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What We’re Building in the Classroom: A Culture of Growth and Support
What We’re Building in the Classroom: A Culture of Growth and Support
In our classrooms, we're not just teaching academic subjects — we're helping your child build the mindset and skills they need to thrive in school and in life. Two key ingredients in this are growth mindset and executive function (EF) skills.
What Is a Growth Mindset?
What Is a Growth Mindset?
A growth mindset is the belief that intelligence and abilities aren’t fixed — they can grow with effort, practice, and the right strategies. Instead of saying “I’m just not good at this,” students learn to say, “I can’t do this… yet.” This mindset encourages:
Perseverance in the face of challenges
Openness to feedback
Resilience after setbacks
A love for learning and improvement
This idea was made popular by psychologist Dr. Carol Dweck, who found that students who believe they can improve actually do better in school — because they try harder, take more risks, and bounce back from failure.
Fixed vs. Growth Mindset
Fixed vs. Growth Mindset
A fixed mindset says: “I’m either good at this or I’m not.”
A growth mindset says: “I can get better with practice.”
We work hard to shift students from fixed thinking to growth-oriented thinking — especially when they get frustrated or discouraged.
Why This Matters: Executive Function Skills
Why This Matters: Executive Function Skills
Many children, especially those with learning differences, struggle with executive function (EF) skills — like planning, organizing, managing time, staying focused, and regulating emotions. When EF skills are weak, students may appear disorganized, unmotivated, or even lazy — but that’s not the real story.
In our classrooms, we teach students how to strengthen those skills, so they can succeed. For example, we help them:
Break big tasks into steps
Use tools to stay organized (like to-do lists or visual reminders)
Develop routines that build focus and reduce distractions
Learn how to handle stress and emotional overwhelm
Creating a Supportive Classroom Culture
Creating a Supportive Classroom Culture
To help students truly benefit from a growth mindset and improve EF skills, the classroom environment must feel safe, supportive, and empowering. That means:
Teaching students that mistakes are opportunities to learn
Encouraging them to try again when things get hard
Helping them see their own progress and celebrate effort
Offering tools and strategies that meet their unique learning needs
A Fun Example: Growth Mindset in Action
A Fun Example: Growth Mindset in Action
One fun activity we use is a classroom “Escape Room” challenge, where students solve puzzles together to “escape” from imaginary aliens. In doing so, they exercise their executive skills (like memory, focus, and teamwork) while having fun and learning that "growing your brain" is possible and exciting!
How Parents Can Help at Home
How Parents Can Help at Home
Praise effort over outcome (“You worked really hard on that!”)
Model problem-solving when things go wrong
Use “yet” language: “You haven’t mastered it yet, but you’re on your way!”
Talk about mistakes as learning experiences
Together, by focusing on growth mindset and executive function, we’re helping your children become confident, resilient learners — capable of tackling challenges not just in school, but throughout life. Thank you for being our partners in this journey!
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