In my classroom, I will foster a culture of learning that encourages perseverance, curiousity, empathy, and hard work. I will emphasize the growth mindset when talking to my students, not just by blatantly describing it, but through my actions as well.
To do this, I will meet each student where they are individually and encourage them to learn from and help each other. I want to teach them to make mistakes freely and learn something new from each one. This will teach them that mistakes are just as valuable as getting things right and will hopefully break down some of the stigma they may have learned around "being wrong." I will also follow up with their questions and remain open to as many questions as they want to ask to foster a culture of curiousity. To encourage empathy amongst peers, I'll be careful about the language I use when addressing each student, especially if a situation arises that needs to be diffused. These can also be turned into teaching moments. And, to ensure that students aren't afraid of working hard when they are challenged with difficult concepts, I will break each topic down so they can do so themselves in the future and attack a problem in whichever way is most suitable to them.
Emotional Growth Mindset Cards
My Culture of Learning tool is a series of placards. Each student will have the whole set, held together by a binder ring or carabiner. The three cards describe three emotions that I think younger students are likely to feel while learning. Each card has "growth mindset" sentences for each emotion that students can look at and enact when they are in each situation. And, when a student flips to a different card, I will know what kind of headspace they are in. This will allow me to provide the most effective positive reinforcement.