Growth and Benefit Mindset

Discover how Waterway Primary School nurtures students to grow, learn from mistakes, and contribute to others through its Growth and Benefit Mindset programmes.

Last updated 13 August 2026

A young boy with glasses speaks into a microphone, with other children and an adult visible behind him.

DISTINCTIVE PROGRAMMES

Growth and Benefit Mindset

Growth Mindset

A Growth Mindset refers to the belief that a person’s abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication and hard work. According to Dr. Carol Dweck – the professor of psychology who coined the term and studied the scientific effects of a Growth Mindset for thirty over years. While someone with a fixed mindset believes in innate strengths, someone with a growth mindset believes that the brain is malleable and hence effort and experience can lead to higher achievement outcomes. Students who believe that they can learn more and can become smarter through hard work and perseverance indeed learn more, learn faster and learn more thoroughly. Such students perceive challenges and mistakes as opportunities to improve their learning and abilities. As such, they have a love for learning and the resilience necessary for great accomplishments.

The school values of Self-discipline and Integrity underpin a Growth Mindset.

The growth mindset is imbued in students through explicit teaching during Orators lessons as well as through integration in subjects across the curriculum.

Growth Mindset Journey at Waterway Primary

Good Morning School (GMS)

Two presenters stand before large projected slides about growth mindset and Michael Jordan quotes on failure.

As teachers and student presenters share about current affairs during morning assemblies, they link their topics to the growth and benefit mindset. These links help our students to see how embracing a growth and benefit mindset is important and relevant to their lives.

P1 Growth Mindset Activity Book

In 2020, a series of growth mindset lessons was rolled out to our Primary 1 students. An activity book was specially designed by our teachers for this purpose. The topics covered include what a growth mindset is, positive self-talk, dealing with challenges and learning from mistakes.

Two young students in uniforms hold school projects: a brain neuron model and a positive self-talk popsicle drawing.

P2 Growth Mindset Lessons during Orators

Teacher stands before students at a projector screen beside a growth mindset language chart showing positive phrases.

Children playing a board game on the floor beside a colorful classroom with vehicle-shaped storage boxes.

P3 to P6 Growth Mindset Lessons

Students gain a better understanding of the themes ‘Everyone can learn’, ‘Mistakes are opportunities for learning’, ‘We love challenges’ and ‘Feedback is a gift’, through lesson packages specially crafted by our teachers. These lesson packages help students to understand the importance of embracing a growth mindset and ways to cultivate a growth mindset.

Three classroom scenes: a girl holding a worksheet, a masked boy giving thumbs up, and students at a lesson with a teacher.

S.H.I.N.E Read & Reflect

Six children's book covers displayed in a grid, including Giraffes Can't Dance, The Dot, and What Do You Do With an Idea.

A young girl in school uniform writes on paper at a yellow desk beside a book titled Snail Trail by Ruth Brown.

To sustain and establish a culture of growth mindset, students read a prescribed book on growth mindset or graciousness every fortnight and answer some questions in their reflection journals. Through this programme, we hope that our students will improve in their language skills and build a habit of introspection.

Benefit Mindset

A Benefit Mindset takes the Growth Mindset one step further. Rather than learning and growing just for the sake of individual gain, a person with a Benefit Mindset believes that by growing to be his best, he can best apply his strengths to benefit the world around him. He aspires to discover his strengths so that he can meaningfully contribute to causes greater than himself. By making meaningful and valuable contributions to the larger community, he feels happy, accomplished and successful. This drives him to further grow himself so that he may better benefit the world. In a nutshell, the Benefit Mindset is a purpose-driven mindset to think beyond self, to think not of just being better than others but how to be better for others.

The school values of Responsibility and Empathy underpin a Benefit Mindset.

Benefit Mindset Journey at Waterway Primary

Groups of school students in uniforms sit together at cafeteria tables with food and drinks during a Recess Buddy Programme.

Two side-by-side photos: students speaking on stage at an event, and a group posing at a Young Coders booth.

Good News Programme

Through Good News programme, we share local stories on benefit mindset with students to inspire them to grow and contribute to benefit others. Each term, a local story is shared with the students during Good Morning School (GMS).

S.H.I.N.E

S.H.I.N.E is the acronym that Waterway Primary School uses to describe the efforts that we take to imbue a Growth Mindset and a Benefit Mindset in our students.

At Waterway Primary School, S.H.I.N.E stands for:

S.H.I.N.E acronym meanings and key messages

Smarter &	Key Message I can train my brain to do it better.
Happier through	I will be my best self to benefit the world.
Introspection	I reflect on my mistakes and think about my purpose.
Navigating obstacles, &	I can’t do it yet, but with effective effort, I will be able to.
Effective effort	I apply hard work and the right strategies to conquer challenges.

The Growth and Benefit Mindsets aim to prepare the students of Waterway Primary School, for work, for life and for the future. The mindsets are integrated into the school’s curriculum so that there is synergy in practice and application. Through the programmes, our students learn to connect the dots between individual well-being and collective betterment. As they strategise to overcome challenges, reflect on their own mistakes, find meaning and purpose in things they learn and do, and think of effective ways to relates to others around them, Waterway Primary students will grow to be lifelong learners and gracious citizens.

Growth Mindset Videos by Our Students and Teachers

Growth and Benefit Mindset e-Book

Students share their thoughts about growth and benefit mindset.
Volume 2 (opens in new tab)
Volume 1 (opens in new tab)