Growth mindset gets taught in the classroom. It comes to life when kids get to practice it. Most schools already teach growth mindset ideas. There are posters about the power of “resilience,” and lessons on how the brain grows like a muscle, and morning meetings where students talk about learning from mistakes. Ask a third grader about the little train that could, a classic growth mindset story, and many can tell you all about it. But knowing about a skill and using it are tw

In the first week of DashStrom Coach Certification, we get to witness a transformation in real time. It's the moment a coach gets what our key phrase, finding your dash means to them. It’s when they can stop focusing on the lesson plan and is able to walk into a room already believing the session is theirs to run. It’s not because they memorized anything or out of repeated practice. Rather, it happens the moment the coach embodies the lesson, and something in how they see th

Hampton Township School District's, "Amazing Dash," part of their "Portrait of a Talbot," during Remake Learning Days 2026 For children, families, schools, and the community at large Ask most people what makes a community strong, and they'll describe something physical: good schools, safe streets, a thriving downtown. But researchers who study why some communities produce healthier, more successful children than others keep arriving at a less tangible answer. It isn't infras

An encouraging, effort-based culture is one of the most powerful, and most measurable, levers a school leader has. If you stopped ten students in the hallway of your school this afternoon and asked them what happens when they get something wrong, what would they tell you? Would they describe a place where mistakes are data; proof that a hard problem is finally being wrestled with? Or would they describe a place where getting something wrong feels like a verdict on who they ar

When we talk about raising confident, resilient children, we often focus on what kids need to do: try harder, stick with challenges, and believe in themselves. But an important insight from Salman Khan, founder of Khan Academy, flips the conversation in an important way. “If we want our children to develop a growth mindset, we as adults must set an example, stepping out of our comfort zones… this won’t be easy—but it’s an incredible opportunity.” — Salman Khan (EdTechReview i

Growth Mindset Training at Work, Summer 2026 "Confidence Camp" Shady Side Academy DASHSTROM PARENT RESOURCES As the 2026–2027 school year gets underway, we are thinking about the usual checklist: school supplies, schedules, new teachers, new sports seasons. But one of the most powerful tools we have for helping our children enjoy, thrive in, and push through the challenges of this year isn't on any supply list. It's the language we use every day, especially in the moments rig

There's a moment every coach lives for. It happens quietly, often mid-class, when a child who walked in with hunched shoulders and a shaky "I don't think I can do this" plants their feet, takes a breath, and says, "Okay. I will try my best." It doesn't always look dramatic. But for anyone who has witnessed it, it is one of the most powerful things a child can do. And one of the most important things a coach can help facilitate.