I did a growth mindset lesson in my Long-Term English Language Learner Support class last week (see A Look Back: My Best Ever Growth Mindset Lesson) and it went very well.

I thought readers might be interested in a few stories students wrote about when they had demonstrated a growth mindset in the past. They’re reprinted here with permission. You can see examples from my previous classes here and in the post sharing the lesson plan.

I’m adding this post to The Best Resources On Helping Our Students Develop A “Growth Mindset.”

Here are a few examples:

The first time I took care of a little baby I didn’t know how to take care of a baby and the baby kept crying. I asked my mom for help. I called her to ask what will help to calm down the baby. She asked if I changed her or gave her a baby bottle. Once I gave the baby bottle to the baby she went to sleep and didn’t cry no more. I was happy that she wasn’t crying and I felt like a good babysitter.

I didn’t really know English and writing that affected me and feel sad. I didn’t really know what the people was talking about and I mad, too. I start studying and practice in my house with my sisters.

My issue was problems with people. It made me feel upset and not focus on school. What I did was that I ignored the rumors. It made me feel good about myself because since I ignored those issues they stopped bothering me.

I have shown a growth mindset at playing volleyball. When I decide to join the volleyball team in high school I wasn’t as good as the other girls. Actually, I was quite bad. I already felt disappointment in myself already at my middle school – the coach didn’t help me at all. He told me I will never do good and I will never by like the other girls. I was so close to giving up. So I practiced and practiced and got better. The words that he told me almost made me give up and those words also made me want to be on the team more badly. I practiced at home and at Saturday volleyball club and at volleyball conditioning. My coach here actually likes me. When results came in I made the team. I was so happy.

My problem was missing a goal in a soccer game. I missed because I choke while trying to score and felt stupid. The action I took was wanting to give up but I told myself to keep going. What I told myself made me feel brave and never give up trying to score.

I have showed a growth mindset. When I don’t know English to me it was hard to understand what the teacher is saying. My uncle try to teach me English but he give up on second day. But I didn’t give up. I try study myself. If something I don’t know I ask them and they help me. Finally, last year my grade it got better and I kind of understand the teacher too.

I have shown a growth mindset at home. When I first did my mom’s eyebrows I was disappointed in myself. I tried to do my mom’s eyebrows again and it turned out nice. I felt proud of myself.

The problem is I wasn’t saving up enough money for a car when I grow up. How the problem affected me it made me want to work my butt off. I showed a growth mindset when I worked harder and got more money. Showing a growth mindset made me feel good, happy and confident that I can get what I want.