Learning isn’t just about arithmetic and reading, it’s also about emotional learning, and a growth mindset bulletin board is a great way to encourage a positive and welcoming learning environment. Learning can only take place within a mindset that is open to new information.
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What makes a good growth mindset bulletin board?
The best classroom bulletin boards have several things in common – and we promise that none of them have to do with your crafting ability! A good bulletin board:
- Has a clear purpose and is designed to that purpose
- Is age-appropriate
- Is accessible to students
Think of creating bulletin boards not just as a way to decorate your room – though a cheery environment certainly does help the mindsets of teachers and students alike! – but an extension of your teaching. Effective bulletin boards turn empty wall space into additional learning opportunities.
Before you design a growth mindset board, you should first consider what purpose you want it to fulfil. Most boards will be used in one or more of three ways: information-sharing, display or decor, or interactive activities.
Display boards are great for building confidence. Putting student work out shows that you are proud of their growth and learning, and that they should be too. Confidence breeds confidence, which makes students more open to learning.
Information-sharing boards work particularly well for sharing tips, articles, and resources with older students, or even parents.
Interactive boards work well for all ages. Younger students can benefit from the experience of working on an activity or project on their own, in addition to the activity objective.
The number one thing to consider when creating any bulletin board is the needs of your students. This includes age-appropriateness, cultural considerations, and learning goals, among other things. A bulletin board is only as good as its relevance to your students.
Bulletin boards on growth mindset should provide age-appropriate exercises, quotes, affirmations, or activities that help students to expand their worldview, grow more confident in their abilities, and be open to new ideas.
Boards that focus on affirmations or using new words to help shift mindset are popular with students of every age. Asking students to create their own positive statements to counteract common negative thoughts, or similar activities, builds confidence and mastery.
A growth mindset sets students up for successfully confronting challenges, learning from mistakes, and developing a passion for knowledge. Students with a fixed mindset are less open to learning new things, and often view their mistakes as failures. This kind of thinking often results in risk avoidance and fear of learning.
Coming up with new ideas for growth mindset bulletin boards can be a challenge, which is why we’ve created this list of the best bulletin board examples and tips for inspiration.
Growth Mindset Bulletin Board Examples
- Learn Growth Mindset Board From Undercover Classroom
The creator of this board used it as a back to school hallway display, but it could easily be adapted to various ages, and used any time of year.
- Jedi Mindset Board By Mrs. King
This creative board uses Star Wars graphics and themes to give students alternative statements to encourage a learning mindset. Other Star Wars-themed emotional-learning boards can be found on the same page.
- Changes Your Mindset Board From The Collaborative Class
A rainbow-themed board presents examples of ways to combat negative statements. This teacher has also created a clever system to encourage students to ask for help or additional practice when needed by displaying posters with a “level system” they can use to indicate how confident they feel about the material.
- Future World Changers Board By From We Are Teachers
The neon-colored cardstock background of this board shows off pictures of students holding up signs with their future plans and dreams – a terrific activity to build both writing skills and confidence.
- What Does It Mean To Persevere Board From Teaching Superpower
This board gets an A+ for cleverly integrating reading material with messages about not giving up. Statements about perseverance are displayed with the covers of books that exemplify them.
- Famous Failures Board By Laura Randazzo
What better way to demonstrate the value of perseverance and a growth mindset to students than to show them examples of famously successful people, and the mistakes or failures they experienced along the way. Students lift the flaps on stories of “failure” to find the successful person’s photo beneath.
- Give And Take Board By Rachel Rosales
This board both offers a boost to students who are looking for a kind word, and a chance to give back by engaging in random acts of kindness. Mounted envelopes contain positive messages that students can take and reflect upon, as well as an envelope full of “kindness” tasks that they can complete – a great way to illustrate the “give and take” nature of relationships.
- Change Your Words, Change Your Mindset From Math Equals Love
This board cleverly uses colour to differentiate between fixed mindset and alternative growth mindset statements. Fixed statements are printed on grey cardstock with alternative, growth-oriented messages on brightly-colored cards.
- Change Your Mindset Board From Signup
Similar to the board above, this growth mindset bulletin board offers alternative statements to counteract fixed mindset thoughts. The statements are available as a free file for printing on cardstock to create this simple, inspiring, board.
- I Can’t Do That Yeti Board By The Core Coaches
This cute and clever board plays on the word “yeti” to encourage younger students to remember that not being able to do something “yet” just means looking forward to the day when they can.
- Share A Quote Growth Mindset Board From Superhero Teacher
Encouraging students to help other students is the aim of this interactive board, which consists of packets of quotes about six different facets of the growth mindset. When students take a quote for themselves, they are asked to replace it with a quote of their own.
- Affirmation Board From Sea Of Knowledge
This free print-yourself kit includes templates for printing affirmation statements for students. Paired with a bright background, it makes a simple statement about using positive self-talk to grow.
- Change Your Words, Change Your Mindset Board From Carson Dellosa
Students will be intrigued by the brain illustration at the center of this board which compares mixed and growth mindsets. The gray side of the brain is labeled with limiting thoughts, while the rainbow side suggests ways to flip those thoughts to opportunities for growth and learning.
- Show Growth Mindset By Tales From A Very Busy Teacher
This student-created board allows kids to give their own examples of how they showed a growth mindset in the classroom – a great reminder that they are responsible for their own success.
- Growth Mindset Bulletin Board Ideas From Oriental Trading
If you’re stuck for new ideas for creating your own growth mindset bulletin board, check out this video, which offers a number of ideas for creating boards from ready-made materials or print/craft your own.
- Bulletin Board Ideas For Elementary Classrooms From Tales From A Very Busy Teacher
Here’s a slew of creative ideas for growth mindset bulletin boards for the elementary-aged set (though many could be adapted for older kids.) From bitmojis to texting and cacti themes, students will love these relatable messages.
- Garden Of Growth Board From The Butterfly Teacher
This bulletin board and activity focuses on students recognizing their own achievements. Perfect for upper elementary students, the activity incorporates students’ own descriptions of their growth mindset into a flower design.
Whatever age you teach, a growth mindset bulletin board is a wonderful reminder of the ultimate goal of teaching, which is growth. Creating a classroom that reflects a belief in all students’ ability to learn will contribute to their confidence and success.
