The beginning of 4th grade was dedicated to goal setting, exploring a growth mindset, and learning how to work together as community within our classroom. Our very first order of action was to establish our “4th Grade Agreements,” a list of classroom expectations created entirely by our students. We discussed what is important within our learning community and for our relationships, and we practiced listening and leading through the Marshmallow Challenge.
Students investigated the difference between having a fixed mindset (I can’t do this. I’ll never be good at basketball!) and a growth mindset (If I practice hard enough, I can get better at this task). We brainstormed ways to improve our mindsets and work to change them over to a growth area, even when what we are doing is difficult or boring. Hopefully, this will help set us all up for a successful year of learning and emotional growth!