Grade 3 teacher Leslie Streeter illustrated the power of positivity to her students with a highly engaging experiment. First she “read their minds” by asking questions, telling them to “think” the answer. She then wrote down what she thought their answers were. Students were astonished to see that Mrs. Streeter had gotten 4/4 correct!
Then the real fun began. Each student got a washer hanging from a string. They were instructed to use their minds to move the washer—thinking directions like “side to side,” “back and forth,” and “circles." The students were absolutely amazed when the washers started moving in the way they had instructed them to with their thinking, says Mrs. Streeter. Conversely, when the students experimented with thinking “this is dumb,” the washers stopped moving, illustrating how negative thinking will often produce a negative outcome.
This is an important part of learning, says Mrs. Streeter. “This is a social-emotional lesson that demonstrates the power of positive thinking. The students can see that practicing a positive mindset is crucial in helping them handle their mistakes and ultimately be successful.”
What a great way to start off the year!
