1. Designing Learning Environments that Cultivate Positive Mindsets
LEARNING MINDSETS SESSION 5
Designing Learning Environments that Cultivate Positive Mindsets

2. “Kids don’t learn when they don’t feel safe or valued.”
KYLE SCHWARTZ, 3rd grade teacher
Kyle Schwartz, 3rd grade teacher at Doull Elementary School in Denver and author of I Wish My Teacher Knew: How One Question Can Change Everything For Our Kids
Source: The New York Times (2016)

3. Objectives:
Identify structures in a learning environment that can support students’ mindsets
Develop a plan for using one targeted change in the learning environment to support student development of learning mindsets 3

4. Review the Three Mindsets:
As you review the key aspects of each of the three learning mindsets, note any students who immediately come to mind as either demonstrating or struggling with these mindsets. 4

5. Three Learning Mindsets
Mindsets For Perseverance
To persist in hard work, students need to learn from setbacks, believe that effort will pay off, and have a sense of belonging and ownership over their own learning. #1
Growth Mindset #2
Sense of Belonging #3
Value for Learning 5
Prepared by Eskolta School Research and Design, Inc.

6. Growth Mindset
“My effort leads to growth”
Students believe that intelligence is malleable, and their brain can grow
Students think that practice and effort can help them get better
Students believe that mistakes are normal and a valuable part of learning 6

7. Belonging Mindset Students have trusting relationships
“I belong here”
Students have trusting relationships
Students feel respected in their school community
Students feel that their unique voice matters in the school
Student’s sense of identity includes being a learner in this school community
Students do not wonder whether they belong in school (i.e. absence of belonging uncertainty or stereotype threat) 7

8. Value Mindset
“This work has value to me”
Students have intrinsic interest in what they are learning
Students see the real-world utility of what they’re learning
Students see purposeful, personal connections to what they are learning
Students feel a sense of autonomy, choice, and ownership over their learning 8

9. Reflect on Students’ Needs:
As you listen to the example, think about the ways that your school in general, and you personally, create materials and a classroom environment that provide opportunities for students to develop positive mindsets. 9

10. Identify a Mindset Focus:
Thinking about your own students, individually complete Steps A and B of the Learning Environment Planner and select one learning mindset to focus on. 10

11. Explore Starter Kits:
Form three groups—one for each of the mindsets. In your group:
Review the catalog of starter kit options in the Learning Mindsets Starter Kits.
Choose one to explore together as a group.
How might you use this or something like it at your school?
What adaptations might you make?
What other ideas does this give you for ways to cultivate this mindset? 11

12. Individually Plan:
Take the ideas that arose from working with your mindset group.
Work further on adapting ideas from this Starter Kit for your own context or pick a different one and complete Step D of the Learning Environments Planner. 12

13. Share in Pairs: With a partner, share implementation plans.
Ask questions and share any additional ideas. 13

14. Learning Wrap-Up Reflect on what you learned today.
How do your takeaways compare to the session’s Learning Objectives? How were these objectives addressed today?
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Identify structures in a learning environment that can support students’ learning mindsets
Develop a plan for using one targeted change in the learning environment to support student development of learning mindsets 14

15. What’s next?
Learn more about strategies that promote academic mindsets
Understand the mindsets students need to be academically successful
Understand the impact of learning mindsets on students’ experiences in school
Learn more about how to create a classroom culture that builds on students’ strengths 15