NEWS from Ms. Dickens !

10/13/2025

Building Confidence Through Positive Self-Talk & Growth Mindset

At our school, we’re focusing on helping students develop positive self-talk and a growth mindset—two powerful tools that build confidence, motivation, and resilience!

💬 What Is Positive Self-Talk?

Positive self-talk means using kind, encouraging, and helpful words when speaking to ourselves.
Just like we cheer on a friend who’s learning something new, we can cheer on ourselves too!

Children who use positive self-talk are more likely to:

• Keep trying when things get tough

• Feel proud of their effort

• Bounce back from mistakes

Here are some examples students can practice

🌱 What Is a Growth Mindset?

A growth mindset is the belief that our brains can grow and we can get smarter with practice, effort, and learning from mistakes.
Students with a growth mindset understand that challenges are opportunities—not roadblocks.

We encourage students to:

• Celebrate small successes

• Ask for help when needed

• Keep trying, even when something feels tricky

• See mistakes as part of the learning process

🏡 How Families Can Support Growth at Home

• Model positive language. Let your child hear you say things like, “I’m learning something new,” or “That was hard, but I kept trying.”

• Praise effort, not just results. Try saying, “I love how hard you worked on that!” instead of only focusing on the grade or outcome.

• Share your own learning moments. Tell your child about a time you had to practice to get better at something.

Create a “yet” habit. Whenever your child says “I can’t,” gently add “yet” to the end.