SEL printables to share with your students’ families

These growth mindset questions can help students focus on learning from mistakes, developing new strategies, and persevering even when something’s hard. Share them as examples of conversation starters families can use.

• 15 growth mindset questions (opens in a new window) (English)
• 15 growth mindset questions (opens in a new window) (Spanish)

Students who learn and think differently sometimes hyperfocus on mistakes or avoid talking about them. This growth mindset action plan can help them find new ways of approaching challenges. It also reminds kids that mistakes are a normal part of the learning process.

• Growth mindset action plan (opens in a new window) (English)
• Growth mindset action plan (opens in a new window) (Spanish)

This worksheet helps students get from “I can’t” to “I can because _______.” Families can use it to help kids think through the reasons they feel like they can’t do something — and why it’s still important to try.

• Why I can do this (opens in a new window) (English)
• Why I can do this (opens in a new window) (Spanish)

As an educator, you know the importance of positive self-talk. Sharing this activity with families can help grade-schoolers find something else to say instead of “This is too hard” or “I give up.” 

This printable gives examples of phrases that show either a negative, fixed mindset or a positive, growth mindset. Families can help grade-schoolers sort the phrases and choose which ones they want to start using in the future. 

• Try saying something else, for K-5 (opens in a new window) (English)
• Try saying something else, for K-5 (opens in a new window) (Spanish)

A variation of this worksheet for older students encourages them to come up with their own phrases that they could say instead of “I can’t.” Download it here:

• What I can say instead, for grades 6-12 (opens in a new window) (English)
• What I can say instead, for grades 6-12 (opens in a new window) (Spanish)

Whether you’re using the printable for younger kids or the printable for older kids, it may be emotional for families. So you may want to be more explicit in how to model the positive statements. Consider organizing an online forum where families can discuss what statements resonate with them and how to turn negative statements into positive ones.

Recognizing strengths is just as important as working on challenges, especially for kids who learn and think differently.

This fun activity includes examples kids can use in academic and non-academic areas. Share it with families as a way to help kids identify and focus on their strengths. To save paper, you can suggest making the strips out of cereal boxes or toilet paper tubes.

• Strengths chain (opens in a new window) (English)
• Strengths chain (opens in a new window) (Spanish)

Share the Understood article for families in English (opens in a new window) or in Spanish (opens in a new window). It explains how to create a strengths chain.

This printable guides families to create and decorate an accomplishment box to celebrate wins big and small. It includes examples of wins in four key areas: school, home, social skills, and extracurricular activities. Share it with families as a way to increase kids’ motivation at home.

• Accomplishment box (opens in a new window) (English)
• Accomplishment box (opens in a new window) (Spanish)

Trynia Kaufman, MS is the senior manager of editorial research at Understood. She is a former educator and presents nationwide at education conferences.