Take a second to think about the first thing your students see when they walk into your classroom. I have positive messages filling up every inch of my bulletin boards and walls. However, the first thing my reading intervention students see when they enter my classroom is me. I firmly believe that cultivating a positive student mindset starts with us: the teachers.
We Get to Be the Teacher We Wish We Had
True confession time: I have not always had a positive mindset. Don’t get me wrong—I have always been kind and positive with my students. However, I didn’t have a positive student mindset when I was in school. In fact, I didn’t know it was “a thing.” I sure wish someone, anyone, would have taught me about it! Instead, I was somewhat of a catastrophist. Grade 2 me: “If I do not get an A on this spelling test, I will not get into college!” High school me: “Everyone is much better at math than I am. Why am I so stupid?”
It wasn’t until I became a teacher that I realized I could prevent my students from feeling bad about themselves, the way I did growing up, when they weren’t good at something. For the past 32 years, I have encouraged students by telling them, “If you came to my class knowing everything, I wouldn’t have a job!” We all have strengths and challenges. Before we can teach the required academic standards, students must understand that success starts with a positive student mindset. It's our job to explain what it is, why it's important, and how to change negative thinking habits into positive ones.
Roll Out the Red Carpet
Students from each grade level come in and out of my classroom daily, some more than once, for reading intervention and extra support. I welcome them every time, using their name and making eye contact. I don’t have a red carpet, but as they make their grand entrance on my gray carpet, I try to make them feel special. I mention something personal to show I know and care about them, not just their academics. I am in a uniquely fortunate position. As a reading interventionist, my students come from different classrooms, so their arrival times differ slightly. This gives me more individual conversation time.
I used to teach various grade levels with up to 35 students entering my classroom at the same time, but my morning practice was no different. I greeted each of my students individually, connected with them through eye contact, and mentioned something unique to them. This sets a positive tone and helps students reset their mindset.
“Change Your Words . . . Change Your Mindset”
This is the title of a huge bulletin board in my classroom. How often do you hear students say, “I messed up . . . I’m not good at this . . ." or "I’m not as smart as she is.” It’s important to catch these moments and train your students to change their words. Suggest instead, “My mistake will help me improve . . . I’ll keep trying my hardest . . . It’s okay to ask for help . . . Math is hard for me, but I am great at science.” Sure, I may be downright annoying when I repeatedly catch my students talking negatively about themselves. However, it works! They do it less often as the year goes on, and they even stop themselves mid-sentence before I can correct them, which ends with a smile. That’s a win!
FUNdamental Learning
To help create positive student mindsets, it is FUNdamental to make learning FUN! When we make learning exciting, appealing, and even fun, it doesn’t mean a student who struggles with math will think a math test is fun. However, we can use many teaching strategies to make the learning leading up to the test fun, from game-based learning to collaborative group projects. My students all struggle with reading, from phonics to decoding to comprehension. However, when they see their progress on my bulletin board and their incentive (getting to visit our school’s game room), they work harder. They also know I will come to their classrooms with the Treat Trolley for those who show remarkable growth on their district Diagnostics.
Let’s Do This, Teachers!
It does not matter where you are in the process of teaching your students about positive mindsets in your classroom. It’s never too late to start, and it’s an essential component in leading our students to success inside and outside our classrooms.
Want to learn more about creating positivity? Check out Creating a Positive Classroom Culture.
