Character Sculptures: Guardians of our Growth Mindset

 As the new school year unfolds, one of my main goals is to nurture my students’ cultivation of a growth mindset. In the initial weeks, we delved into the intricacies of the learning process, dissecting the various facets of what it means to journey through “The Learning Pit.”  We explored how plunging into this pit can sometimes evoke frustration, yet emphasize the vital importance of persevering through its unwavering GRIT.

Each student in my 3rd/4th grade class selected a 'goal word', a beacon to guide them through a thoughtful and successful year. Similarly, the 5th/6th grade students created manifestos to articulate their goals, perspectives, motives, and views for a positive school year.

After the completion of these activities we compiled our words and phrases into a list, where we realized they shared a common thread. They were attributes that individuals harness when working through challenges. In partners, the students chose a word/trait from the list. They worked together to create a representation of the trait through the medium of a character sculpture. 

These characters are like forever-friends in our classroom, always here to remind us of the important qualities we need when facing tricky challenges and growing our minds!  Below are some of our characters!

 

CREATIVITY  

                                                                

            CURIOSITY 

TIME

                  

                               

                                                                       FOCUS

OPEN-MINDED