Let students know it’s okay to make mistakes, you’ll learn just as much (and sometimes more) than when something works.
SciGirls Seven tip: “Girls gain confidence and trust in their own reasoning when encouraged to think critically.”
Disagreement is a part of the scientific process and teamwork, learning to disagree respectfully is important for students to practice.
Provide feedback on things your students can control, their hard work or their persistent effort, to reinforce that through hard work they can get smarter.
Break the habit of telling kids they’re smart, keep a running list of comments that promote a growth mindset on hand to praise things your students can control.
Resist answering the question, “Is this right?” because it fails to emphasize the importance of scientific investigation and the complexity of results they’ll need to contend with.