Strategies and Tools

This page consists of resources, tools, and activities that can be utilized during educator professional learning experiences. Additionally, we've also linked to some resources that are designed for students.

Mindset Pre-Assessment Tools

  • Mindset Self-Assessment - This is a personal self-assessment tool used to examine one's mindset. It includes a brief questionnaire and the scoring guide and could be used as a starting point to examine mindset.

  • Growth Mindset Opening Activity Presentation & Guide - This is a post-it activity where your teacher participants respond to two prompts about growth mindset via post-its. This activity would give a facilitator a quick pulse on where the participants are with regards their understanding of mindset and their belief in the value of growth mindset.

Tools & Activities to Help Shift Educator Mindsets

  • Growth Mindset Stakeholder Scenarios Worksheet - In this exercise teachers work in pairs to role play a few scenarios with different stakeholders (colleagues, parents, students) and work to develop strong growth mindset responses to common phrases heard in every school.

  • Re-framing For A Growth Mindset - In this individual or team exercise, teachers review common phrases heard in classrooms around the country and then re-frame them in growth mindset language while also providing their justification.

  • Growth-Fixed Mindset Continuum Activity - This activity helps participants understand we all have both fixed and growth mindsets about different abilities/traits/skills. It encourages participants to explore their own beliefs and hear from others about why they believe what they do. During this activity participants respond to different prompts by physically moving to different parts of a continuum outlined on a piece of masking tape and then discuss their positions.

  • These three activities all came from "Professional Development Activities" on MindsetKit.org. Additional resources, activities, and tools can be found here on the "Growth Mindset for Educator Teams" page on Mindsetkit.org.

Educator Created Resources

  • STEM Teacher Leadership Network Video Showcase - The STEM Teacher Leadership Video Showcase features 3-minute videos submitted by teacher leaders and those engaged in creating teacher leadership programs. View their inspiring short stories that include many ways for educators to engage their students in STEM learning.

  • Tools for Ambitious Science Teaching - This page will introduce you to the kinds of tools that are available on the Ambitious Science Teaching Website. The tools were created over the past five years in collaboration with classroom teachers who have used them successfully with students. There are four broad types of tools that you can explore which include: Face-to-Face tools, Planning tools, Scaffolding tools, and Unit starters.

Tools For Engaging Students in Growth Mindset

  • Khan Academy Learn Storm - These free online courses and exercises are for teachers to use with students to develop growth mindsets in students. This is a student focused resource that teachers could utilize to extend their professional learning directly into their classrooms.

Additional Resources for a Deeper Dive

Please visit our Research Page for more information.