Using Positive Affirmations to Promote Growth Mindset

One of the best things I started in my classroom was teaching about Growth Mindset. My students are really loving it, and I'm loving hearing them using what they've learned in their conversations with their friends. (Just today, I overheard one of my students tell another, "I'm making progress.")!!!!!!!

Basically, students with a Growth Mindset believe that their talents can be developed through hard work. They don't believe their abilities are set in stone, and are therefore more likely to achieve greater goals than students with a fixed mindset.

Right now, my growth mindset lessons consist of me introducing our positive affirmation of the the week, and reading a book that demonstrates that affirmation. After the book and a short discussion, we make a circle on the carpet. I ask a question pertaining to themselves and the affirmation, and then we take turns answering the question around the circle. For example after reading the book Whistle for Willie to go along with the affirmation, "I work hard and try my best", I asked the students, "What is something you can work hard on today?"

We review the affirmation throughout the day, and only have one per week so we can really concentrate on it. I have all of the affirmations I want to use hole punched and bound with ribbon so I can just flip to the one I want to use and hang it up to display.

I also wanted something the students could take home to show their parents so they could talk about what we'd been learning. I created these student response sheets so they could easily draw or write about themselves and the affirmation.

Positive affirmations for a Growth Mindset - Student Response Sheets

These half-page posters and student response sheets can be found in my Teachers Pay Teachers store.

Positive Affirmations for a Growth Mindset

I also shrunk all of my Positive Affirmation posters to mini-size, and I tape the affirmation we are learning that week to the top of this little mirror. We then pass it around the circle and each child repeats the affirmation as they look at themselves in the mirror.

As I find new amazing books, I will be adding them to my lessons, but for now, here is a list of all of the affirmations and accompanying books I am currently using in my classroom.

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“I can do hard things.”

The Dot, by Peter Reynolds

“Mistakes help me learn.”

The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes, by Mark Pett and Gary Rubinstein

Beautiful Oops, by Barney Saltzberg

The Book of Mistakes, by Corinna Luyken

“I work hard and try my best.”

Whistle for Willie, by Ezra Jack Keats

“I get better every day.”

The OK Book, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal