The Impact of Circle Time Intervention on Student’s Self-Regulation, Growth Mindset and Effort at School

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of circle time meetings on the self-regulation and growth mindset skills of fifth grade students. The participants in this study were 55 fifth grade students enrolled in a public elementary school in a suburban Maryland County. This study used a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design, and was conducted during a four consecutive-week period. During the intervention, each morning at the school, participants discussed various self-regulation and growth mindset questions related to the pre- and post-survey. Findings did not indicate that there were statistically significant increases in student self-regulation or growth mindset skills resulting from the intervention, however, students did appear to become more comfortable within a classroom community where they felt able to discuss strategies to promote self-regulation and growth mindset ideas. Students appeared to enjoy learning of their classmates’ experiences and were observed referring back to strategies discussed during circle time meetings at times when they appeared frustrated by learning tasks.