elementary
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.
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. In addition, it will foster a positive classroom community where all students are using the same positive language to support each other in their learning.
Lesson 1: Growth Mindset vs.Fixed Mindset
This lesson is to introduce the idea that everyone can learn. In addition, to the views of having a fixed mindset or a growth mindset.
I like to give this Math Mindset Survey for students as a starting point before talking about growth mindset. Then again, at the end of the year, see how their mindset changed through practice and effort.
After learning about the different mindsets and defining growth mindset, students can listen to a book, complete a brain sketch, and sort growth and fixed mixed sayings.
Key Points:
- The belief that effort and strategies can improve intelligence and abilities.
- Success comes from hard work and learning
- You can learn, change, and develop needed skills.
- View mistakes as a tool to grow and learn.
Click to Here grab this Mindset lesson which includes a slide deck with talking points, literature and video recommendations, and printable mindset worksheets.
Lesson 2: I Can Grow My Brain
This lesson is to introduce the idea that our brains can grow to learn new things. Students can complete a brain sketch activity after listening to a book and learning about the brain.
Key Points:
- Your brain is like a muscle.
- When you do challenging problems, you are exercising it so it can get stronger.
- That makes you smarter and stronger.
- It is ok to make mistakes.
- It is important you do not give up.
- The more we practice and challenge our brain, the stronger it gets.
- If you keep trying, again and again, your brain will grow!
Click to Here grab this Mindset lesson which includes a slide deck with talking points, literature and video recommendations, and printable mindset worksheets.
Lesson 3: I Can Learn from My Mistakes
This lesson is to introduce the idea that we can learn from our mistakes. After listening to a book about learning from our mistakes, students can complete a learning from our mistakes activity.
Key Points:
- Mistakes help you learn and grow.
- Mistakes show us how we can improve and keep learning.
- Sometimes, your mistakes tell you that you need to put in more effort, try harder, or slow down.
- Practice looking at mistakes as a great way to learn.
- Mistakes are how we improve and get better.
Click to Here grab this Mindset lesson which includes a slide deck with talking points, literature and video recommendations, and printable mindset worksheets.
Lesson 4: The Power of Yet
This lesson is to introduce the idea of the power of yet. After listening to a book about the power of yet, students can complete a Power of Yet activity.
Key Points:
- When you don’t understand something, it isn’t because you can’t learn it; it’s because you haven’t learned it yet.
- Sometimes, when we have a hard time figuring out something in class, it can be frustrating, but all you have to do is call on the Power of Yet.
- The Power of Yet promises us that if we work hard and keep trying, we will get it. We just aren’t there YET.
- It is not about speed; everyone learns at their own pace.
- Believe in yourself!
Click to Here grab this Mindset lesson which includes a slide deck with talking points, literature and video recommendations, and printable mindset worksheets.
Lesson 5: Mindset Messages
This lesson is to introduce the idea of rewording fixed mindset thoughts to growth mindset thoughts. Students can complete a change my mindset activity after listening to a book and sorting mindset messages.
Key Points:
- It’s normal to have some fixed mindset thoughts, but we need to practice our growth mindset thoughts.
- Pay attention to your inner voice and shift your negative messages to more positive ones.
- Changing the words we are saying to ourselves can make a difference in our learning attitude.
- When in a fixed mindset, we want to take the easy way out because learning new things can be challenging, and we don’t want to look silly or not smart. So what’s the problem if we give up?
Click to Here grab this Mindset lesson which includes a slide deck with talking points, literature and video recommendations, and printable mindset worksheets.
Lesson 6- Why Is it Important to Never Give Up
This lesson uses the book Brave Irene by William Steig but can be used with other books. It teaches students why positive self-talk is essential and helps to cultivate a growth mindset classroom.
Key Points:
- Definition of growth mindset and why it is important to never give up.
- What is positive self-talk?
- Why is positive self-talk important?
- Positive self-talk messages to tell myself.
Click to Here grab this Mindset lesson which includes a slide deck with talking points, literature and video recommendations, and printable mindset worksheets.
why-is-it-important-to-never-give-up by Andrea ByrneLesson 7- Power of Yet Read Aloud
This lesson uses the book The Thing Lou Couldn’t Do by Ashley Spires but can be used with other books. These are great for any time of the year to introduce or reteach the idea of having a growth mindset and not knowing how to do something YET. It can be used with goal-setting activities for elementary students or as a test-taking lesson.
Key Points:
- Not giving up and the power of Yet.
- Goal setting
- I can’t do it yet, but if I keep trying, I can.
Click to Here grab this Mindset lesson which includes a slide deck with talking points, literature and video recommendations, and printable mindset worksheets.
Ideas to Help Students Develop a Growth Mindset in Mathematics
The goal of the growth mindset classroom is to develop in each student the love of learning. You must keep trying to get better and not give up when things are hard. With hard work and perseverance, everyone has the potential to achieve great things.
A growth mindset in mathematics is all about improving and getting better over time. Teaching students how to get a growth mindset puts students on the path to success.
Read more.. Read more…5 Powerful Ideas to Help Students Develop a Growth Mindset in Mathematics.
Growth Mindset: What is It?
A growth mindset in mathematics is all about improving and getting better over time. You must keep trying to get better and not give up when things are hard. With hard work and perseverance, everyone has the potential to achieve great things.
Students need to understand that you believe in their unlimited potential for them to believe in their abilities. The goal of the growth mindset classroom is to develop the love of learning in each student. Let me know how you used these ideas in your classroom to develop a growth mindset in mathematics.
Creating a Positive Classroom Community
Everyone in your classroom will benefit when your students feel part of a classroom community. If you can create a classroom environment where your students feel connected to you and to their peers, wonderful things happen.
Don’t forget to Download this BONUS Guide with everything you need to create a growth mindset classroom and positive classroom community.
➕Includes definitions, lesson ideas, mindset surveys for students and teachers, and printable posters.
👉Includes everything you need to start cultivating a more positive math classroom and students who love math. Download and get started today! Click here to download the Mindset Guide & Survey.
By using getting to know you activities, and lessons to cultivate a growth mindset in your students, you are building a positive classroom learning environment where everyone feels safe and successful.
Creating a classroom culture at the beginning of the year will have lasting benefits!
