Dear Parents,

I am a firm believer in the power of growth mindset, and approach each year with the belief that all of my students are capable of learning and growth. What is growth mindset? Simply put, it is the belief that intelligence and ability are not fixed traits or that we are born with only so much of them. Rather, with effort and perseverance all students are capable of academic achievement. 

Every day, your child will be immersed in growth mindset thinking in our classroom. My students will be asked to take educational risks. They will be praised not for their mental quickness or natural intelligence but for approaching the process of learning with grit and determination. And they will grow in ways they never thought possible.

Here are some things you can do to extend and promote growth mindset in your home:

• Encourage your child to take risks and tackle new challenges at school. "Productive Struggle" is a term that will be used frequently in our learning environment.

• Praise your child not for the ease with which he or she learns a concept, but for the amount of effort put into learning it.

• Emphasize perseverance and effort in extracurricular activities.

I hope you'll commit to joining me on this growth-mindset journey. I cannot do it without your help.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Jackie Laurence