Mindsets is just a fancy word for you, who you are, what you are, and how you do things. Not everyone knows exactly who they are and some are waiting for what they want to become, but considering your mind is what controls it all, hence the “mind” in mindset. Growth mindset and Fixed mindset are two completely different pathways to determine your success. In Teachers, Parents Often Misuse Growth Mindset Research , Carol Dweck Says (Carol Dweck) Dwecks overall consumption is that having a growth mindset can not just be stated, but needs to be put into definitive steps and put into action.
Having a Fixed mindset can be comfortable and usually people who have it don’t like challenge nor change. Personally I know that I have a growth mindset, and I know that that is a very common thing for students. In my academic years I have grown into only what was naturally bound for me. This meaning that I did not try to change how I perceive certain situations I just went with my gut. I’ve always wanted to do better especially if I was interested in the topic being discussed in class. I love participating and hearing other points of view from students to make the class more alive. It makes me a better listener and gives me the opportunity to gain knowledge, not just by listening to one teacher lecture for an hour or more. On the other hand, having a growth mindset means it needs to be fed, I can’t just sit around waiting for a new outcome in my grade if i’m sitting on the couch watching friends all day eating everything in my sight. I am human so Im not going to lie that that is a common ritual for me, but I do make sure that it happens after I finish everything I need to do. My academics have always been average, nothing extraordinary, but I feel that my knowledge isn't judged by a letter grade or a test. Its based on what I gained and the process learned along the way. Learning the actual concept is different than learning the process, which in my opinion is more important, and that is when the split of growth and fixed comes into play. Something I found interesting was when Alfie Kohn stated in The Perils of "Growth Mindset Education" [...] (Alfie Kohn) “A substantial research literature has shown that the kids typically end up less interested in whatever they were rewarded or praised for doing, because now their goal is just to get the reward or praise” I tend to disagree, I can understand that the praising and rewarding aspect is true, but doing something your good at does not mean it gets boring. In fact, it can become something bigger and better not just the average concept. I’ve had many teachers that don't like input and would rather just talk and talk and talk and let the information soak into our brains, but mine doesn't work like that. I need connections, I need examples and sometimes hands on activities for me to get the most out of what I’m learning. Some teachers enjoy debates and conversations in class, even getting off track in class is sometimes something they strive for and thats not for nothing. It means that students are engaged in the topic and want to let their thoughts and opinions take them wherever it leads them. Sometimes professors don't take me serious because they think I’m young and that I don't have a lot to worry about, so I have all the time in the world to study there one subject. It is my job as a student to have a growth mindset to go around those obstacles and to understand there point of view and prove to professors that I am more than what they think. Having a growth mindset usually comes with understanding that the world doesn't owe you anything and that it will throw punches left and right at you and it is your job to know personally how to deal with them. Teachers commonly think that age has a lot to do with how I retain information and they’re not wrong to think that, but for me, that’s not the case. For example when I was in high school I was part of the schools chorus association for 2 years I auditioned my sophomore year to become a member of the Chamber singers, that was just an older more mature elite group of singers. At the end of the audition my teacher told me I had a potential, but I was not ready to commit. She left me high and dry and I couldn't understand why she even said that. Dweck states In Teachers, Parents Often Misuse Growth Mindset Research , Carol Dweck Says (Carol Dweck) that instead of pushing off your students you should sit down with them and explain what they did wrong and how it can be fixed for next time. If you knew me you would know how offended and outraged I was and how badly I wanted to prove her wrong. I worked hard and studied music for it to become second nature to me and walked back into that room with my head held high ready to audition. I made it into chamber singers and fulfilled my passion to keep singing. I knew that if I put my all into something then there wasn't anything holding me back. In a way, she brought something out in me that I didn’t even know existed. Im guessing that was the whole point, were so much more than what we give each other credit for. My friends often tell me that I am a true weirdo, I think everything is interesting, literally anything, and it sometimes comes off as sarcastic or even that I’m uneducated but, I love learning something new every day even if it doesn't even have to do with academics. I cant just rely on pen and ink to satisfy my empty knowledge on a subject. My mind craves something more than just words, it needs experience.
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This article pointed out that having a positive academic mindset is very important and useful in future academic tasks. The part that hit me the most was when the article discussed the sub sets of an academic mindset and I knew that I was two of the four that were stated. The first one was number two My Ability and Competence Grow with my Effort, that is also known as having a growth mindset. It basically explains that having self confidence to create a mindset to do better will outcome in physically doing better. My experience with that is when my first semester of college came around, I was honestly nervous about a new school and new professors to adapt too, especially in math. My math teacher was an old man who had been teaching for longer than my life tripled so I just sat back and listened to everything he said. I took good notes and when the first test came around I can say I was pretty prepared but unfortunately I received a C and I was pissed. I tried to understand what I did wrong and so I did and I believed in myself to do better and when the course ended I’m proud to say that I ended that class with an A. I knew that with hard work I could receive the grade I wanted let alone the grade I deserved. The second subset I connected with was the fourth one This Work has Value for Me. This speaks to me because when I want something I do not take no for an answer and I do everything I can to make sure I have it, If I want an A in a class then Ill give it my all to do so, especially if I like the material. This certain subset also reminds me of my first semester in college, I was taking a student success class and that was the best choice I ever made. Even though some of the material was basic, it taught me to open my mind and take on personal responsibility for my academic actions and because I was so interested in the course I also ended that course with an A, proving that I really was listening and that I will use the skills and tools that I’ve learned. Students are obviously going to do better in something they are interested in because thats just common sense. If I feel if I am in a class that interests me then I think of the avenues this could take me in my future career, my future isn't set in stone, only god knows where I’ll be in the next 10 years.
In the two articles, both seemed to be moving in the same direction as well as proving the same points. They proved that using good feedback for a job well done is no good, that it sets students and children up for failure. Maybe not to the extent of failure, but definitely to hurt feelings if their work doesn't reach its expectations as it did previously. Rather than students being praised on the final copy, they should be praised on the effort or the dedication they put into it. That makes the student feel like they can push harder and they can crave the effort that gave them the satisfaction of the A, even if the paper or assignment isn't its best, its the effort that counts. There are some downfalls with only praising effort, You can’t always do that because if that is the case then the student might not see any progress in his or her work. Looking at the errors and saying “yes I can see where you are coming from, but if you put a little more effort next time your point would be made much clearer”. People with growth mindsets seek to catch the teachers eye a little more than fixed mindset people. A growth mindset can really impact your life as well as your education, being able to understand that your not always right and that asking questions and having communication is key. People with a growth mindset often do well in school because they seek to know more and to be optimistic in situations that fixed mindset people would be completely opposed too. Fixed mindset people tend to be comfortable in the zone they are in and don't want to know more or less than they already do. Most think they would be judged if they asked a question; more than likely if your thinking that question, at least 2 or more people are thinking the same thing, at least, so there isn't harm in asking. Fixed mindset people also tend to blame others for their mistakes rather than taking responsibility for it and changing their ways. It makes it easier to live without all that weight on you so why not blame others? No, the things you do only reflect you, not your parents not your friends, not your pets…it’s you. Changing a fixed mindset isn't easy because it is a comfortable area to linger in, but it can really harm how you perceive yourself and more importantly the world. Personally, I can say that I have a combination of the two mindsets with my academic history. When I feel the vibe in a classroom that everyone really gets what their doing I usually don't raise my hand to ask a silly question to interrupt the lecture, but my growth mindset looks outside of that factor and makes me think of the options I have to talk to that professor. Also, if I receive a test that wasn't my best I will look at the question and see if my notes weren't strong enough in that certain area. Then, ultimately I will discuss with my professor the strategies I can use in order to do better next time. I have come to the conclusion that I love learning but I am incredibly lazy so sometimes one really weighs out the other. Its a hard knock life am I right?
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Who I am...I am me, and I will only strive to better myself and stand by my morals. I am am old soul with an empathetic heart and a loud mouth. I don't follow a certain path, I live every day with a purpose. I am your average 5'3 Italian with a big heart and even bigger dreams. Archives
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