Shani Pierce
English100 Professor Sabatino This narrative reflects on my life and how amazing it was to spend time with my family. We were close and it never was a dull moment. I can still imagine evrybody faces as we share laughter. Those times will always be memorable in my life. Thesis: Knowing that I can’t see my Granddaddy or my uncle Willie again, but always remembering the good times that we share. The day it began I never knew would be the end. I was only either eight or nine. Waking up at Granddaddy's and Nana house is the best, especially when it’s a day you're having a big family dinner. You're so excited your hearts starts to race and your feet starts to do a dance. Getting together with my family was like music to my ears. Laughing and reminiscing, and playing games, just having a good time. Oh, how I wish I could still smell my granddaddy Old Spice smell coming out of the bathroom after he put on his after shave. Nana in the bedroom putting on stocking that she knew had a run in it, but I dare not tell her that she might smack my lips. You couldn’t tell her nothing. She was tall dark and chocolate “5 7” thick in thighs, had dark pretty curly hair and legs for days! Nothing like the smell of hot grits cooking on the stove, bacon sizzling in the pan. Flap jacks were shaped like different animal shapes, and fresh glass of squeezed orange juice to wash it all down. My brother Carl was always the first to the table. My little sister Danielle would be last because my Granddaddy made her get dress before she came down stairs. Nana wanted us to eat and get out of her kitchen she was ready to start our family dinner. Breakfast dishes cleaned up and put away and how it’s time for the big dinner festive. Nana sitting in her favorite chair that look across from my handsome Granddaddy. Grandaddy had his favorite chair, and his favorite orange slices that use to sit in a glass jar on his table. I would dust off my Nana nicknacks, and they had to be right. She made me use a dust rag for the nicknacks and the black piano that we were never allowed to play on. Oh, but she made sure that the piano stayed shiny and black. I had to use a dust mop for her floors and she wanted me to do the bathrooms. I didn’t mind because I knew she was making my favorite “ blueberry peach cobbler, and my liver pate. Now, Nana could bake her butt off. She measured all her ingredients so every bite taste like some more.When my nana prepared for our big family dinner, there were always big crab type of pots that she would use to cook. One had sweet potatoes, regular white potatoes, eggs boiling, as well as turkey butts. The aroma from the turkey butts were smelling so good. Nana was standing over the kitchen counter rolling her dough out for her pies. I often ask her how do you make desserts from scratch. Her face would light up with joy.She was so happy to know that one of her grandchildren was interested in cooking. I loved being able to help her cook even if it was only snapping green beans, or peeling potatoes. I could smell those cakes baking in the oven and the pies sitting so pretty and patiently waiting for their turn to go in the oven next. Granddaddy had that aroma from the pot smelling so good. I knew he was making his famous stew beef. Nobody could throw it down in the kitchen like my Granddaddy not even my Nana. My Granddaddy had that southern style cooking. He also had garden with every vegetable you could name. Granddaddy would pick his veggies and line them up from smallest to largest cucumber and tomatoes. He did not play about his garden or his food. You knew when to be in the kitchen, and when not to be.You definitely better not have been in there while he was cooking. My grandparents had these great big mirrors that I loved to sing and dance while looking in them. I had on my regular clothes with my red slippers that had a little wedge heels to them dancing all over the house like I was on Soul Train you couldn’t tell me anything. My brother and sister was looking at me as if to say, “Girl if you don’t go sit down somewhere where do you think your at?” I was that little girl that stayed dancing and singing around the house, but my sibling was not feeling that oh well. Nana still in the kitchen rolling the dough making more pies. I think she made about eight to ten pies, but who’s was counting. The only thing that I kept counting was the time because I knew that this was going to be the best family dinner ever. As dinner was still preparing I decided to go outside a play with my friends until it was time to have our family gathering. Now where grandparents lived at their were two sets of twins that I enjoyed playing with. We always played double dutch, and freeze tag and many other games. I often think about my grandparents house and what it used to look like and wonderings how does look now. Are the steps still the same? Was there still a black screen door that I knew I was not allowed to let slam, or I would get my behind tore up! As I walk back in the house the sweet smell of sweet potato pie, blueberry peach pie, apple pie oh my! I could feel my stomach start to feel up from all the blueberry peach cobbler.Grandaddy in the chair after about an hour in the kitchen. He would sit down back in his chair ,and grab himself another orange slice out of his jar .He often times would share them if we ask, but we knew not to go in his jar without asking. Did I tell you how my Nana could bake some cakes that a make your lips pop. Nan always made my favorite cake strawberry shortcake and nobody was allowed to have any before I do. I actually believe she could make everybody favorite dessert. From the children to the grandchildren we all had own deserts that we liked. Actually my nana made all the grandchildren their own different desserts, and it was funny because we really had our own favorite kind that we like. I could smell blueberries, and apples, cinnamon like it was yesterday. Its about 4:00pm now and I’m so excited my family are soon to arrive. We have the best time ever. I can still picture the outfits we use to wear back then, hairstyles that people nowadays act like it old fashion, but not really understanding the true meaning of fashion. The curls that I wore was either a bang in the front of my head or the back of my head, I was too young to wear curls all over. Our styles in my family were not traditional, we wore what we wanted to wear.Overall we were the “BOMB.COM”! Doorbell rung, sounding like it was sick everytime it rang. Yes, my favorite uncle, my uncle Willie and his family. My uncle Willie could always keep a smile on my face. He was a jokester like me so we always laugh at everything. I would say something funny and he would always say, “ Girl what you talkin bout you crazy”! If I could bring my uncle Willie and My Grandaddy back would be so amazing. As the other family start to gathering in the house my face was lit like and Christmas tree. My heart was so filled with joy that I couldn't calm down I was always on go. I had my cousin Keia, Willie, Bernard etc. We always had a good time together. We didn't really play music, so I always entertain myself as well as others.I often sometimes medal in other grownups conversation because they always would be talking about something interesting. As we all gather around the table to say grace we held hands. The first thing I wanted on my plate was mac and cheese followed by some ham, turkey, potato salad, collard greens, sweet potatoes, black eye peas. You name we had it. We had enough food to start our own soul food company. It’s hard for me to cook now without wanting to make a feast. I grew up on big dinners, so that's all I know and I love it. I can still imagine everyone sitting at the table laughing and talking and eating. Now, not everybody could sit at the table, but we had another table in the kitchen. The porch or the living room is where most of the smaller such as myself would play. When it was time for desserts everybody had either a piece of cake with a side of ice cream or not, and then you had some family members who just wanted pie yum yum! I was so stuff from all of that good eating I knew it was time for a bathroom break. I needed a “DO NOT DISTURB SIGN”, because people will keep knocking to use the bathroom like as if we were at a club and it was a line for the bathroom! My family never had a set time for when they were going home.I didn’t care when they left I was enjoying myself and their presents were full filing to my soul. The love that I have for my family goes deeper than a cut throat. I never get that chance to tell my Granddaddy that I’m sorry for being such a “Miss Flipped Mouth” when I was coming up. He will never get to know how funny my daughter is or tell me that she act like you little “Miss Flippet.! Longing to hear your voice and uncle Willie's voice would bring such tears to my eyes. Having those big family dinners will never be the same. As I stand in the middle of my grandparents living room I suddenly stop hearing laughter, the faces that were in the room were not their, I didn;t hear my grandaddy voice anymore. My uncle Willie wasn’t smiling or looking at me with his beautiful big bright eyes.
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Shani Pierce English 100 Draft 2 04/25/17 Professor Sabatino I experienced a fixed mindset for so long in my life that I didn’t realize the importance of getting and education. Now that I have a growth mindset I no longer look back on my past struggles but instead I’m willing to learn and grow. Fixed mindset was just to prepare me to become the women I am today. Topic Sentences: Going from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset. A growth mindset has changed my life since I have gone back to school. For the first time of my life I’m just learning about fixed mindset and growth mindset. Fixed mindset, people believe their intelligence are fixed traits and growth mindset people believe their basic qualities. Throughout my life I was always at a fixed mindset. When it came to learning and growing in my youth time was not of interest to me until I got older. I didn’t appreciate what was being taught and I didn’t realize the seriousness of getting an education how it can make a strong impact in my life. Many educators are researching the impact of a student’s mindsets and their abilities to learn. Carol Dweck psychology professor researches students’ mindsets to see why certain students stay motivated to learn and why others do not stay motivated. Dweck states: ...too many students are hobbled by the belief that intelligence is a fixed trait. She says kids with what she calls "fixed mindsets" stop trying when when confronted with a challenge because they've convinced themselves that they're not good at math or writing or whatever the subject is. She argues that adults can, instead, help foster a "growth mindset" – the belief that the brain is like a muscle that can grow stronger through hard work. (Hechinger Report) I don’t think that it’s wrong to tell your child they are smart.” I look at that as being a encouragement to keep pushing and work hard. What I do disagree with is your parents don’t see that you're struggling with a subject and they are upset with you when your trying really hard, but you're just not grasping the concepts of what your learning. Thesis: Can we change a fixed mindset to a growth mindset if we work hard? (Derek Sivers) argues “People in a fixed mindset believe you either are or aren’t good at something, based on your inherent nature, because it’s just who you are. People in a growth mindset believe anyone can be good at anything, because your abilities are entirely due to your actions.” Before I became an adult, when I was a teenager I was surrounded by a fixed mindset culture. I knew that I was intelligent I just didn't always show it in my work. I wanted to be cute was part of intelligence at the time. I also thought being the class clown was part of being smart. You had to know how to make people laugh everybody can’t do that, but I was intelligent too. I did at times have a growth mindset. At times I would be interested in a topic that one of my teachers were talking about and the more interested it became the more I wanted to learn about it. Now, granted I didn't like constructive criticism then because I always had the attitude I know everything or if I didn't I’ll just get it from somebody I know who knows the work.When often times I didn’t do good in school I would either get paddled or put on punishment until I pulled my grades up. I didn’t understand the reason behind being put on punishment for not having F on your report cards. (Alfie Kohn) argues, “Unfortunately, even some people who are educators would rather convince students they need to adopt a more positive attitude than address the quality of the curriculum (what the students are being taught) or the pedagogy (how they’re being taught it).” No one never really stop to think was I really understanding the curriculum that was being taught. I was on a fixed mindset at that time because I really didn’t understand what was being taught so I just didn’t do the work. My parents had me tutor at Sylvan Learning Center when I was in highschool I guess they thought that would change my fixed mindset to a growth mindset, but it didn’t. Instead it work my nerves and caused me to have a attitude. It’s not that I didn’t want to learn I just made up in my mind what I wanted to learn. It hurted me in the long run because now I’m struggling more today as a college student and have to work extra harder to achieve. I’m at a part of my life now where as though fixed mindset can’t even be in my vocabulary. I ready for “growth mindset”. I’m eager to learn. I’m striving for greatness. My children are a reflection of me. So, when you see me at the age 37 with a backpack on my back walking through the halls of DCCC that’s a women with a growth mindset. I want to learn how to adapt more with the academic environment. I want growth mindset to be able to define me as a women, mother, as well as a college student. I never knew that learning was so important as much as I do now. I have a lot of friends that are on fixed mindset. Maybe, if they continue to see me grow they will change their mindset. I feel some people are so use to being let down and look at as a failures that they’ve gotten comfortable of the fact they can’t do no better than what their doing, so they stay at that fixed mindset. Again, you can change a fix to a growth if you work hard and stay focus. ( Maria Popova) argues, “Do what you love, and don’t stop until you get what you love.”” Work as hard as you can, imagine immensities.” I obviously love and agree 110% what Maria Popova is saying. The message is clearly stating go for what your passion about and work hard for it. I came into Delaware County with a growth mindset. I am not only here to get a degree, but I truly want to learn. I want to be able to share my life experience with someone that has struggle with the same situation and how they can change that fixed mindset to a growth mindset. Now granted I’m still struggle at times with a fixed mindset and growth mindset in my everyday life. Should I be praised every time I get a A or B on a test a my age probably not, but you will know that I’m proud of myself. When my children get good grades, do I praise them sometimes when I know that they been trying really hard to get an A on a test. I often times my treat them to a toy or something they really like. I’m not sure if that's a good thing or not. I often treat myself sometimes too if I feel like it, just to remind myself how well I’m doing. (Maria Popova) argue,”Why waste time proving over and over how great you are, when you could be getting better? Why hide deficiencies instead of overcoming them? Why look for friends or partners who will just shore up your self-esteem instead of ones who will also challenge you to grow? And why seek out the tried and true, instead of experiences that will stretch you? The passion for stretching yourself and sticking to it, even (or especially) when it’s not going well, is the hallmark of the growth mindset. This is the mindset that allows people to thrive during some of the most challenging times in their lives.” A person can strongly want to grow and learn, but sometimes school can be overwhelming especially when you haven’t been in school for a long time. You have to build that self- esteem back up. You have to strive to want to do better. Sometimes you have to say to yourself I can and I will succeed. If when You sometimes just feel like you can’t start saying you can and you will. There is no such thing as being a failure. Fixed mindset can hold you back from success, but a growth mindset can take you further only if you let it. Work hard and never give up on your hopes and dreams. You're never too old to learn and grow. Source Materials:
The Perils of “Growth Mindset” education: author, Alfie Kohn http://www.salon.com/2015/08/16 Teachers, Parents Often Misuse Growth Mindset author, Carol Dweck /www.usnews.com/news/articles/2015/11/23/ Fixed vs. Growth: The Two Basic Mindset That Shape our Lives author, Maria Popova www.brainpickings.org/2014/01/29 Fixed mindset vs. Growth mindset author, Derek Sivers sivers.org/mindsetsivers.org/mindset I really wanted to something funny for our last blog. I would have been so scared myself it that happen to me LOL!!!!!
This was truely funny to me. What was Kat Williams thinking and what the hell is he on? Yo Beanie was minding his own business paying Kat no mind. Kat Williams was asking for it LOL!! These women are funny. They always have so drama going. They just don,t know how to get along. My girl Sanniyah is on here she is from Chester I am so proud of her. This is really going to be a good season ,but these women have to calm down, I guess they doing it for the money.
MothersRelated Poem Content Details
BY NIKKI GIOVANNI the last time i was home to see my mother we kissed exchanged pleasantries and unpleasantries pulled a warm comforting silence around us and read separate books i remember the first time i consciously saw her we were living in a three room apartment on burns avenue mommy always sat in the dark i don’t know how i knew that but she did that night i stumbled into the kitchen maybe because i’ve always been a night person or perhaps because i had wet the bed she was sitting on a chair the room was bathed in moonlight diffused through those thousands of panes landlords who rented to people with children were prone to put in windows she may have been smoking but maybe not her hair was three-quarters her height which made me a strong believer in the samson myth and very black i’m sure i just hung there by the door i remember thinking: what a beautiful lady she was very deliberately waiting perhaps for my father to come home from his night job or maybe for a dream that had promised to come by “come here” she said “i’ll teach you a poem: i see the moon the moon sees me god bless the moon and god bless me” i taught it to my son who recited it for her just to say we must learn to bear the pleasures as we have borne the pains Nikki Giovanni, “Mothers” from My House. Copyright © 1972 by Nikki Giovanni. Used with the permission of HarperCollins Publishers. Source: The Collected Poems of Nikki Giovanni (2003) back to topRELATED CONTENT Discover this poem's context and related poetry, articles Chef's Table: Francis Mallman. In this blog post I will be write in the blog.
When I first heard about this women my eyes started to tear up. How could a person be so cruel and do something like that while their child was laying in the bed next to her. This world has really lost its mind!!! |
Author Shani PierceI will luse this blog on letting people in on a little about me and my children. Archives
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