Growth Mindset: The Power of Yet

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.

Why Growth Mindset?

Coined by psychologist Carol Dweck, growth mindset is the belief that we can get smarter and better at things through hard work and dedication. It promotes resilience and persistence, helping students overcome challenges and setbacks. This mindset encourages a love for learning and improves academic performance, as students are more likely to engage deeply with the material and seek out challenges. By reducing the fear of failure and fostering a positive attitude towards effort, a growth mindset creates a safe and supportive learning environment where students feel comfortable taking risks and using feedback constructively.

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 the graphic organizer below 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!

Other “Yet” Mentor Texts

Looking for other texts that lend themselves to conversations about growth mindset? Check out some of my favorites. 🙂

• After the Fall (How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again) by Dan Santat This book tells the story of Humpty Dumpty after his famous fall. Humpty is afraid of heights but learns to overcome his fear and try again. It’s a powerful story about resilience, overcoming obstacles, and the importance of getting back up after a fall.
• Flight School by Lita Judge A determined young penguin wants to fly and, despite the obvious challenges, attends flight school. With persistence and the help of friends, he learns to soar in his own way, teaching students about determination and the importance of supportive friends.
• Your Fantastic Elastic Brain: Stretch It, Shape It by JoAnn Deak This book explains to children how their brain works and grows with effort and practice, making the science behind growth mindset accessible and engaging. Grab some yarn and create a class “brain” exploring all the different ways you practice a skill.
• The Thing Lou Couldn’t Do by Ashley Spires Lou loves adventures, but when her friends want to climb a tree, she hesitates. The book shows her journey of trying, failing, and ultimately learning that it’s okay to take on challenges at her own pace.