From “I Can’t” to “I Can’t Yet”: Helping Students Build a Growth Mindset

At Make The Change, we believe that one of the most powerful lessons students can learn is that their abilities are not fixed. With the right mindset, effort, and strategies, they can continue to grow and improve.

Recently, our team conducted a Growth Mindset Workshop with Ang Mo Kio secondary school students, designed to help them rethink how they approach challenges, mistakes, and learning.

The results were encouraging. Not only did students engage deeply with the activities, but the feedback also showed that many walked away with a clear intention to change their habits and attitudes toward learning.

Creating a Safe Space to Rethink Failure

One of the first ideas we explored during the workshop was the simple but powerful concept of “yet.”

Students were invited to complete the sentence:

“I can’t ______ yet.”

This small shift in language helps students understand that difficulties are not permanent barriers, but simply steps in the learning process.

Throughout the workshop, students explored questions such as:

• Are people born smart, or can they become smarter over time?

• What happens in our brains when we practise?

• How can mistakes help us learn?

By introducing the science of brain plasticity and showing how the brain forms new connections when we practise, students began to see learning in a new way.

Practising Growth Mindset in Real Situations

Rather than only discussing the concept, the workshop focused heavily on real-life application.

Students worked in groups to analyse common school situations, such as:

• Receiving a poor test score

• Not getting into a desired CCA

• Making a mistake during a class presentation

• Feeling discouraged when classmates finish work faster

Through role-play activities like “Flip the Script,” students acted out both fixed mindset reactions and growth mindset responses.

For example:

Fixed mindset response:

“I studied but still failed. I’m just bad at Maths.”

Growth mindset response:

“I didn’t do well this time. I need to try a different study method.”

By replaying the same situations with different thinking patterns, students experienced firsthand how language and mindset can change behaviour and outcomes.

Learning the Power of Feedback

Another key part of the workshop focused on how students can support each other’s growth.

Using a simple framework called the Growth Feedback Formula, students practised giving feedback that is:

• Specific

• Kind

• Actionable

Instead of saying:

“That structure was bad.”

Students learned to say:

“What went well: Your group tried many ideas.

What can improve: The base was not stable.

Suggestion: Try making the bottom wider.”

This approach helps create a classroom culture where feedback is not seen as criticism, but as guidance for improvement.

Turning Mindset Into Action

The workshop concluded with a reflection activity called “Grow My Goal.”

Students identified:

• What they want to improve

• The effort they will put in

• A strategy they will try

• Who can support them

Finally, each student wrote a Growth Pledge, committing to one change they would apply in their daily lives.

For many students, this meant shifting their approach to school challenges such as exams, homework, and difficult subjects.

Strong Student Response

The feedback from students showed that the workshop resonated strongly.

According to the evaluation report:

• The programme received an average rating of 3.95 out of 5.

• 65.41% of students rated the programme 4 or 5 out of 5.

• 85.53% said they would recommend the programme to their friends. 

Some students also shared positive comments about the facilitators, describing them as engaging, kind, and inclusive.

Real Changes Students Plan to Make

Perhaps the most encouraging outcome was how students planned to apply what they learned.

When asked what challenge they would face differently, students mentioned:

• Thinking more positively when facing difficult subjects

• Not giving up easily on Maths problems

• Asking teachers or friends for help

• Practising better study habits

• Managing frustration and self-control

Many students also shared that they would replace a fixed mindset with a growth mindset when facing setbacks. 

Why Growth Mindset Matters

Academic success is not just about intelligence or talent. It is about how students respond to challenges, mistakes, and effort.

By helping students understand that their brains can grow, that feedback is a tool for improvement, and that perseverance matters, we empower them to approach learning with greater confidence and resilience.

At Make The Change, we believe these skills are essential not only for school, but for life.

Because the most important lesson students can learn is this:

They are still growing.

If you are interested to bring this programme to your school, do reach out to us and have a converstion to see how we can support you.