As educators, we understand the importance of teaching our students to persevere through challenges and maintain a positive mindset. In this blog post, we will explore a no-prep activity that encourages students to stay positive and keep trying, even when faced with difficulties. We will also provide discussion questions and related skills to enhance their Social-Emotional Learning journey.

Introduction

When children face difficulties, it can be tempting for them to give up and feel frustrated. However, developing a positive mindset and learning to keep trying even when something is hard can help students overcome obstacles and reach their full potential. By teaching students to think positively and come up with strategies to help them, we can foster a resilient and confident attitude that will serve them well in life.

No-Prep Activity: The Positive Thinking Challenge

This activity requires no preparation or materials and is designed to help students practice positive thinking during challenging situations.

1. Ask students to think of a time when they faced a challenge or a difficult task.
2. Have them write down or share the negative thoughts they had during that situation (e.g., “I can’t do this” or “This is too hard”).
3. Now, ask them to come up with positive statements that they can say to themselves instead, such as “I can keep trying” or “I can do it.”
4. Encourage students to practice saying these positive statements aloud to help them internalize the messages.
5. Finally, have students discuss how using positive thinking can help them stay calm and focused during challenging situations.

Discussion Questions

1. How do you feel when you are faced with a difficult task? What emotions do you experience?
2. Why is it important to keep trying even when something is hard?
3. Can you think of a time when you used positive thinking to help you overcome a challenge? How did it help?
4. What strategies can you use to remind yourself to stay positive when things get tough?
5. How can we support each other in staying positive and keeping an open mind during challenging situations?

Related Skills

Teaching students to stay positive and keep trying when faced with challenges also supports the development of other essential Social-Emotional Learning skills, such as:

• Problem-solving
• Resilience
• Self-awareness
• Emotion regulation
• Growth mindset

Next Steps

Now that you’ve learned some strategies for teaching students to stay positive and keep trying, we encourage you to explore more resources and activities to support their Social-Emotional Learning journey. To access free sample materials, including lessons and activities on a variety of SEL skills, sign up at Everyday Speech.