Growth Mindset Teaching Resources
Help students build a growth mindset with teaching resources designed specifically to help establish a growth mindset for kids.
Created by teachers, for teachers, each worksheet, motivational classroom poster and activity in this collection has undergone rigorous review by the Teach Starter team to ensure it's ready for the classroom ... and your primary students!
Are you still learning about the growth mindset and wondering how it applies to kids in your classroom? Read on for some tips from our expert teachers!
What Is a Growth Mindset in the Classroom?
The growth mindset concept — and its counterpart, the fixed mindset — come from the research of Dr. Carol Dweck, an American university professor known for her work on the implicit theories of intelligence. Dweck's research surmises that your mindset falls somewhere on a continuum according to your implicit views of where ability comes from.
Those who believe abilities are innate are said to have a fixed mindset, while those with a growth mindset see learning as a process and understand that we develop over time with learning, hard work, and persistence.
So how do you define a growth mindset for kids?
Broken down to be easily understood by your students, a growth mindset is a belief that you can develop your brain to be better and better at different skills through a mix of effort and different strategies.
Kids with a growth mindset can see failures as learning opportunities and push past them. This is often compared to a fixed mindset, which hampers kids who feel their intelligence and abilities can't substantially improve. A fixed mindset can frustrate students, while a growth mindset offers growth opportunities.
Fixed Mindset vs. Growth Mindset
Here's how Dweck herself described the fixed mindset vs. the growth mindset in one interview: 'In a fixed mindset students believe their basic abilities, their intelligence, their talents, are just fixed traits. They have a certain amount and that's that, and then their goal becomes to look smart all the time and never look dumb. In a growth mindset, students understand that their talents and abilities can be developed through effort, good teaching and persistence. They don't necessarily think everyone's the same or anyone can be Einstein, but they believe everyone can get smarter if they work at it.'
Dweck says over-praising kids for being intelligent leads to a fixed mindset, with kids afraid to take risks lest they make mistakes. And there are very real impacts.
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Growth Mindset Colouring Pages
Inspire creativity and encourage your students to think positively with a set of growth mindset colouring pages.
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Gratitude Journal Writing Prompts for Kids - Daily Slides
Project and inspire reflective writing with 50 gratitude journal writing prompts in one handy slide deck.
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Have a Bright Year! Lightbulb Craft
Brighten up your classroom with a fun Lightbulb-themed goal-setting craft activity.
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Growth Mindset Bookmarks
Encourage your students to think about their growth mindset with this set of printable bookmarks.
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Growth Mindset PowerPoint
Help your students develop a growth mindset with a Growth Mindset Teaching Slide Presentation.
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Growth Mindset Captain Yet: Yet vs Nup – Poster
A classroom display poster which compares positive and negative learning attitudes to help students focus on positive learning habits.
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Developing a Growth Mindset – Worksheets
Help your students develop a growth mindset and set achievable goals with a printable pack of growth mindset worksheets.
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'My Curious Mind' Growth Mindset Art Activity
A creative visual art activity, inspired by Professor Stephen Hawking, to use when learning about growth mindset.
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Social Emotional Learning - Question of the Day Morning Meeting Prompts
Download 180 days of morning meeting questions to foster communication and positivity while building relationships in your classroom.
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What's Your Mindset Level? - Poster
Encourage your students to adopt a growth mindset with this engaging classroom poster.
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When You Enter This Classroom - Door Display
Welcome your students into your classroom with a ‘When You Enter This Classroom” Student Affirmations Classroom Door Display
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Growth Mindset Worksheet Pack
Help students change their mindset to a growth mindset with this set of worksheets.
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The Power of YET Poster Set
Encourage your students to change their growth mindset with this set of posters.
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Growth Mindset Flipbook
Explore the topic of growing your mindset with your students using this engaging flipbook template.
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Growing GRIT Writing Template
Encourage students to think about what grit is as well as words that describe grit with this craft template.
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Growth Mindset Bulletin Board
Print a growth mindset bulletin board to display in your primary classroom.
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Positive Affirmation Cards for Kids
A set of 24 inspiring positive affirmation cards to encourage a growth mindset, self-confidence and self-belief.
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Growth and Fixed Mindset Poster
Help your students choose a growth mindset with this poster highlighting the differences between a growth mindset and a fixed mindset.
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Growth Mindset Mini-Book
Teach your students about growth mindset with this printable book, perfect for your social emotional lessons!
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Growth Mindset Discussion Cards
Explore growth mindset with your students with this set of discussion cards.
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Are We There Yet? – Growth Mindset Progress Tracker
Help your students develop a growth mindset by reflecting on their learning progress with this progress tracking chart.
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Positive Affirmations for Kids - Posters
Help your students overcome self-doubt with this set of posters containing positive affirmations for kids.
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I Wish I Could – Worksheet
A comprehension worksheet for a comic from the Year 2 magazine (Issue 3).
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Growth Mindset Worksheets
A set of worksheets to use when teaching students about Growth Mindsets.
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Growth Mindset Exit Tickets
Assess your student's understanding of everything growth mindset with this set of exit tickets.
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Let's Look at Self Esteem Interactive Activity
Boost your students' self-esteem with this fun and engaging interactive activity.
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Ways to Build Self-Esteem Classroom Poster
Nurture your students by providing them with simple ways to build up their self-esteem with this set of classroom posters.
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Are We There Yet? — Growth Mindset Posters
Print thse large growth mindset posters to help students learn to work more resourcefully and independently in the classroom.
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The Adventures of Pirate Nup and Captain Yet – Comic
Captain Yet themed posters to help students figure out how to problem solve common every day challenges.
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Positive Growth Mindset Posters
A set of 10 positive growth mindset posters to display in the classroom.
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I Am Not Always Right Mini-Book
Help your students learn how to cope when they make a mistake with this social story mini-book.
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Growth vs. Fixed Mindset Statements - Worksheet
Assess student understanding about the different statements that one might say to distinguish between having a growth or fixed mindset.