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Below are lots of resources that I have pulled together for you to use :) They are color coordinated

November: Mistakes, Feedback, and Praise (Purple)
December: Reflection on Goal Setting (Green)
January: Revisiting Goal Setting (Green)

I have also attached our journal prompts to this padlet.

Anything that is a PDF was a free item from TPT

If you have any questions please do not hestiate to email me:
rstephens@dorchester2.k12.sc.us

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Here is our first quarter padlet in case you want to go back to other activities :)

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14 great books that you can read and reflect on!

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As parents, we want our kids to understand that mistakes are where the real discoveries are made. We want them to be courageous, take good risks and not be afraid to fail.

Yet, so many children avoid mistakes and failing at all costs. As a result, they don't spend enough time trying new things and miss valuable learning opportunities.

Luckily, there are certain things we can do to make sure our kids are open to making mistakes and learning from them.

But sometimes we need help to reinforce the message. I've compiled a list of books and activities for kids ages 5 and up that provide just the lift they need to get over those bumps in the road to success.
PIN FOR LATER
Ages 5-8
Beautiful Oops!
A great book by Barney Saltzberg for younger kids. It's full of tactile page lifts, pop-ups, holes, and crumpled pages. The book demonstrates how to take a mistake and turn it into something beautiful. It embodies the philosophy of the American painter, BobRoss: "There are no mistakes, only happy accidents."
The Most Magnificent Thing
This is a new classic by Ashley Spires that is targeted towards girls, but was also well received by my 8-year-old boy. The book follows a girl and her dog through the trials and tribulations of making a Most Magnificent Thing. She fails repeatedly and becomes discouraged enough to quit.

Thankfully, on a long walk, her dog talks her into trying again and this time she succeeds. The notes from the publisher say this book is also great for inspiring kids to make their own STEM inventions.
The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes
In this book by Mark Pett and Gary Rubinstein, we meet Beatrice Bottomwell, the girl who never made mistakes. Suddenly, one day she makes a huge mistake, in front of every body!

This book is great for those children who are on their way to becoming perfectionists or who find themselves immobilized from trying anything new because they might mess up. And it's told as a fable so it comes across as a fun story and isn't preachy.
Zach Makes Mistakes
This is part of the Zach Rules series of books by William Mulcahy that help children learn about how to handle different emotions and situations, such as how to apologize or handle frustration.

I loved this book because it introduces Appreciative Inquiry - a technique I use in organization development to grow from mistakes - in a child-friendly way.

Children follow Zach through a field trip at the museum and learn how to Detect, Correct, and Reflect on the different mistakes Zach makes during the day.

There is even a section in the back of the book that gives you, the parent, tips and activities you can use with your kids.

Ages 9 and up
Mistakes that Worked
This book by Charlotte Foltz Jones is marketed to a younger age group, but my 12-year-old son loved it, too.

Mistakes that Worked tells the stories of all these successful inventions, like bricks, tea, and Scotchguard, and other products that were actually mistakes.

This hooks kids who are into facts and trivia and conveys the subtle message that mistakes can be glorious successes in disguise.
Star Wars: Jedi Academy Series
This is a series of books by Jeffrey Brown (first 3 books) and Jarrett J. Krosoczka (current series). This is an unorthodox pick because it doesn't deal overtly with teaching learning from mistakes like some of the other picks.

However, the main heroes overcome a myriad of obstacles including making mistakes (particularly the 2 nd book in the original series), dealing with bullies, and coping with ups and downs of growing up.

My boys found inspiration from the stories and the lessons (I think both of them have read each of the books about 20 times). The fun format of diary entries, hand-drawn pictures, and school clippings - very similar to the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series -will entice even the most reluctant readers into cracking open the cover.
Sometimes You Win, Sometimes You Learn - For Teens: How to Turn a Loss into a Win
John C. Maxwell has been writing books about leadership, teamwork, and relationships for over 30 years. In this book, he uses his considerable experience on how to help teens see failures as opportunities.

He includes stories about his own mistakes along with thought exercises and activities for your tween and teen to complete in the book or in a journal. This is more of a self-improvement book than my two previous picks.

To be effective, your child will need to accept that they have an issue handling mistakes and be willing to do the work this book advises. This can be hard for some kids and if they do the work they will see incredible improvement in their grit.

Failures that Succeeded

One way to turn mistakes and failures into something positive is to introduce your child to other people's failures. There are endless examples of how famous people failed before they succeeded.

For example, your kids might be interested in learning that J.K. Rowling was rejected numerous times when she tried to publish the first Harry Potter book or that Walt Disney was turned down over 300 times before he received financing to create Disneyland.

Encourage your child to do research on how someone he admires once failed. You can use the book Mistakes that Worked(mentioned above)for inspiration or watch this YouTube video together.

Let them use the colorful printable "Famous Failures" to record their findings (download below).

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Once they're done with their research ask them to tell you about it at the dinner table or any other family gathering. Have a discussion around what made these people persevere and not give up.

Mistake of the Day

When we have dinner as a family we talk about our day. Specifically, we entered into the habit of asking the kids two questions:
What was your favorite thing today? What was one MISTAKE you made today?
Sometimes we get groans and eye rolls, but mostly we get either thoughtful or silly answers. The boys know that they have our complete attention and they can say anything without criticism or judgment.

This activity is particularly important as kids begin to realize that mistakes are expected every day.

My Favorite No

I recently discovered this popular video by Leah Alcala, a middle school math teacher in California. In the video she describes her approach to her students' mistakes:

She posts a problem on the board for the children to complete on an index card. After the students are done solving the problem, she collects the cards and searches for her favorite wrong solution.

This can be adapted to a home setting. For example, when you are reviewing your kid's homework analyze their mistakes to discover your favorite mistake. Then tell them WHY it is your favorite.

Talk about where the work was almost right and the spot where the mistake happened. It starts with positivity and let's them know that their attempt wasn't wasted.

This activity also helps you, as the parent, to see beyond getting it right or wrong.

Journaling

I'm a big proponent of journaling. Keeping a journal gives me a place to sort my thoughts and flesh out ideas.

For kids it can be a safe place to write about and process their mistakes. One such ready-made journal isMy Beautiful Book of Oops.It is a journal meant to go along with the book Beautiful Oops! mentioned above.

The journal gives permission for mistakes to be made: the pages are to be smeared, bent, ripped, and splatted on. It creates a safe place for self-expression, creativity, and mistakes.

Reframing

Jessica Alexander, author of the book The Danish Way of Parenting: a guide to raising the happiest kids in the world, recommends reframing as a way to help kids change how they look at the mistakes they make.

Reframing is taking the negative way we see a situation and flipping it around to highlight the positive. Here's an example.

The other day my youngest was riding a bike after not having been on one for months. Right as he was getting home he crashed into a bush and fell off. I held him as he cried and listened to him as told me about his fall. Then I reframed it by saying,
"I saw you fall. When you knew you were about to fall you tried to get your leg out to brace yourself. That shows that you have learned a lot about how to balance a bike."
It changed the entire experience for him. The next day he was eager and excited to get back on his bike and go out for an even more challenging bike ride.

Thinking Hats

A friend of mine uses Edward de Bono's thinking hats, a technique which helps children visualize the thinking process going on in their heads. You can buy hats in each color and make the thinking physical, too.

When a mistake or a failure occurs, put on your BLUE hat. Ask yourself, where am I now and what opportunity can I pull out of this situation? The opportunity is a present, a chance to become stronger and try again without giving up.

Now you are ready to put on your GREEN hat and devise a creative plan to try again. Before you carry out this plan you will look at the positives and negatives of the green hat plan. These are the YELLOW and BLACK hats.

Finally you pop the RED hat on and ask yourself: How does this make me feel? The great thing about the red hat is that there are no wrong answers. This helps keep defensiveness from creeping into the process.

The hats start waking up resilience in our children. They turn something that was once abstract into something tangible and pliable.

A Challenging Project

Nothing builds grit and resilience like a challenge. Ask your child,
"Is there a challenge or a project that would make you really proud of yourself if you did it?"
Ask how they would like to be supported. However, avoid saving them from failing. If they do happen to fail, help them think through how and why they failed using the following Appreciative Inquiry questions:

What happened? The whole story!

What did you do well?

What could you have done better?

What do you think you can do next time to make this work better?

When will you try again?

Ask them to write down a date when they will try again. This will help them stay on track on their path to success.

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Using these books and activities will help your children be more open to making mistakes and learning from them!

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14 Books and Activities To Help Your Kids Learn from Mistakes

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As parents, we want our kids to understand that mistakes are where the real discoveries are made. We want them to be courageous, take good risks and not be afraid to fail. Yet, so many children avoid mistakes and failing at all costs.

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Read or watch, and then reflect

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Written by Holly (Teach Starter)
Posted Tuesday September 19, 2017

Is Grit Just Another Education Fad?

I remember sitting, nervously, in a panel interview for my very first teaching position. The Principal at the time asked me, towards the end of the interview, "So tell me, what are the current education fads going around at the moment?"

I stared blankly at him wondering what on earth he meant. After an in-depth conversion about all the different 'education fads' that had been and gone before my teaching time, I finally understood!

I have since learnt that, yes, education fads come and go. However, I believe they become fads for a reason. As lifelong learners, we should learn and grow from them, give them a try and decide ourselves if it is something that is going to assist us in our teaching journey.

So let me introduce grit to you...

Grit is not a new term. This is news to me, I only found out about it a few months ago on social media when I started watching a video of Professor Angela Lee Duckworth introducing her new term 'grit' and what it meant back in October 2009.

Professor Duckworth defined it as the ability to stick with things over a very long term until you master them.

What's the Difference Between Grit and Resilience?

I can hear teachers around the world saying to themselves... how is grit different from resilience? Or what about having a 'positive growth mindset'?

To some extent, I believe they are intertwined. Resilience is the ability to get back up and dust yourself off when you have failed or have made a mistake.

Having 'true grit' is more of a long-term trait, it is the ability to take risks, power through challenging tasks and understand how to navigate frustration without giving up! It's sticking with one big goal for the long term. I believe a person that has developed a positive growth mindset can also have true grit! My opinion only, and I'm not a professor of this topic!

How to Foster Grit in the Classroom?

These terms will come and go, however, as teachers, we have the power to change the way students think about making mistakes. Encouraging a 'don't give up' attitude and helping your students navigate the different thoughts in their mind when they fail, is a truly amazing, life-changing skill. And, we have the ability to help students develop this skill, how lucky are we?

I've put together some of my most favourite ways to foster grit, build resilience and encourage a positive growth mindset in your classroom.

1. Growth Mindset Videos for the Classroom

There are a number of gorgeous videos on YouTube that are suitable for children to watch and encourage them to start thinking about the way they think and help them to learn how to deal with failure.

This first video really explains the importance of having a positive growth mindset in a simple, kid-friendly way!

This is a really cute animation that would be suited to the younger age groups and will encourage a lot of discussion about working towards a goal.

Although the goal may seem impossible at the time, you might surprise yourself, if you keep persisting and try lots of different strategies, you will reach achievable goals!

I like the idea of showing true stories of famous people who failed time and time again. This video highlights a list of successful famous people who failed in their first attempt but never gave up.

You might even like to use some of these famous people on a display board in your classroom as a constant reminder to your students.

2. Story Books for Growth Mindset

Another way to start a conversation with your students about never giving up and making the most of their mistakes is using storybooks.

Here a couple of my go-to books:

"Your Fantastic Elastic Brain" by JoAnn Deak - A fantastic storybook that explains the science behind their brains and how they work in kid-friendly language!

"Beautiful Oops" by Barney Saltzberg - This is just a gorgeous book to read to your students when talking about mistakes and learning that they are okay! On each page of the book, there is an "oops" that turns into something beautiful!

"Thanks for the Feedback, I think" by Julia Cook - This book explains how students can respond to both positive and negative feedback.

3. Provide Timely, Specific and Constructive Feedback

Find ongoing opportunities to provide your students with constructive feedback and time to reflect upon their learning. A crucial part of the journey to becoming more resilient and more 'gritty' is to learn to accept feedback and learn from it!

When providing feedback with the goal of improving student learning and performance, the feedback needs to be timely, specific and constructive.

When you can, link the feedback to set learning and behaviour goals.

Use our Feedback Labels in your classroom. I would have a stack of them printed, cut out and ready to stick in books! Store them somewhere on your desk where you won't forget to use them!

3. Use Growth Mindset Affirmations

Replace those negative thoughts that your students may think when they experience frustration or failure with positive messages!

We have just created this gorgeous set of Grit Bunting for the classroom. I would say this is more suited to the older age groups.

Available to download in colour or in black and white for students to colour in!

For the younger age groups, we have this set of 10 Positive Growth Mindset posters for the classroom. The cute little purple character is featured on each of the posters which each feature positive affirmations younger students will understand.

Encourage positivity in your classroom with these gorgeous free positivity posters:

4. Daily Reminders

Rome wasn't built in a day... Grit won't happen in a lesson!

This isn't a topic that you teach once at the beginning of the year and tick it off the list. It is an ongoing way of thinking that you need to keep reminding, encouraging and discussing with your students.

Use a variety of videos, stories, even real classroom stories about students who have shown 'real grit' or dusted themselves off and tried again after they have failed.

You may even like to use our Growth Mindset Brag Tags to celebrate success! Celebrating success with the class is crucial.

What do you do in your class to foster grit, build resilience and encourage a positive growth mindset in your students?

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15 Books and Activities to Foster Grit in the Classroom - Teach Starter Blog

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Written by Holly (Teach Starter) Posted Tuesday September 19, 2017 I remember sitting, nervously, in a panel interview for my very first teaching position. The Principal at the time asked me, towards the end of the interview, "So tell me, what are the current education fads going around at the moment?"

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Celebrate mistakes and showcase these videos

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Learn how to promote mistakes from Carol Dweck and Jo Boaler; watch teachers use this practice in action; and download activity ideas to try in your classroom.

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A must save :)

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Top 85 Growth Mindset Books For Children And Adults

THIS ARTICLE INCLUDES A FREE PRINTABLE

One easy way to help children develop a growth mindset is to introduce them to books which promote persistence, love of learning, learning from mistakes and other key growth mindset ideas. Here's a list of our favorite and most popular books for you and your kids!

Before you move on, be sure to sign up for our FREE weekly printables carefully crafted to teach your kids growth mindset, resilience, and much more. Sign up below to make sure you're on the list!

Once signed up, you will immediately receive our popular Parent's Guide to a Growth Mindset.

Ages 1 - 4

Be sure to check out the Growth Mindset Printables Kit which has the printable book list and a fun book review activity for your children.

The Key to Extraordinary by Natalie Lloyd

Right before her mother died, Emma promised that she'd do whatever it took to fulfill her destiny. But when Emma's dream finally arrives, it points her toward an impossible task--finding a legendary treasure hidden in her town's cemetery. This book is about determination and following your dreams.

Mrs. Piggle Wiggle by Betty MacDonald

Perfect for fans of Mary Poppins and Nanny McPhee, this classic series is all about learning and problem-solving. Young readers will love this book.

Strong is the New Pretty by K. Parker

Girls being fearless. Girls being silly. Girls being wild, stubborn, and proud. Girls whose faces are smeared with dirt and lit up with joy. So simple and yet so powerful, Strong Is the New Pretty celebrates, through more than 175 memorable photographs, the strength and spirit of girls being 100% themselves.

A Series of Unfortunate Events #1: The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket

This book features unfortunate events, but it also teaches some valuable lessons. Despite numerous misfortunes children do not give up, stay positive and come up with constructive ways of dealing with their losses.

The Wizard of Oz by Beth Bracken

Dorothy never stopped trying to get home even when the Wicked Witch of the West sent flying monkeys after her. The book teaches that when the going gets tough, stick to your yellow brick road and you'll overcome your obstacles too.

Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner

Based on a Rocky Mountain legend, Stone Fox tells the story of Little Willy, who lives with his grandfather in Wyoming. When Grandfather falls ill, he is no longer able to work the farm, which is in danger of foreclosure.

Growth Mindset Books for Adults

Recommended Parenting Books

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Top 85 Growth Mindset Books For Children And Adults

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One easy way to help children develop a growth mindset is to introduce them to books which promote persistence, love of learning, learning from mistakes and other key growth mindset ideas. Here's a list of our favorite and most popular books which do just that.

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Lots of great lessons and resources.

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Angela Duckworth's TED Talk on "grit" as one of the most important predictors of success went massively viral in 2013. Her 2016 book Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance was an instant New York Times bestseller.

By now, Duckworth's concept has made its way into national education policy and public schools in California even grade schools and students on grit.

But despite grit's prevalence, Duckworth says the concept is often misunderstood. Duckworth's definition of grit is "passion and perseverance toward long-term goals," but she says people often overlook the passion part.

Perseverance and especially passion may sound unteachable but they aren't. It just takes time and consistency. Repeat the following activities with your child to help them develop their inner grittiness, putting them on the path to happiness and success.

Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our FREE When I Feel Worried Poster. Use this popular printable to make a plan with your child for when their worry shows up. Your child will have a list of their own coping strategies to calm their worry and anxiety.

1. Help Your Child Find Purpose

A study by psychology researchers including Dr. Carol Dweck and Dr. David Yeager indicates students are more motivated to succeed when they have a core purpose.

The study involved brief online interventions, including asking students to write how the world could be a better place, reading stories about how performing in school could help students positively impact the world, and having students think about their own dreams and how their education could help them achieve their goals.

As students developed the belief they could achieve purpose in life, they grew more motivated and performed better academically. They were also more likely to persist toward a degree.

You can help your child develop grit (both passion and perseverance) by discussing their goals and purpose in life. Then talk about the steps required in order for your child to reach their goal.

If your child is younger, try a simpler, more engaging approach like a dream board. Also called vision boards, dream boards are a powerful visualization tool to help kids create and achieve their goals.

On a sheet of poster board, your child posts images or text that reflect their passions, hopes, and goals. Visualizing what they want to achieve will help your child develop a positive mental attitude and focus on their passion and purpose.

Creating a dream board fosters grit because it will help your child celebrate their passions and link those passions to specific goals they would like to achieve. Plus, it's a fun activity for the two of you to do together!

2. Encourage Your Child to Conduct "Grit Interviews"

Children learn pessimism or optimism from the adults in their lives, so providing opportunities for your child to learn from positive resilient adults is key.

Your child can interview grandparents, neighbors, or other acquaintances who have worked hard toward a long-term goal.

These interviews will teach your child how to live life with grit in addition to the benefits that come with passion and perseverance.

You can share your resilience stories with your child as well. It's helpful for kids to understand that even adults can make mistakes, but then try again and ultimately solve a problem or reach a goal.

As your child hears stories about grit from people they admire (including you), they'll want to mirror these values in their own life.

3. Share Stories of Resilient Famous People

Your child can also learn from stories about famous people who used passion and perseverance to reach long-term goals, often with failures or setbacks along the way.

Stories like Michael Jordan not making his Varsity team, or J.K. Rowling's manuscript for Harry Potter being rejected almost a dozen times, will show your child how perseverance through failure can lead to great success.

If any of these famous people had given up when they experienced , they would never have achieved their fame and success. "Luck" is an illusion; success is about hard work and persistence toward something you're passionate about.

4. Teach About Grit Through Nature

We can certainly learn lessons about perseverance from nature. Just think about the Tupac Shakur poem "The Rose That Grew from Concrete."

The poem reads:

You can read this poem with your child to discuss what represents the concrete represents in their lives. What are their obstacles? Next, discuss how your child can "breakthrough concrete" like the rose. What can they do to overcome their obstacles and reach their dreams?

This activity is a fun way to practice components of Gabriele Oettingen's WOOP strategy and help your child develop grit. You can also show your child pictures or real-life examples of the resilience and perseverance of nature, then connect these images to how your child lives their own life.

Be sure to check out our Best Sellers Bundle PDF (ages 5-11). It includes our three most popular printable kits packed with science-based growth mindset activities, guides, and crafts for children. With over 50 pages, this kit will help your children or students understand they have the capacity to learn anything.

5. Teach About Grit Through Literature

Similarly, you can help your child learn about grit by reading relevant books, poems, or short stories.

For instance, read stories of perseverance such as The Little Engine That Could or Chelsea Clinton's She Persisted Around the World: 13 Women Who Changed History.

Use stories like The Hugging Tree: A Story About Resilience by Jill Neimark. It tells the story of a tree that grows alone on a cliff. The tree faces many challenges, but it continues to stand strong, find the positive, and ultimately help others with their own challenges.

These are fun, colorful stories your child will request again and again! As you read these stories, you can also help your child form connections to their own life. Talk about their challenges, their response to failures, and how to live their own life with grit.

Don't forget to download our FREE When I Feel Worried Poster so your child has a list of their own coping strategies to calm anxiety and worry.

6. Ask, "What's the Hard Part?"

When your child feels discouraged or tempted to give up, try asking them, "What's the hard part?"- Parenting blogger

Once your child has identified what is difficult for them, repeat the information back in your own words. This helps your child identify their biggest challenge, allowing them to break it down into a more manageable task.

After the two of you have identified the challenge, ask your child what they could do to fix or overcome "the hard part." They'll likely arrive at an answer and realize problems can be solved if they persevere and takes the time to think the problems through.

Don't give your child the answer, even if you have to guide them to it.

Helping your child find "the hard part" and navigate a way to overcome the challenge is a powerful way to teach them about grit.

7. Follow the "Hard Thing Rule"

Angela Duckworth teaches grit to her own two daughters using the "Hard Thing Rule." Duckworth's rule has three parts:

1. Each member of the family has to do something hard, "something that requires practice, something where you're going to get feedback telling you how you can get better, and you're going to get right back in there and try again and again."

2. You must finish what you start. Duckworth requires her kids to finish a season, a set of lessons that were signed up for, etc.

3. No one gets to pick the "hard thing" for anyone else, so your child chooses their own challenge.

This is a rule your whole family can follow, holding each other accountable, and setting an example for your child. The "hard thing" can be an instrument, a sport, a subject or area of interest, an activity, and so on.

The "Hard Thing Rule" combines passion (because you choose what to pursue) and perseverance (because you promise to stick with it), and your child will experience success or improvement with something challenging. This will build their confidence and teach them the benefits of grit.

8. Try the "Grit Pie" Exercise

This activity will work best with an older child, but a young child could complete it with guidance.

Amy Lyon, a fifth-grade teacher from New Hampshire, created an entire grit curriculum based on the book The Optimistic Child by Martin Seligman, University of Pennsylvania professor and co-founder of Positive Psychology. Lyon uses the "grit pie" activity with her students to teach optimism and help them become aware of their thoughts.

The pie represents an obstacle the student is facing. Each slice of pie symbolizes a cause of the problem. For each slice, students analyze whether their thoughts about the problem are permanent ("I'll never be good at math") or temporary ("My friend was talking too much and distracting me") and whether they blame themselves ("I should have asked the teacher for help when I didn't understand") or others ("The teacher didn't teach us this material!").

Hopefully, most of your child's problems will be categorized as "temporary" and they'll take at least some responsibility for causing the problem.

Point out these issues are temporary and within your child's control. How can your child make positive changes to resolve them? Completing this activity will show your child the majority of obstacles can be overcome with problem-solving and perseverance.

9. Share Your Passions

Lastly, you can inspire your child to find hobbies and interests they're passionate about by enthusiastically sharing your own passions.

Show your child your excitement about activities outside of working and parenting and devote time to developing these passions. Not only will this make you happier and more fulfilled, but it'll also set a great example for your child about pursuing your passions.

This will also encourage your child to openly share their own passions with you. Be supportive and interested in whatever your child is passionate about, and provide resources to help them explore and develop these interests.

Looking for additional resources to support building grit and resilience in your child? The Build Your Frustration Tolerance Masterclass is a self-paced growth mindset parenting masterclass where you'll learn how to help your child push ahead and persevere instead of quitting or giving up at the slightest setback. You'll get lifetime access so you can go through all the materials at your own pace. Our expert parenting educators will give you specific tools and strategies to raise a child who has the CONFIDENCE AND DETERMINATION to overcome their frustration and persevere.

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9 Activities To Build Grit and Resilience in Children

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Perseverance and especially passion may sound unteachable but they aren't. It just takes time and consistency. Repeat the following activities with your child to help them develop their inner grittiness, putting them on the path to happiness and success.

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Scroll to the bottom for three great classroom activities.

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Have you ever had a student burst into tears over a seemingly insignificant mistake? What about a student who erases over and over and over again until they wear a hole through their paper? Or, maybe, you've even had a student who straight up refused to make anything in your classroom.

Students who exhibit this kind of behavior often have one thing in common: They're afraid to fail.

They are so caught up in doing everything right; they can't do anything at all. It's heartbreaking, and it can be difficult to find ways to reach them.

However, there is one theory out there that directly addresses situations like these and has been shown to help students develop perseverance and grit-growth mindset.

The Growth Mindset Theory

The theory of growth mindset comes from Carol Dweck, a professor at Stanford University. Over 30 years ago, she began researching failure. She found some people bounced back much better from setbacks than others. She described those who failed well as having a "growth mindset" and those who had a hard time with failure as having a "fixed mindset."

If you're interested in learning even more about this topic, be sure you check out the Promoting a Growth Mindset in the Art Room Learning Pack. You'll learn how to tweak both your teaching practice and classroom setup to foster a growth mindset in your students. Plus, learn how to apply what you learn to your own life!

Dweck's research eventually led to her best-selling book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. In the book, she describes the differences between the two groups which you can see outlined in the chart below.

Furthermore, Dweck found cultivating a growth mindset can have major implications for learning and achievement. In short, "When students believe they can get smarter, they understand that effort makes them stronger. Therefore they put in extra time and effort, and that leads to higher achievement."

So, it's pretty clear a growth mindset is something we should all try to instill in our students. But how?

3 Art Activities to Help Your Students Deal with Mistakes

While digging into the research behind growth mindset, one thing I found fascinating was the fact that it only takes a lesson or two to start opening students up to the idea that they can improve with practice. This is great news because we all know art teachers are short on time! Below are three simple, one-day art activities to start to teach students how to get through the act of making a mistake.

1. Losing Control

Many times, it's not even the fact that a student has made a mistake that sends them into a tizzy. It's the fear that they will make a mistake. So, why not encourage them to do so? Allowing them to practice making mistakes, brainstorming solutions, and carrying out a plan to fix things can ease students' anxiety down the road.

1. Only allow your students to draw with stubby crayons or small bits of oil pastel.
They will be frustrated by their lack of control, but it may lead to some new discoveries!

2. Make your students tape their art materials (drawing pencils, paintbrushes, markers, etc.) to long sticks for an entire class period.
This idea comes fromJulie Read, and really forces students to get out of their comfort zones.

3. Try ink drawings with nib pens.
If you've usednib pens before, you know they can splat at a moment's notice. Letting your students try their hand at these is a great way to help them work through mistakes.

2. Art Hospital

Sometimes, all it takes is putting a humorous twist on things to create buy-in from your kids. Why not try turning your art room into an "art hospital" for a day?

Before your students arrive, prep various pieces of paper with "mistakes." Blobs of paint, rips, pieces of tape stuck in weird places, holes, etc.

Your students will love turning these papers into masterpieces! And, they will see they have the power to take something traditionally seen as a mistake and make it into something beautiful.

Start with Beautiful Oops! by Barney Saltzberg if you're doing this activity with younger students. Older students will enjoy The Book of Mistakes by Corinna Luyken.

3. Drawing in the Dark

We're all familiar with the power of blind counter to improve drawing skills, but this exercise takes things a step further.

Instead of doing a quick blind contour study, have your students create art "in the dark." Then, have them turn whatever they create into a finished piece. You can go about this in a variety of ways, but the idea is to create limitations that may lead to undesirable results.

1. Turn off the lights.
Turn off the lights for the first five to ten minutes of class. Creating in the dark will make color choices less apparent and details more difficult to see. After the time is up, turn the lights back on and have students take what they've created and make it into a finished piece.

2. Use only white crayon or oil pastel.
Challenge your students to draw something using only a white oil pastel or white crayon on white paper. Have them use the last ten minutes of class to add watercolor to reveal their marks.

3. Block your students from seeing what they're doing.
Ask your physical education teacher if they have anybasketball dribbling goggles around. They're the perfect way to encourage your students to keep their eyes off their papers. Depending on your students, you could also use blindfolds or just trust them to keep their eyes closed! Once again, have students create for a short amount of time and use the remainder of class to work with their "mistakes."

No matter which activity you choose, teaching students that mistakes are part of learning will benefit them for years to come. Remember, presenting just one lesson on the idea of growth mindset can help students begin to see how their skills can improve with time and effort!

If you're looking for even more ideas for the classroom, including how to set up your physical classroom space to foster a growth mindset in your students, click here!
How do you foster a growth mindset among your students? Do you have any other activities to help students value failure?

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3 Activities to Help Your Students Overcome Making Mistakes - The Art of Ed

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Have you ever had a student burst into tears over a seemingly insignificant mistake? What about a student who erases over and over and over again until they wear a hole through their paper? Or, maybe, you've even had a student who straight up refused to make anything in your classroom.

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Lots of great videos and activities that can be used!

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The Incredible Power of Yet - Big Ideas - Classdojo

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Katie discovers the incredible power of yet from an unexpected source.

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Turn it into an opportunity activity

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"Mistakes are GOOD!" The first time I said that to a class of second graders, they looked at me like I was crazy. They were incredulous. "You mean you actually want us to make mistakes?" they asked in disbelief.

Yes I do! The truth is, mistakes are essential for learning, and fear of failure is a roadblock to that process. Children are not born fearing failure - it is a learned behavior. Society rewards achievement and success. We look up to winners, but each of those winners we admire so greatly made mistake after mistake on their journey to success. I like to say they Failed Their Way to Success. But society does not praise failure. We praise results, but not the process. Consequently, kids get the message that mistakes are a bad thing. I particularly see this attitude with gifted students and high achievers. They become addicted to the praise they receive for successes that come so easily to them, and fail to learn the correlation between mistakes, effort, and achievement. Therefore, many bright children begin experiencing poor grades when the work becomes more challenging.

Learning is an emotional experience and emotions drive learning. If we want our children to become achievers, we must change their mindset about failure and mistakes. We must help them view mistakes as opportunities and not failure. Whether it is a science project, completing a math worksheet, playing sports, developing friendships, or taking part in a competition, children's learning is enhanced through making mistakes. Mistakes offer opportunities for children to become problem solvers, consider different alternatives and try new approaches.

When I think of teaching students to embrace mistakes I always think of Ms. Frizzle from The Magic School Bus. In my opinion, Miss Frizzle was the founder of Growth Mindset. Her call to action "Take chances, make mistakes, get messy!" should be a mantra in every classroom.

There are many activities you can use with your students to teach about mistakes, but today I am going to share just one strategy I have used with students which you might want to try with your class. I call it I believe in teaching students to celebrate mistakes as learning opportunities rather than failures. The dictionary defines a flop as a Flip That Flop. In true Ms. Frizzle fashion, total failure, so a play on words is a fun way to think about how to flip a mistake and turn it into an opportunity for learning using a flip flop analogy.

To begin this activity, I like to have a class discussion about how mistakes are learning opportunities. I give an example of a mistake I have made and how I turned it into a learning experience. I ask the kiddos to give me an example of a mistake they made and what they learned from it. Like most of us, they will have plenty of examples. If you want, you can give them a scenario (I have included 4 in the FREEBIE), and have the class analyze the problem. Once the students are familiar with the format and looking at ways to turn problems into possibilities, we are ready to do the activity.

In this activity, students write a description of a time they failed or made a mistake (The FLOP), how they turned the flop into an OPPORTUNITY, and a reflection on WHAT THEY LEARNED. There are four templates - a cover which the kiddos decorate any way they want, and a page for each stage of the activity. Once the templates are complete, staple them together and display the Flip Flop books in your classroom.

Click HERE or on the Flip Flop Book picture above to get your FREE copy of this activity.

If you are short on time or teaching younger students, you can use the flip flop templates included in the download and have the students write the "flop" on one flip flop and then write how they turned the flop into a learning opportunity on the other one. They look great on a class bulletin board and are visual reminders to everyone that mistakes are good and a necessary part of learning.

Here are a few other ways you can use this activity:

1. As a reading response activity. Many of the stories in reading texts feature characters making mistakes or experiencing failure. This would be a fun activity to get the kiddos thinking, problem solving, and responding to literature.

2. As a get to know you activity at the beginning of the year.

3. As an end of the year reflection where students write about their biggest mistake that year and what they learned.

4. As part of a biography study - many of us use biographies in our classroom, and most famous people have overcome great obstacles and made mistakes on their journey to success. You could put these on a bulletin board and title it Famous Flops.

5. As a reflection after a math lesson. Students could write down their math mistake and then analyze their error and write how to do it correctly and what they learned. This is a great activity that allows students to demonstrate conceptual understanding of math.

I'm a big fan of using quotes in my classroom. There are tons of quotes about mistakes and failure, but I want to share some quotes that best support turning mistakes into opportunities. These quotes demonstrate the importance of mistakes, but also the importance of reflecting on those mistakes, learning from them, and making mistakes a positive and necessary pathway to success.

I hope you get the opportunity to use this activity with your students. It is a great activity for the end of the school year. I am passionate about finding ways to increase student achievement. I will be doing a series of blog posts related to student achievement and strategies you can use, so I hope you will visit again for more ideas and resources.

pin for later

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Flip That Flop! Turning Mistakes Into Opportunities

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"Mistakes are GOOD!" The first time I said that to a class of second graders, they looked at me like I was crazy. They were incredulous. "You mean you actually want us to make mistakes?" they asked in disbelief. Yes I do!

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Great to post around the room, but also to discuss/reflect on

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A great lesson with the book Giraffes Cant Dance

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Growth mindset - a phrase that can easily be coined the education fad of 2015-2016. Although I do like to avoid most fads (bleached hair, suntanning oil, and silly bands were all lost on me), why not take the best from the proverbial education pendulum and allow it to positively impact our classrooms? Recently my 1st grade classroom has morphed into a K/1 combination classroom and then resulted in HUGE gaps (academically, socially, & emotionally) between my students. Today I'm sharing one of our most powerful community-building lessons we've shared since becoming a combined classroom! As a result, we have seen a huge change in the mindset of our students.

Build Your Growth Mindset with Intentional Read Alouds

Intentionally chosen read alouds and texts in a classroom have tremendous power. From writing mentor texts, to texts that lend themselves to particular reading strategies, our students need models and this is the perfect way.

Giraffes Can't Dance (affiliate link) is one of my favorite read-alouds. It's a smooth read, include rhymes, and is a perfect platform for launching a conversation about differences in the classroom. The book centers around a Giraffe who can't dance like all the other jungle animals and is made fun of because of his lack of dancing skills; thus why Gerald is the perfect character for teaching students about growth mindset!

Poor Gerald feels absolutely deflated and knows it's time for him to leave the jungle dance floor. This is the climax of the story and a perfect time to have a stellar classroom conversation about diversity, acceptance, love, and the power of "yet". I have a tendency to become involved in books, so I always tag this page with a sticky note, so I don't blow past my stopping point.

A Class Brainstorm

This was the place where our first class brainstorm took place - things we can't do YET. I started sharing with my "Yet" - "I can't whistle Yet" and recorded my idea on our class chart with my name underneath. Students had a few minutes to think and then, we took turns share their "yets" with the class. From writing words to doing a backflip, we discovered everyone has something they cannot do YET!

Then, we continued reading to discover that Gerald soon finds a dance of his own! His 'yet' has become a 'now'. All it took was practice, confidence in himself, and time!

Individual Student Responses Highlighting the Power of yet

After reading students used this graphic organizer to illustrate and make plans for their "yet". From school to life, students chose their own 'yet' and each one was perfect. We shared them together and then, made a classroom Yet Book that sits on our library display shelf.

How you do foster 'yet' attitudes in your classroom? Do you have any favorite read alouds, activities, or sayings? I would love to hear your ideas!

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Growth Mindset: The Power of Yet - The Brown Bag Teacher

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Encourage students to realize the power of growth mindset with this read aloud and free graphic organizer perfect for primary classrooms.

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Coloring Activity

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Great article on how to give effective feedback :)

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National Center for Women & Information Technology

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Focus feedback on student progress, strategy, persistence, and effort.

Use specific comments like, "Great improvement on x; you're ready to move on," or "Good progress; you need some more practice with x." Make no comments implying the student's performance is based on "natural" ability. Note the quality of the work, not the quality of the student.

Recognize that preparation and ability are not the same thing.

Students who appear "smart" have usually had more useful exposure and experience. Students who catch on less quickly usually have less preparation for the new work, not less potential. Give these students the foundation and practice to hone the new skill or understand the new knowledge; use examples more closely aligned with the students' own backgrounds.

"Wise feedback" is particularly important when pointing out missteps.

Students are more likely to make the necessary additional effort if you clearly explain that you are holding them to high standards, that your corrections identify where the students have not yet met those standards, and that your suggestions tell them more about what work at those standards looks like. Finally, and very importantly, clearly express your confidence that the students have the capacity to reach those standards.

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NCWIT Tips: 8 Ways to Give Students More Effective Feedback Using a Growth Mindset

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Love this guy's accent and has some great information!

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A great read on how to provide feedback to students :)

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The Education Week Research Center worked with a panel of experts to create examples of praise that either promote growth mindsets or trigger fixed mindsets in students. See if you can sort them out and see how teachers responded in our nationwide survey.
Report: Related: Coverage of learning mindsets and skills is supported in part by a grant from the Raikes Foundation, at www.raikesfoundation.org. Education Week retains sole editorial control over the content of this coverage. Teachers Seize On 'Growth Mindset,' But Crave More Training Mindset in the Classroom: A National Study of K-12 Teachers

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Quiz Yourself: Does This Classroom Feedback Promote a Growth Mindset?

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The Education Week Research Center worked with a panel of experts to create a list of classroom praise sentences that either promote growth mindsets or trigger fixed mindsets. See if you can sort them out and see how teachers responded in our nationwide survey by taking this quiz.

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Carol Dweck - A Study on Praise and Mindsets

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This would be great in all subject areas!

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Thought starters

1. How does giving students sentence frames affect the feedback they give?

2. What kinds of feedback do you see students giving each other?

3. How do students respond to their peers' critiques?

School Details

Winridge Elementary School
3500 Ridgeway Road
Memphis TN 38115

Data Provided By:

Teachers

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Thought starters How does giving students sentence frames affect the feedback they give? What kinds of feedback do you see students giving each other? How do students respond to their peers' critiques? School Details Winridge Elementary School 3500 Ridgeway Road Memphis TN 38115 Data Provided By: Teachers

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I have used this when writing on students assignments and even report card comments :)

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This would be great to use during interims and report card time.

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Great way for students to provide feedback on their learning by a show of "hands

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Love this sheet! I can see this being used in K-2 classrooms.

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Relationship is shown when goals are too far away. Need to take baby steps sometime.

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Two ordinary objects have become permanent fixtures in my office lately: Balloons and clothes baskets

I wanted to share a few quick ways you can use these inexpensive items, which 99% of us already have at our houses, in your counseling office. My first post will focus on clothes baskets.

Clothes Baskets:
1. Goal Setting: I am doing a "7 Habits of Happy/Highly Effective Kids" small group right now, and I absolutely LOVED the goal setting lesson I did with my students using clothes baskets. It was an idea I adapted from a Goal Setting presentation at last year's NCSCA Conference (wish I could remember the speaker's name to give credit! Email me if you recognize this activity).

I took my students into the gym during the PE teachers' lunch break. I had them all stand on one side of the gym and gave them each a frog (you could use a stress ball, rubber ball, etc.). In the first round, I had them cover their eyes and try to get the frog in their basket. I placed three baskets out for five students so they would have more space for their throwing. We related this action to going through the school year without an idea or vision for where you are going.

During the second round, I took all three baskets and placed them on the opposite side of the gym, about 30 feet away from the students. We related this basket "attempt" to choosing goals that are too hard. In the third round, the baskets were placed right in front of their feet. The students immediately knew that this round showed the goal was too easy. In the fourth round, the baskets were placed about 10 feet way to signify an appropriate, challenging goal. Most of the students made the basket by their second attempt, but a few took three or four tries. Finally, I held one of the baskets in the fifth round and "assisted" them by moving the basket as they made their toss. We related this round to teachers, parents, and school counselors who will support students in reaching their goals, which can make things easier.

2. Icebreaker Time: Kids LOVE to try and toss my frogs in the clothes basket when we meet for individual counseling, especially kids that have a hard time sitting still or feel uncomfortable with traditional "talking" at a table. I find they open up and are much more relaxed if we start talking while playing the frog toss game. Sometimes we will even take turns and switch once we have gotten a certain number of frogs in the basket.

At first, I was just putting the basket on the other side of my office so I could take shots with my students, but then I got the bright idea of hanging it on a hook that has randomly been on the back of my office door since I moved to my school. I now call the game Hook Ball. The new basket placement also frees up floor space in my pretty small office...truly a win-win! Check it out:

3.Skill Practice Motivation: I met with a student last week who needed to work on prosocial skills (hands to self, talking nicely, working appropriately in centers). I wanted to make our skill practice more fun, so we turned it into a game. Each time she got two frogs in the basket, we would stop, model, and practice one of the skills we were working on. After she practiced, she got to take more shots. It definitely made our session more enjoyable, and we still talked about her classroom progress while she was playing.

Do you have any other uses for clothes baskets? I would love to hear!
Happy Counseling ~ Angela

Related Posts : Fun, November, Small Groups

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Two ordinary objects have become permanent fixtures in my office lately: Balloons and clothes baskets I wanted to share a few quick ways you can use these inexpensive items, which 99% of us already have at our houses, in your counseling office. My first post will focus on clothes baskets.

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Comes with a booklet to make. Great way for students to see how a goal must reach different aspects.

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Has some great anchor charts for the primary grades.

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This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. View disclosure policy HERE.
Goal Setting for Kids: A list of steps for teachers to take when teaching children to reflect and set goals, using the 3 stars and a wish approach.
As teachers, we all want our students to succeed in life, right? RIGHT! We want our students to be effective problem solvers. We want them to set goals and ACHIEVE them. Teaching children to reflect and set goals is an important lesson that needs to be taught starting at a young age.

Why is Goal Setting for Kids Important?

Goal setting is a lesson that should be revisited and worked on throughout life. Adults continually reflect on life and past goals and use that information to set new goals. Aristotle said, "Man is a goal seeking animal. His life only has meaning if he is reaching out and striving for his goals." Having something to focus on and work towards, helps us to be productive human beings. It is our responsibility to teach these skills to children.

It can be frustrating when a child doesn't try hard enough when you see the potential. We try to encourage them to try harder or care, with little result. Is there a solution? One thing you can do is teach them how to set goals and achieve them, one step at a time. Setting goals and working towards them teaches children perseverance. This is an important skill in life and one that they will need along the way.

How to Teach Goal Setting for Kids

A part of it is teaching children to reflect on things they do well and things they need to improve on. Another part of it is teaching children what a goal is, how to pick the right one, and making a plan to achieve the goal that they set. This needs to be taught at home and at school.

Children need direction and encouragement in this. Parents are useful is having daily conversations with their children and checking in to see how things are going. Parents may find special checklists or charts helpful in keeping their children on track, along with certain incentives to gain interest.

Teachers are useful in providing an approach to goal setting that is systematic (i.e., can be done during each term of the year) and age-appropriate (i.e., develop lessons for their particular grade level). Teachers can set a few times in the year to reflect on, set, and plan for achieving goals.

Goal Setting Activities for the Classroom

Below are some strategies for teaching children to reflect and set goals. Try these strategies in your classroom. Hopefully, your students will learn the skills to tackle their own challenges in the future.

Goal Setting Activities: Reflect on Things They Do Well

Start by having a discussion about the things that children feel they do well. Brainstorm these ideas on a chart or whiteboard. This is a positive way to start the goal-setting process because they are thinking of things they have achieved and learned already. Discuss how these things make them feel. Encourage them to recall how they went about learning those things. What steps did they take? Did they set a goal and work towards it?

Goal Setting Activities: Reflect on Things They Need to Improve

It is also important to reflect on the things they need to work on, improve, or learn. Before a child can decide which goal to set, they have to think of something that is worth working towards. Children should choose something that interests them or a skill that they need for life. Steve Garvey said, "You have to set goals that are almost out of reach. If you set a goal that is attainable without much work or thought, you are stuck with something below your true talent and potential." Some examples of goals for children are learning to swim underwater, tying their shoelaces, or riding a bicycle. Some examples for school could be counting to 100, learning to read a particular book, or climbing the rope in gym class.

Goal Setting Activities: 3 Stars and a Wish

Before making a plan with the teacher, I suggest that students record their ideas in the form of stars and wishes. You have probably heard of "3 Stars and a Wish" before and it's a great idea! I use this approach for many things during the school year. We think of STARS, the things we do well, and WISHES, the things to work on. Students use the ideas they come up with during our reflection as a class and record their ideas. The idea they choose for their wish becomes their new goal for school.

This form provides a valuable assessment tool. I use the 3 Stars and a Wish reflection sheets during meetings and conferences with parents. Parents want to see how their children are doing and appreciate that they get to hear how their child sees themselves. They appreciate this information because then they can discuss it at home. I keep a copy of the reflection sheets in the student portfolios with a collection of work completed that year. This helps provide a timeline of the progress made. To read about how I create student portfolios and use them during student-led conferences, head HERE.

The 3 Stars and a Wish printable is available for FREE by clicking the image below. You will receive 2 variations and each has either 2 or 3 stars to suit your needs.

Making a Plan for Teaching Goal Setting for Kids

Whatever the goal may be, children need to make a plan! Antoine de Saint Exupery said, "A goal without a plan is just a wish."

I meet with each student individually and we discuss their new goal. We make a plan together and discuss the plan of action. We come up with small, workable steps together. They will most likely need a teacher's help along the way. Check-in periodically with your students to see how they are doing and feeling about their progress. Having a chart visually available to a child is extremely helpful. This way they can see what they've done and what they still need to do. Kid Pointz has a free printable chart that you can download HERE.

Goal Setting for Kids Requires a Timeline

It is also important to have a timeline when teaching children to set and achieve goals. Different goals take different amounts of time and effort. Teachers can help guide students to choose goals that are smaller and can be completed within a reasonable time. I suggest teaching children to reflect and set goals 3 times during the school year. With this approach, each goal should take about 3 months or so to achieve. At the end of the term, a particular goal may continue to be a student's focus for the following term.

Rewards and Incentives to Encourage Goal Setting for Kids

A big motivator for children is the reward they receive when they accomplish their goal. To some, achieving a goal is the intrinsic reward. However, that might not be enough of a motivator for some children. Teachers may want to offer another incentive. Stickers are a fun and simple reward that can be used on charts like these. I like to use classroom coupons as rewards. They can be given each time a student completes a step towards their goal. A classroom party might be a fun way to reward the entire class at the end of the term.

Looking for another fun way for your students to set goals for the new year? Create a fireworks display of goals in your classroom!

I suggest printing them on colored cardstock to create a colorful display! You could also make a mobile of fireworks hanging from a string.

Grab this FREE Fireworks Goals for the New Year printable by clicking the image below. It includes 2 types of firework goals for you to choose from.

Do you teach goal setting for kids? I'd love to hear from you!

I hope you enjoyed this post! If you would like more tips and ideas from me, be sure to follow me on Teachers Pay Teachers, Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook to stay connected with the latest news and freebies!
Teach Kids How to Be Responsible Teaching Responsibility in the Classroom
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Teaching Children to Reflect and Set Goals

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This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. View disclosure policy HERE . Goal Setting for Kids: A list of steps for teachers to take when teaching children to reflect and set goals, using the 3 stars and a wish approach. As teachers, we all want our students to succeed in life, right?

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A great article from Scholastic to set up reading goals with students.

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Helping Students Set Their Reading Goals | Scholastic

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Try setting students' reading goals at the beginning of the school year to set a tone for the kind of reading work you'll expect from them.

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This can be written and a drawing activity.

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Lots of these are in the library!

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Read alouds in the growth oriented classroom are a powerful way for students to learn how to set goals and create a plan for achieving them.

Teaching by way of a mentor text helps learners to see how people who set and achieve goals demonstrate perseverance and grit through the process.

Goal setting is not easy for everyone. In addition, our friends may feel defeated or overwhelmed when they set goals and think of the stamina and grit needed to achieve them.

Using a mentor text enables students have a common language to use in their own experiences when facing obstacles and success. It creates an opportunity for our students to identify and analyze characters' strengths and weaknesses.

A mentor text also creates a safeness for them to be vulnerable while looking deeply at a character and later identifying the same traits and experiences within themselves. For example, my student who was struggling to demonstrate an understanding of adding and subtracting 10's to a given number said to others in his small group, "If Ping didn't give up, neither will I, I know I can do this if I just try again!"
There are so many awesome goal setting mentor texts, here is a peek at some of my favorites! I have ordered them as appropriate for our youngest to oldest elementary students. Note: This post contains affiliate links. This means I receive a small commission if you choose to make a purchase through one of the links, which helps keeps my blog running effectively. Full disclosure here.
The Little Engine That Could is a tale of persevering against the odds! The story of a train filled with toys and gifts for little boys and girls that breaks down before reaching the children. After asking several passing trains for help over the hill, a little blue train agrees to help the stranded toys. Even though she is small, the blue train tries her best to bring the toys to the children on the other side of the hill. A classic story for children, introducing the theme of perseverance in the face of difficulty. "I think I can, I think I can."

The book Giraffes Can't Dance is perfect to teach students the difference between I can't and I can't YET. Gerald the giraffe longs to dance, but his legs are too skinny and his neck is too long. Gerald learns that you shouldn't listen to others when they tell you that you can't do something. You should find your own way of accomplishing it. He learns that "we can all dance when we find music that we love."

In Amazing Grace the main character Grace's imagination thrives when it comes to stories. One day her teacher tells her that class will be performing the play Peter Pan. She is excited in her mind to become Peter Pan, but her classmates tell her it is not possible because she looks nothing like Peter. When she goes home her mom and Nana help her realize "I can be anything I want, I can even be Peter Pan."

The realistic fiction story A Chair for My Mother teaches readers lessons in hard work, empathy and appreciation. After their home is destroyed by a fire, Rosa, her mother, and grandmother set a goal to get a new chair. A vivid depiction of chipping away bit by bit to meet a set goal as the Rosa and her mother get a big jar and would fill it with coins everytime they got some. The jar finally got full, then they all went chair shopping and bought a really comfortable chair for all to enjoy.

In Ruby's Wish, Ruby is unlike most little girls in old China. She courageously pursues her dreams to attend a university when she grows up instead of aspiring to get married like expected. Ruby is young girl who's full of ambition and is rewarded her hard work and courage.

This book might be my absolute favorite read aloud ever! The Empty Pot is a true testimony of perseverance and honesty. When the emperor proclaims he will reward his kingdom to the child who grows the best flowers in a year's time, Ping plants his seeds and tends relentlessly to it everyday determined to get his plants to grow. At the end Ping goes to the Emperor with nothing but an empty pot. His embarrassing failure is turned triumphant in this satisfying tale of honesty rewarded.

She Persisted 13 American Women Who Changed the World shows readers that no matter what obstacles may be in their paths, they shouldn't give up on their dreams. Persistence is power. This book has an introduction to 13 women who "persisted"-such as Harriet Tubman, Nellie Bly, and Sonia Sotomayor-the author details the many ways that women have refused to take no for an answer. Instead, they carefully pursued lofty, inspiring, and purposeful aims for the betterment of themselves and others.

Rather than offering a more in-depth history of any single figure, this book explains the meaning of persistence and places it in a positive light. This book would be a perfect way to help students discover a persistent person to study for a grit research project.

The Bee Tree stars a young girl named Mary Ellen that is spending time with her grandpa. Her grandpa likes to read but Mary Ellen gets bored with reading very quickly. Grandpa then suggests they go hunting to find some bees. While the grandpa and Mary Ellen start chasing the bees, different people from the town decide to join in. At the end of the story Mary Ellen makes a discovery of her own: Sometimes, even the sweetest of things must be worked for as they may not come easily, you have to pursue them.

In the book Michael almost gave up on his hoop dreams, all because he feared he'd never grow tall enough to play the game that would one day make him famous. That's when his mother and father stepped in and shared the invaluable lesson of what really goes into the making of a champion - Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream readers will learn how patience, determination, and hard work. This story is about faith and hope and how any family working together can help a child make his or her dreams come true.

In the inspirational true story Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds: The Sammy Lee Story readers with be filled with a range of thoughts and emotions as the book ties together several heartfelt issues including blatant racial discrimination, honoring and understanding your parents, and fiercely chasing your dreams. Sammy Lee, a Korean American proves to readers that even farfetched goals can be attained through hard work and determination, but achievement does not come effortlessly as he perseveres to become an Olympic champion diver. A great read aloud for upper elementary students.

Do you have any favorites to add to this list? Leave the title in the comments below so I can check them out!
If you are interested other goal setting and growth mindset ideas and resources be sure to check out these blog posts! (clickable images)
Want to learn more about teaching growth mindset?

>>>click the image to go to the post<<<

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Teaching Goal Setting using Picture Books

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Read alouds in the growth oriented classroom are a powerful way for students to learn how to set goals and create a plan for achieving them. Teaching by way of a mentor text helps learners to see how people who set and achieve goals demonstrate perseverance and grit through the process.

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Though this costs money, you could easily manipulate and change it for yourself. Also I love that it has a personal and school goal.

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This Goal Setting Craftivity helps students express the goals that they have set for themselves in an artful, creative way that becomes a beautiful display for your classroom and a great keepsake for parents. Being able to set goals is an important skill for students to practice all year long.

There are many goal setting template options so that teachers can differentiate it for the needs of their learners. Teachers are able to choose the sentence frames and format that fits the classroom and students.

This craftivity fits right in with all of my other SMART Goal Setting resources.

If you would like more information about SMART Goal Setting in the classroom, you can see this blog post about Student Goal Setting in Elementary School or for an even deeper focus, the post explains the Goal Setting & Data Portfolios.

The main pages of the craftivity are three circles and a center circle with an arrow attached to it (four pages pictured below). The arrow holds the Goal Setting Craftivity together via the glue areas on each circle.

The outer circle and the first inner circle are for School Goals. The next circle is a personal goal and the center circle with an arrow holds it all together and includes the student's name.

Each section has a variety of options to choose from. You can reuse this craftivity several times throughout the year simply by changing the sentence frames in the circles.

Start with easier sentences at the beginning of the year and progress to more difficult goal setting concepts, such as setting a timeframe and measurable outcome.

Variations of the Goal Setting Craftivity

The craftivity comes with a variety of options. Included in the outer school goal circle are 28 different variations to choose from. The second school goal circle comes with 12 options, the personal goal 11 options, and the center circle with an arrow has 36 options, including a blank circle, words, or a variety of images of children.

Here are some of the smart goal setting examples for the outer circle. You can scaffold learning throughout the year by moving from drawing to cut and paste to writing goals. The written goals also vary from describing specific steps to sharing what a student is good at and what he wants to work on.

The variations include writing one or two goals, being able to draw a goal or use differentiated sentence frames to scaffold the writing. There are plenty of variations to meet the needs of all learners in your classroom. If you don't find what you're looking for, you can also make your own! Included is blank versions where the teacher can even write in the language she wants students to use.

Also included is a cut and paste version where students are given a set of goals and action steps. I have included samples in the PDF as well as an editable Powerpoint file where the teacher can add in her own goals for students.

For instance, if you want all students to work on math goals, but students may be working on a variety of different math goals, type in the goals and the action steps they could take within your classroom. Print out just the math goals and have students choose their goal and action step. If you keep the file from year-to-year, you can repeat the craft at different times of the year, allowing students to choose a different goal and action step as they make progress and accomplish their goals.

In general, the teacher would choose one circle from each layer and have students fill out the goal, color and cut out the circles and glue them together.

Since this craftivity is all about goal setting, it will be helpful to do some work on whole class goal setting with students. You can see this blog post about how I help students S et Goals in Elementary School or this post on goal setting in the moment, which helps students align a goal with an action step.

In my second grade classroom, we do a lot of whole group discussions about setting goals. We start the year with behavior goals and slowly move onto academic goals, starting with math because it's generally a bit more tangible for my younger students.

One of the key connections where I find students need a lot of work is matching a goal with an appropriate action step. So often students set a goal and say they want to accomplish something. However, to really set a SMART Goal, one needs to create an action plan. I simplify this for students by having them choose one action step from a class brainstorm of many options that they could choose.

This blog post outlines how we set math goals using an arrow to discuss all of the possible action steps students can take in our classroom.

When choosing circles, students or the teacher can choose multiple circles for one layer, if they would like. When assembling simply glue them together within the same layer using the glue area as a guide to align the pieces.

To assemble the Goal Setting Craftivity, layer the circles on top of each other so that they fit neatly together inside of each other in order from largest to smallest. Line up the glue areas so that they meet each other on the sides. Place a small amount of glue in the glue areas.

Gently place the arrow on top of the circles so that the center circle is in the middle and the arrow covers the glue areas. Press the arrow to spread the glue a bit and let the goal setting craftivity dry.

If students choose multiple circles for each section, place the circles on top of each other and glue them together before aligning the sections and gluing the arrow.

You can purchase the Goal Setting Craftivity on my website or on Teachers Pay Teachers .

Would you like some FREE Goal Setting forms to use with your students?

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This Goal Setting Craftivity helps students express the goals that they have set for themselves in an artful, creative way that becomes a beautiful display for your classroom and a great keepsake for parents.

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A great sheet for students to either write or illustrate their goals.

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A great article from Scholastic about creating a SMART goal.

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Setting (Almost) SMART Goals With My Students | Scholastic

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Help your students set specific and measurable goals to provide focus and motivation for them in the new year.

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A great thing to do in January!

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Now is the perfect time to teach students the importance of setting . This is an important life skill students need to learn. While young students may not be planning for college just yet, they can learn the importance of setting and achieving new year goals.

Here are 10 tips to help students set goals for the new year.

1. Define the Word "Goal"

Make sure students know what the word "goal" means. Younger students may think it refers to a sporting event, so use that prior knowledge as a base when explaining the meaning you're referring to. Tell students that when an athlete makes a goal, it is the end result of their hard work. Webster's Dictionary defines the word goal as "something that you are trying to do or achieve." Use this definition to help you explain the meaning of the word.

2. Teach the Importance of Setting Goals

Once students know the meaning of the word "goal," now it's time to teach them the importance of setting a goal. To help you do this, read the following to your students:

Setting a goal will:

Improve your confidence.

Help you make better decisions.

Give you motivation in life.

Explain to students how powerful setting a goal and achieving it can be. You can say something like:
I want to take my children to Disney World, but in order to do that, I have to go on a budget. This means that I cannot go to Starbucks every morning and buy coffee, or go out to lunch with my friends. I have to save money so that my family can afford to go on a family vacation to Disney World.
This example shows students that you can sacrifice something you like, for a positive outcome. In this case the students will see that you had to plan your budget, and put money aside in order for your family to go to Disney World.

3. Set Realistic Goals

Help your students set small, achievable goals that can be achieved quickly. This will help them understand the process of setting and achieving a goal. Then, once they grasp this concept, you can have them set more goals. Have students focus on which goals are most important (make sure they are measureable, achievable, and specific).

4. Help Improve Unrealistic Goals

Some students may dream big, maybe too big, and you know that this goal will be unachievable. Instead of telling the student that they cannot do it, help them refine their goal into something you know they will be able to achieve.

5. Develop a Step-by-Step Method to Achieving the Goal

Once students have set their goals, it's time to develop a step-by-step method to achieving this goal. Let's say one student's goal was to get 100 percent correct on their minute math test. The first question they should ask themselves is, "How am I going to achieve this goal?" Then, "What are the steps I need to take in order to get a 100 percent on the test?" Here is an example of the steps he/she needs to take.

Step 1 - Do all math homework.

Step 2 - Do math flashcards everyday.

Step 3- Practice minute math worksheets.

Step 4 - Play the game "Around the World" to practice math facts.

Step 5 - Get 100% on the minute math test.

6. Visually Create Your Goal

A visual reminder is a great way to help students physically see what their goal is. Depending upon what the student likes, visual reminders can be in many forms. For example, students can write down their steps on a ladder worksheet, where their goal is at the top and the steps to reach it is going up the ladder. Or, it can be in the form of a picture where it is literally a goal post with the goal written in the middle and the steps along the side.

7. Keep in Mind the Time Factor

Make sure students set a timeline to achieve their goal. Let's use the example above about the minute math test. If this was a short-term goal, the student can set his or her timeline for one week. If this was a long-term goal, then the timeline could be one month, or even a few months depending on the student's ability.

8. Have a Monthly Conference

Each month, have a conference with each student to see how their goals are developing. They may need some guidelines or motivation to help them achieve their goal by the time they set it. This tip is extremely important because children tend to forget about their goal, or get discouraged if they think they may not be able to achieve it. This is when you can help get them back on track.

9. Set Up a Reward

The reward may be achieving the goal in itself, but for some goals a little something extra will make achieving that goal even better. As adults, if we set a goal to lose five pounds, and we achieve that goal, we may treat ourselves to a special shopping trip, or a dessert to celebrate our accomplishment. If a student's goal was to turn in his or her homework on time every day for a month that may not be as rewarding as physically seeing that you lost five pounds. Set up a reward with the student that you both agree on: Something that will help them to continue to see the benefit of achieving their goals.

10. Celebrate Once a Goal is Achieved

Hooray! You have achieved your goal! Now it's time to celebrate. If all students set a goal and had the same end date and they all achieved their goal, celebrate with a class party! Then have students set new goals.
Happy New Year! What are some ways you teach goal setting in your classroom? Do you have any new year goals set for yourself? Please share with us in the comment section below! We would love to hear your thoughts. Janelle Cox is an education writer who draws on her 15 years of professional experience in the education system. Janelle holds a master's of science in education from the State University of New York College at Buffalo. She is also the Elementary Education Expert for , where she provides educational information and lesson plans for teachers around the globe.

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10 Tips to Help Students Set New Year Goals

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Here are 10 tips to help students set goals for the new year.

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This New Year Goal Setting Flap Book is a great activity to use during the first week back from holiday break to reflect on the previous year and set goals for the new year. It can be difficult to get students back into the routine of school after a long break and this new year craftivity is a great way to ease them into the New Year.

Both whole class and individual goal setting is an important skill that students need to develop to be successful. It's not something that should happen once a year.

I mean, how often have you set goals? Every day when you make a list of tasks you want to complete! That's a small example and only one component of goal setting. But, I bet you didn't get to where you are today without some goal setting!

This New Year Goal Setting Flap Book is one more way you revisit goal setting in your classroom. It compliments my Goal Setting and Data Portfolios as well as the Goal Setting Craftivity.

Included in the New Year Craftivity Goal Setting Flap Book are pages that include a variety of versions for both boys and girls.

Included are pages for three years in the future so that you don't have to download it again each year.

In our classroom, we complete a page each day during the first week back at school after the holiday break. We brainstorm a list of ideas for the day's page and create an anchor chart them. Students can use the anchor chart to help with spelling and generate their own ideas.

The flap book has pages four pages for students to fill out and "flair" they can add to the end of the fourth page. I created the New Year Flap Book in 2014, so those are the dates with the some of the sample images, but I've included pages up through 2022 and I update it each year extending the dates even further.

The best part of 20 . . . something

This page asks students to reflect on the previous year. What was the best thing about it?

In this particular example, students reflect on what was the best part of 2017. Sometimes it's a trip, sometimes a special time with a parent.

Favorite memory from 2013: I volunteer at an animal shelter.

Favorite memory from 2013: I got a x-box for Christmas.

Something I want to Stop

This section has students reflect on something they would like to stop doing or work on improving. For some, maybe it's to stop eating so much sugar. For others, it may be to stop saying unkind words.

This is a great way for students to set a goal toward improvement, but it is focused on removing something from their lives. In order to move forward, we often need to reflect and recognize that there is a problem in the first place.

Guide this section with grace as you help students brainstorm ideas and construct their responses. We don't want students to beat up on themselves, but we do want them to see that there is room for improvement.

Personal New Year Goal Setting

The "1" page is all about personal goals. There isn't' a set number on this page. Students can write a list or in sentences. What do they want to accomplish personally this year? Maybe it's to save money toward a new bike. Or maybe it's to make it onto a certain soccer team.

Brainstorming a list is definitely helpful to spark ideas.

This page comes with both a "boy" and a "girl" version.

School New Year Goal Setting

The last page is all about school goals. In our class, we set goals all year long, so students are familiar with the process of goal setting. If you're new to goal setting, this blog post about Student Goal Setting will be helpful to ease students into this process.

One of the best things for a smaller project like this is to create a huge list of possible goals and then have students pick four goals. Leave blank spaces in the goals so that students don't feel confined to them. For instance, Read _____ books, with no exact number in the space.

If you want to take it one step further, you can list the goals on the anchor chart by subject area. Students could pick one goal per subject area if you want to guide the activity a bit more.

Here is a quick video of the New Year Craftivity assembly:

We do one page a day over the week, going in-depth with brainstorming about each component. By the end of the week, students are ready to assemble their flap books and have a complete idea of what they want to work on for the new year. It's also a good way for us to revisit SMART goals and set realistic goals.

If you're interested in the New Year's Flap Book, you can purchase it on my website or on Teachers Pay Teachers.

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New Year Goal Setting Flap Book Craftivity

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Ring in the New Year by having students reflect on their best moment in 2015 and set personal and academic goals for 2016.

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Help Your Student Set Goals For A Brand New Year

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A new one I just found :)

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LearnStorm Growth Mindset: How to write a SMART goal

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Love this one!

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Great way to discuss goal setting :)

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Something I could see classrooms using in December and January!