A powerful social-emotional exercise is to self-reflect and/or discuss with others ideas generated from growth mindset questions.
Self-reflection questions for a growth mindset prompt individuals to pause and think about how their actions affect outcomes.
People with a growth mindset believe that their actions can be changed by conscious effort consequently yielding more positive outcomes.
Those with a fixed mindset, on the other hand, believe that change is not possible.
In schools, teachers can do their part to help students build a growth mindset. They can do this by asking questions that encourage a growth mindset.
That’s where growth mindset questions come in.
Here you will find growth mindset questions meant to support students – elementary, middle, and high school – as they move forward in their journeys of self-development.
So incorporate a few of these student self-reflection questions into your instruction this week.
Growth Mindset Questions
Following is a list of growth mindset reflection questions to ask students.
1. What’s my greatest strength? How can I leverage it?
2. Do I have a growth mindset or a fixed mindset? What makes me think this?
3. What are three things that I’m really good at doing?
4. When I am feeling unmotivated, what can I do to keep moving forward?
5. How am I feeling right now and why?
6. What’s a strategy I am implementing currently in order to reach a SMART goal?
7. When is a time that I didn’t succeed at something because I had a fixed mindset?
8. What have I accomplished recently that makes me feel proud?
9. How can I overcome my fears so that I reach my goals?
10. What’s a secret talent I would like to share with the world?
11. Which milestone am I looking forward to achieving this semester?
12. What excites me?
13. How does having a growth mindset help me deal with challenges?
14. What are some examples of being persistent?
15. If I knew that I could never fail, how would my life be different?
16. What did I learn from a recent mistake?
17. How did I change my habits after receiving a poor score on an assessment?
18. When I face a challenge, how do I handle it?
19. Which of my imperfections do I wholeheartedly embrace?
20. What makes me feel hopeful?
21. How can I improve upon one of my weaknesses?
22. What’s the best learning experience I’ve had this school year? What made it valuable?
23. Who can I lean on when I need support? Why?
24. What about my work today brought me the most satisfaction?
25. How should I handle distractions?
26. What brings me the most joy?
27. Which topics am I looking forward to exploring this school year?
28. What is one regret I have about how I treated someone in the past? If I could do things differently, what would I change?
29. How did I handle the last negative feedback I received?
30. What changes can I make in order to improve my work?
31. How can I turn a struggle into a learning experience?
32. What are the pros and cons of receiving feedback from teachers and peers?
33. What makes me disengage from a learning task and why?
34. What limits do I put on myself?
35. When am I afraid to ask for help?
36. Who or what inspires me to be a better person?
37. What progress did I make in school this year?
38. How is a fixed mindset holding me back?
39. Instead of using the phrase, “I can’t”, what language can I use to let my teacher know that I need help?
40. When do I feel smart?
41. What is the biggest obstacle to my success? Why?
42. What’s a win that I had this week? How would I describe it?
43. How do I calm myself when I feel overwhelmed?
44. What am I most curious about and why?
45. What is the best way I can build trust with someone?
46. What does success mean to me?
47. When is the last time I gave my best effort at something?
48. What activities today stretched my thinking?
49. How do my actions show that I am a good or poor listener?
50. What did I learn from a recent disappointment?
51. Why is it important to review my work before submitting it?
52. How does responding to growth mindset questions benefit me?
53. When during the day am I at my best?
54. What is something that I am still learning?
55. When is a time I admitted being wrong? How did the other person respond?
56. Did I approach a recent challenge with a fixed or growth mindset?
57. What is something about my personality that I would like to change? What steps can I take to change it?
58. What do I absolutely love about my personality?
59. How does self-reflection help me to grow?
60. What do I feel is my purpose in life?
61. How can I celebrate the growth of my friends and peers?
62. Which available resources will help me improve my work?
63. How will I accomplish my goals this year?
64. Which class activities are most enjoyable for me?
65. What’s the best way I learn?
66. How does my attitude show the teacher that I am prepared for class?
67. What did I learn today?
Growth Mindset Discussion Questions
The following growth mindset questions are great for generating deep discussions.
68. What are the benefits of journaling?
69. Is it important to be kind to everyone or just to people who we like? Explain.
70. When is it most important to listen to your inner voice and why?
71. Why is it okay to think outside of the box sometimes?
72. What’s the difference between criticism and constructive feedback?
73. How are mistakes learning opportunities?
74. Who in your life has a fixed mindset? How does the person show it?
75. What is the best way to handle obstacles?
76. Why is it important to prioritize your needs?
77. It is said that comparison is the thief of joy. How would you interpret this quote?
78. Do standardized test scores define you as a student? Why or why not?
79. Is feeling jealous a good or a bad thing? Explain.
80. When is change a good thing, and when is it a bad thing?
81. Is mindset just as important, or more important, than natural ability? Why do you think this?
82. Why do people feel the need to judge others unfairly?
83. How would you summarize this growth mindset video?
84. What’s the best way to respond to constructive criticism?
85. When have you been blamed for something unfairly? How did you handle the situation?
86. Have you ever been rejected? What did you learn from the experience?
87. What are the advantages and disadvantages of working in a group?
88. Why are positive reinforcement and praise from parents a good thing?
89. Is it ever justified to become angry? What is the best way to handle it?
90. When is it better to be independent and dependent?
91. Why is it important to learn from other people’s mistakes?
92. What are the benefits of taking risks?
93. How do you organize your thoughts and your routine in order to reach a goal?
94. They say the journey is more important than the destination. What do you think this means?
95. Why do you think some people succeed while others don’t?
96. What’s the best way to communicate your needs?
97. How is the brain like a muscle?
98. Is it ever okay to seek approval from others? Why or why not?
99. Why is it more important to reward actions rather than traits?
100. How would you define “genius”?
101. What are the pros of regularly discussing topics from growth mindset questions?
102. Is it ever okay to give up on something? Why or why not?
Final Thoughts On Growth Mindset Questions
Help students cultivate an optimistic attitude and outlook by asking them growth mindset questions on a regular basis.
Doing so will positively transform how they interact and succeed in school and in life.
You may also be interested in … growth mindset tree activity.