Everybody is a Genius: My take on the growth mindset posters

Tuesday, August 1, 2017

My take on the growth mindset posters

Over the past few years my classroom hasn't changed all that much, but last year I hopped on the growth mindset trend and added something new. After seeing tons of those "Change your words change your mindset" bulletin boards (originating here it seems) I wanted put my spin on it.

A few years ago when I hung up my simple rules posters I found that I got a lot more use out of them than I'd anticipated. When kids try to give up I point to the wall and tell them that unfortunately it's a rule that they're not allowed to give up. It seems to be lighthearted and they don't get as angry as if I just tell them they have to keep working.

So I liked the growth mindset posters for the same reason. While I really liked them all, for me nine was just too many. I feel like the more stuff that goes up around the room, the less kids are able to focus on it all and it's less meaningful. So I took out the four that I thought I could get the most use out of and made this poster:

I printed it at Staples as a 24"x36" engineering print (under $10). The color ones are more expensive so that's what it's black and white. I did however figure out that those big prints take watercolor paint really nicely so I used watercolors to color in the letters. I'm not in school so I don't have an actual picture, but imagine it something like this.

I also really liked those bulletin boards with the brain and found an image I really liked to do that with. I colored in the left side to be just grey and then colored in the right side. It was like a giant watercolor coloring book, it was great. I don't have a picture of it done, but below is during.

source

All done, picture something like this.

Before settling on that, I started making something along the lines of all the bulletin boards everyone else has. I didn't end up hanging them up, but this is along the lines of what I had in mind.