Teach Students How to Persevere 

Don’t give up… Show some perseverance!

Persevere, and you will reach your goal!

With perseverance comes rewards!

Have you ever used one of these statements with a student in your class? Perseverance is one of those words that teachers use frequently in the classroom, but do our students actually understand what perseverance means, and what the act of persevering entails? Unless we specifically teach students how to persevere, they are unlikely to develop these skills on their own!

Essentially, perseverance is the ability to keep working towards a goal, even when faced with challenges. To help your students remember this key life skill, we’ve created a definition poster in a mountain climbing theme, accompanied by a list of key strategies that your students can use when working towards a goal they have set for themselves.

The list of perseverance strategies included on the second poster includes: 

• I have a clear understanding of what I am trying to accomplish.
• I believe in my ability to achieve my goal and can visualize what success will look like.
• I have an organized plan that includes what I need to do and how often I need to do it.
• I use positive self-talk to keep myself motivated and to keep my confidence high.
• I see mistakes as an opportunity for learning, not as a sign of weakness or failure.
• I call on my support team for assistance and encouragement when I need it.
• I adapt to setbacks and challenges by staying calm and trying new approaches.
• I acknowledge my efforts and take pride in my achievements.

This resource is available as a full-color or black-and-white PDF. If you have limited color printing available at your school, we recommend printing the black-and-white posters on colored paper. You may even wish to enlarge the posters so that they really pop when placed on your classroom bulletin board!

Multiple Uses for These Perseverance Posters

While these perseverance posters will look amazing on your classroom bulletin board, there are other ways you might like to use this versatile resource in the classroom.

Why not use the black-and-white version of the resource as a progress tracker for the students to monitor their progress toward a goal of their choice? Students could highlight each strategy they have used as they make their way up the mountain on the poster. 

Alternatively, the color poster could be used as a progress tracker for a collective class goal. Visual representations of progress can be a very powerful motivator… especially if a reward awaits once the students make it to the top!

Teaching your students the meaning of perseverance can inspire and empower your students to develop the grit and determination needed to tackle challenges, achieve their goals and grow as individuals. It’s an excellent way to create a positive and motivating learning environment while teaching essential life skills.

Download These Perseverance Posters for Your Classroom

Use the Download button to access either the full-color or the black-and-white PDF.

Print and display on your classroom bulletin board, then refer to the display whenever your students need a reminder of the definition of perseverance!

Explore More Resources to Foster Perseverance

Has this resource piqued your interest in our resources on perseverance? Click below for more teacher-created resources to use 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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Learning Goals Template With a Mountain Theme

Use a free printable learning goals template with your students to take them to new heights this school year!