This fortnight at Churchlands Primary, we’re focusing on the PBS focus:
“We Use a Growth Mindset” — the belief that we can grow our abilities through effort, learning, and persistence.
Here are some simple ways families can encourage this mindset at home:
Try Saying:
- “You worked really hard on that — I’m proud of your effort!”
- “Mistakes help us learn. What can we try next?”
- “You haven’t mastered it yet, but you’re getting closer!”
Try swapping fixed mindset phrases with growth mindset alternatives:
- “You’re just not good at this.” Try instead, “You’re still learning, keep going!”
- “That was too hard.” Try instead, “It was challenging, but you gave it a great try!”
- “You made a mistake.” Try instead, “Mistakes help us grow. What can we learn from them?”
Fun Growth Mindset Activities
- Challenge of the Week
Pick a task that’s a bit tricky (e.g. tying shoelaces, solving a puzzle, learning a new word). Celebrate effort and progress, not just the result.
- “Yet” Poster
Create a poster with things your child can’t do yet — and update it as they grow!
- Family Reflection Time
At dinner or bedtime, ask:
“What was something hard you tried today?”
“How did you keep going?”
- Growth Mindset Bingo
Make a bingo card with actions like “Asked for help,” “Tried something new,” “Kept going after a mistake,” and see how many your child can tick off during the week.