If at First You Don't Succeed TRY, TRY Again

I think I can, I think can so I did. 

When I started to write this post that saying came to mind. I never thought when I started teaching 12 years ago that I would be teaching students how to persevere or that it is ok to make mistakes. I was taught just like the rest of you I'm sure you just do it, you don't give up till it's done, and practice makes perfect. We not only have to change our mindset but we now have to change our students because they are so quick to quit. I see my soon to be six year old wanting to quit when things get hard and I really have to encourage her to keep going and not to give up. Come on it's a lot easier to just give up right? We can't allow our students to give up anymore! I have compiled lessons, books, hands-on activities, and videos to help teach our students how to believe in themselves and persevere through the hard tasks all year. 

The Little Engine that Could

I like to start this lesson with a word splatter with the following vocabulary from the story and words that help to teach the following lessons perseverance, determination, practice, merrily, steadily, indignantly, and weary. I ask the students if they know any of the words, are there any words they don't know and is there a connection between the words. Then we discuss their meaning and what it looks like in real life.

TIP: As I go over the vocabulary and discuss what it means and looks like I add a real-life picture next to each word.  I try to use real-life pictures instead of clip art so my students can make a connection to it and see what it would look like in the real world. 

Here is a link 

for an online version

 from youtube.

  

Next, I read the story The Little Engine that Could by Watty Piper.  We discuss the problem, solution, how the little train and the toys felt, and what helped the little blue engine get over the mountain. I also ask the question can you relate to any character in the story and why? Did I hear you say you've encountered struggles and obstacles in your life? Then, I discuss how the little train and engine encountered obstacles but because they persevered they made it over the mountain. To represent this in real life I pull out a basket of lemons.

I ask for a volunteer to come to the front. We then as a class brainstorm things that have been difficult or been an obstacle for them. For every obstacle, I hand the child a lemon. By the end, the volunteer will be trying to hold all the lemons with two hands, which will be difficult. I then relate this struggle to perseverance and not giving up like the little blue engine. 


Next, I show this video.

Then, we discuss instead of always thinking you can't what are things you can do, that you are confident in, and are really great at. I place 10-15 different posters around the room and they have to go around and write their name on what that they think they are strong at.  They are given 5 minutes to write names. Poster Topics: talking to people, artist math, reading, writing, working with other people, memory, athletic, persevere, kind, helpful, creative, explain thinking clearly, neat, musical, etc.  

Last, I ask them to go stand by the number one topic that they are so confident in and could teach someone else. We discuss and look around where and what everyone is standing on.  Hmm... I'm wondering if I struggled with something could I go to one of my friends to help me? Next, they sit back down and are given a piece of paper.  They look around the room and now write 3 things they think they are the weakest in. Give 5 minutes. Now have them stand back up walk around and look at their weaknesses and then look at the names on the posters. What friends can you go to seek help and learn from them? How can you use these friends this school year?  How can you use your weaknesses to become a better learner?  Can you use your friends to become a better learner?

I also read the story Thank You, Mr. Falker, by Patricia Polacco to teach never giving up.  I use the Ned Show lesson that goes with this story.  We write about our struggles and talk about our emotions and how those events have impacted our lives and actions when we felt that way. 

Here is a link 

for an online version

 from Storyline Online.

I end the day with a team problem-solving activity. I tape a 6-foot piece of tape on the floor. I ask the team of 4-5 students to stand on the tape. I tape a number to their shirt. The team has to put itself in order without stepping off the line. You could do this with a balance beam if your gym teacher has one. A great way to end your day on perseverance and never giving up. 



Perseverance in Math:
I also like to use this lesson to teach math practice 1: make sense of a problem and persevere in solving them. The Teacher Studio has great ideas to help in teaching this.

Other great sites for ideas on teaching mp1or growth mindset in math are: ThinkMath, PBSLearning Media, YouCubed.

TIP: Remember you don't have to do these lessons in one day. You may want to spread them out through out the first couple weeks and have in your plans a 30-minute block for perseverance lessons. You will also want to pull these stories and lessons back out when you see your students starting to quit and giving up to quickly. 

How do you teach perseverance in your classroom? 

Please leave your teaching ideas in the comment section. Thanks for stopping by!