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Monique L Williams
April 26, 2017 English 100 The growth mindset and fixed mindsets impacts the future of students that aim for success. Education is the most important tool towards being successful. As I am american I to have a college degree and at least 6 months of experience to even be considered for my choice career. That’s when education became more than an obligation, it became necessity for me to live the life I wanted. I sometimes envy students with fixed mindsets. They never make decisions because they do not explore options. They aren’t working hard because there isn’t room for improvement. They believe their talent and achievement is already defined. A person who havn’t worked for anything in life is a person with a fixed mindset. The reason behind my knowledge is that I’ve seen it for myself. I worked hard all 4 years of my high school experience. I worked hard for one reason. I wanted to get into a great college to shape my future. It wasn’t because I wanted to further my education, not necessarily. I wasn’t indifferent about it. In my opinion it was just a bonus that would be useful in my success. I've had those moments that i'm completely drained. When i’m completely angry, when i’ve failed after attempting a goal so many times. I've even debated whether going to college was the right choice. I’ve been close to given up multiple times. I never do however. I’ve come to realize that all the work I put into my future will not go to waste. The last four years of getting A’s, never missing class and staying humble. I won’t throw away my future because I’m discouraged. Alfie Kohn stated “when students whose self-worth hinges on their performance face the prospect of failure, it doesn’t help for them to adopt a growth mindset.” Although I understand your opinion Kohn, I disagree, a growth mindset encourages students who are discouraged. In the midst of stressing over the end of classes and trying to stay focus, I found my ambition. Ambition is apart of having a growth mindset. A strong desire to do something. I’m determine to achieve “My” goals set by “myself.” A student with a growth mindset that “ self-worth performance hinges on their performance face the prospect of failure.” My failure isn’t nothing but a lesson learned. I get upset and just when I’m about to give up, I take that failure, rebuild it and frame it with success. When I say this what I mean it does damage in the long run to someone like me. A student who is surrounded by the growth mindset, if the academic system is flawed? Why blame the student? Shouldn’t we work towards better approaches to fix those failure because it puts the blame on the student for failing. Instead of schools for failing the student. I’m not perfect but what I do with the mistakes I make is what shapes me as a student. "Every mistake you make is PROGRESS." (The Hechinger Report.) The thing people often forget about students with growth mindsets is that those students are born out of failure. “ You can’t just declare that you have a growth mindset.”( Dweck.) I agree because students with fixed mindsets can’t simply change who they are. Students are born with fixed mindsets until they're willing to feel discomfort, that's the mindset that will remain. I remember I would sit second row in class. I wouldn’t answer questions or ask questions the out of fear of being judged. I didn’t believe in being successful. My 10th grade year is when I gained knowledge of being successful. My teachers were done following a flawed system and that’s what made the difference for me. My teachers took a stand and if they were willing to fight for my success, I was willing to fight for myself too. I changed my future with the support of my teachers and family. They told me success would make me a person worth billions. Family and Dedication equals success. Student begins to dedicate time and effort replacing what was lost. Students with fixed mindsets doesn’t know lost. Michael G.R stated “By: definition, a challenge is hard and success is not assured, so rather than risk failing and negatively impacting their self-image, they will often avoid challenges and stick to what they know they can do well.” Failure isn’t an option for them because students with fixed mindsets never put themselves in those situations. I agree with G.R. because students with fixed mindsets believe they can learn new things but their intelligence can’t be improved. If their intelligence can’t be improved then they shouldn’t need to work to learn. Students with growth mindsets are constantly working to improve their intelligence. “ Picture your brain forming new connections as you meet the challenge and learn. Keep going.”( Dweck.) Students with fixed mindsets don’t believe those connections can be made overall calling Dweck’s research false accusations. I often think of depression. It’s an ongoing battle within yourself. Although students with depression and growth mindsets are fighting for something different, they’re both determined to come out on the other side. Students with fixed mindsets wouldn’t be able to go through depression. Depression is a challenge between your mind usually caused by failure and tragedy but it’s also the fear of failure but no urge to be productive. Fixed mindsets are fixed on what a student already know. When you already have all the information needed there is no point in wasting time. “ If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it.” that’s where students with growth mindsets make their mistakes. They work so hard to fix their mistakes that they don’t realize their mistake, just to repeat the same mistake.I learn from my mistakes however mistakes always repeat in a different way. People with fixed mindsets see their limits and cautiously don’t go over it. I often push myself past my limits in hopes of success it sometimes lead me to discouragement. "We're finding that many parents endorse a growth mindset, but they still respond to their children's errors, setbacks or failures as though they're damaging and harmful." However I go through discouragement and failure but that only drives me to needing to succeed even more. Students with fixed mindsets are successful because their minds are set already. Noone can change their opinion, a person could give them new information but it wouldn’t change their future. My mind could change depending on the opportunities that present themselves.My judgment is often clouded by ongoing goals and achievements. I’m not looking for one story. “ "Don't give up until you are PROUD" and "Every mistake you make is PROGRESS." By The Hechinger Report. Students with fixed mindsets are already proud of themselves because they mindset is they’re already at their highest. Students with growth mindsets are proud after a goal is achieved however it;s short lived because a it’s only one of many goals these students have set for themselves. Over all my life’s been a series of up and downs. Education played a large part of my life. I myself have a growth mindset being as I believe I can learn from everything in life. It’s nothing that I’ve experienced in life that I haven’t learned from. High school was difficult because I constantly was trying to keep up with my friends however I always fell short. I was an honor student, same as them. It didn’t change the fact that they always were a step ahead of me. I begin setting goals and making my own decisions. I worked twice as hard and I never gave up. Some days I would do good others I would fail. I learned that failures lead to opportunities and new goals. Those new goals turned to hard work and dedication. I worked hard to achieve those goals I set in place for myself. I dedicated myself to being successful in life. “ "Don't give up until you are PROUD.” Is ironic because I do everything for myself. Most people work hard to make their parents proud or anyone else but themselves. I can honestly say that I've worked for myself. I’ve done everything this far to accomplish my own goals for my own reasons. Dweck is right that the growth mindset is beneficial when used properly and it is something that should be taught during kindergarten through secondary school. I walked into the restaurant to see Dominique sitting at a round table that sophisticated in a quiet corner of the restaurant. I notice that she didn’t see me approaching her, as she was flirting with our waiter. I calmly take my seat trying to keep the smirk that attempts to form on my lips but to my dismay I found myself smirking at my sister. Eventually we began to chit-chat about life, our overall goals after we graduate college. Although I’m not sure what I’m going to do I’m able to keep up with conversation. After 20 minutes or so the waitress comes out to deliver our lunch for the day. Dominique must have been hungry because she begins eating without saying grace which I’m no one to judge. After I say my grace silently to not offend Dominique, I start to think about my life. Dominique must have noticed that I zoned out because she asked “ Are you good?” I turn to answer her starting “Yess I’m jus…” I suddenly stop mid-sentence and just stare forward as if something has caught my attention. I clear my mind at the moment because nothing else matters at this time. Dominique looks at me with concern but I don’t give her a response. I simple look forward as if I’m looking for something… or someone. Dominique realize that I’m now focused on my own thoughts so she slowly turns to walk away. As if by instinct I get up, leaving $100 on the table. I walk towards the lake by the restaurant and just stare forward. It’s not something I'm foreign to me. It's not unusual for me to zone out and disappear but it's not everyday someone lost is found. When I look up a second time I notice him.
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