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
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