Are you someone who has either a fixed or growth mindset? Or just doesn't quite know what that is, then don't sweat it, for most, knowing what a growth or fixed mindset is could be complicated. In the story "I Just Wanna Be Average", by Mike Rose, the short story talks about himself how he was once put into the wrong classes (lower classes to be exact) by accident. Instead of doing what others would tend to do if they were in this situation, it would be that they'd tell someone in charge about the mistake and have their classes changed. This wasn't the case. Mike Rose made the decision to stay in the lower classes. As you may be wondering, Mike Rose was someone with in my opinion has a growth mindset, this meaning that he was interested in learning new things, as opposed to some of the students he met in his …show more content…
classes. “Rose has won awards from the National Academy of Education, the National Council of Teachers of English, and the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation.” He was always in for the kill, and willing to participate. Rose briefly explains several decisions his classmates have made, which has resulted to identify them as people with a fixed mindset, this is because they believe that their basic qualities such as their intelligence or talent are simply fixed traits. Rose encountered himself with several students like that, for example “Dave Snyder was in big trouble, for the study of life - versus the living of it-was sticking in his craw. We worked out a code for our multiple-choice exams. He'd poke me in the back: once for the answer under A, twice for B, and so on;”, Dave Snyder was one of the many that had a fixed mindset because he wasn’t quite willing to learn, while there were others not as interested in the material being taught, even school in general. What identifies these kids to have a fixed mindset are things involving cheating on tests, not studying, picking a sport over education, partying etc. Most people with these mindsets have a hard time succeeding as to someone with a growth mindset who has their future planned brightly, they are willing to learn new things, even if it means struggling, but that shouldn't be so hard if you put your time and dedication to it. So, what happens with Mike Rose must be what you are wondering. He ends up being helped by one of his teachers who seen that Rose did remarkably well in his biology class. That’s when this teacher pulls up Rose’s record and sees that he was placed accidently in that class and then is transferred to a higher level program. He then continues to have difficulty adapting to the new pace and workload. This doesn’t stop Rose just there, he ends up finding hope when his potential is discovered by his English teacher. Just like anyone, or anything, you are encountered with different obstacles everyday of life. Some just know how to manage these situations fairly better than others. Just as how Mike Rose talked about Dave Snyder, I used to be like him back in my freshmen year in high school. I was always that person that thought I could copy off someone’s homework, assignments or even tests and pass the class. That’s when I realized that I was doing harm to myself knowing that I could succeed successfully with just trying, I was doing the complete opposite. What many people don’t see or realize is that many times the people you decide to hang out with happen to be the main cause of your failure. Just like their actions, you end up developing these bad habits that cause you to be seen as a bad person. Sure many who identify themselves with a fixed mindset can have several different reasons as to why they don’t fall under the title of a growth mindset but coming from experience I believe the main cause to being a person with a fixed mindset comes mainly from not enough support. When I ended up deciding that I needed to create a new circle of friends and change my lifestyle, I do believe that my mindset changed. As of who I am now, I see myself as someone with a growth mindset due to the fact that I’m always now trying my hardest, and I stay looking at the positive outcome to my success. When I feel like I’m falling behind I end up seeking help to someone I can sincerely count on, and know will be there for me to talk. The main thing to being successful and having a growth mindset is staying positive, and how a growth mindset identifies itself is to be willing to learn new things. Base yourself off good positive people, and you will see that your lifestyle will change, of course you’ll encounter obstacles, but that shouldn’t stop you from trying. Another incident I would say that falls under the category of having a fixed mindset was when I was in 7th grade, and my teacher Ms. Cheung just thought the worst of me. She always thought very low of myself, and could guarantee that I would be staying a year back in Algebra 1. As of that time, that idea stuck in my head, that I wasn't capable of being successful or even capable of passing the class. Since I had this fixed mindset, indeed did I fail the class, and end up taking the course again the following year. All through middle school it stayed stuck with me that I was nobody capable of succeeding, until I entered high school, and my teacher for world history was amazing. Even though she didn't teach math she was always there for me, to support me physically and mentally, and ever since then my mindset developed into a growth mindset, because with her help I saw things differntly and decided to try and learn new things. As of currently, I now believe I am someone with a growth mindset.
I am willing to learn and try new things, even if it includes struggling. As of how I can use my growth mindset in this class can start off with willing to learn new types of outlines or learning to extend my vocabulary and writing. Like many I struggle with putting together an essay, but I’m sure that with the mindset I carry and the knowledge of my professor anything can become possible. The outcome of this can result positively and allow me to most importantly have ownership of my writing. To begin planning for ahead of time, ways I can help to strengthen this habit of mind is to face difficult obstacles. When I have trouble understanding the material I’ll make sure to ask first the professor and afterwards my classmates if I’m still in doubt. When it comes to studying, I’ll make sure that takes up more time, and I do it wisely, and as of now my main focus is to successfully and soon finish college and start my career in nursing. With dedication and motivation anything I have planned as now will be worth it on the long run. So, “Do something today that your future self will thank you
for.”
It was not until I read Carol S. Dweck’s “Brainology” that I realized I had a fixed mindset. I care more about getting a 4.0 than actually understanding what I am being taught and I also hate struggling. These habits are part of having a fixed mindset. It was after reading this article that I discovered I could change my mindset and be successful. Having a fixed mindset means that you believe that you and others only have a certain amount of intelligence. A growth mindset on the other hand, is believing that everyone has the ability to reach a higher level of intelligence through effort and hardwork.
In the novel, Me Talk Pretty One Day, Sedaris has used various literary terms which followed the use of a clear tone. This is clearly depicted with the author’s choice of words, as well as, figurative language. This demonstrates the author’s talent for casually laying out the absurdities of his daily experiences. In the novel, Sedaris has used a depressed tone. He explains how he is depressed by the French instructor. He explains that he is not alone to be belittled, but others also experience a similar attitude from the teacher, during the time they spent in class (Sedaris 13). He explains that the instructor wanted to put everyone down. For instance, he understood only half of what the teacher said, and that the first day that she was in class was very depressing (11). Sedaris also narrates that when the teacher asked that ‘has every one apzkiubjxow, it was very startling because he had not been asked the question for a while and realized that she did not understand the alphabet (11). The author states that the teacher always asked that ‘were you always this palicmkresis (15). It is clear that Sedaris employs nonsense letter arrangements, in order to replace the words that he could not understand (Sedaris 15). Through this, he relates his feelings with what the teacher said and this created pity for him and a mutual understanding (Sedaris 15). This demonstrates a depressed tone.
These students come in with a fixed mindset in what it will be a class about just reading and writing on boring topics and that they will neither understand the readings or develop a well-written paper. Yet, there are those that see it as a way of being introduced to new material and hearing the different point of views from peers and instructor. What can harness the development of a growth mindset in a class? Well for starters we can start Dweck recommends taking careful consideration of the words given to the students (p.4). Dweck also says to not to praise their intelligence but the effort of the student. For instance, by replacing the word “fail” to “learn” it can have two different outcomes. It can be used in a term as if falling short on a goal; it is not that they “fail” but they “learn” from what kept them from reaching that goal. It would also be beneficial for students to reflect on the task on hand and verbally express their own
I had read an essay called, “I Just Wanna Be Average” by Mike Rose. The essay was about Rose revisiting his high school experience. He explains his adventure through school reflecting on his education, learning environment, & behaviors of students/teachers. Also he talks about the motivation or lack thereof in him and his fellow peers reflecting on them just wanting to be average.
Literacy, or the capability to comprehend, translate, utilize, make, process, assess, and speak information connected with fluctuating settings and displayed in differing organizations, assumes an essential part in molding a young's persons trajectory in life. The ability to read speaks to a key factor of scholarly, social, and financial success (Snow, Burns, & Griffin, 1998). These abilities likewise speak to a fundamental segment to having a satisfying life and turning into an effective worker and overall person (Snow, Burns, & Griffin, 1999). Interestingly, recent studies have demonstrated that low reading skills lead to critical hindrances in monetary and social achievement. As stated by the National Center for Education Statistics, adults with lower levels of reading skills and literacy have a lower average salary. Another study evaluated that 17 to 18 percent of adults with "below average" literacy aptitudes earned less than $300 a week, though just 3 to 6 percent of adults with "proficient" reading abilities earned less than $300 a week (Snow, Burns, & Griffin, 1998).
As far as I could remember I was never really any good at school. I couldn’t concentrate on things for no more than 5 minutes at a time I would either get discouraged or find it too easy and just give up. An author by the name of Carol Dweck wrote an article called “Brainology” in it Dweck describes that there are two types of mindsets fixed and growth. Those who are afraid to fail so they never try anything new are ones with a fixed mindset and the growth mindset are those who are not afraid to fail and find a new challenge an opportunity to learn something new. I guess you can say that I had a bit of a fixed mindset growing up I was always too scared to look stupid that I didn’t want to fail because I didn’t want to disappoint my siblings
I remember Ali saying I just want to be average and it struck a chord within me. Years later, reading Mike Rose’s article made me remember what Ali said and how true it was that all of us, living in different times, just wanted to be average. Walking to geometry class during my sophomore year in high school was definitely a pain. Our new mathematics teacher, Mr. Lee tried teaching us the basics of geometry and pushed us to do well. With daily quizzes and exams, I, along with many other students, felt the pressure increase to do well. With each passing day, Ali and I felt ourselves gasping and drowning deeper and deeper into the hole of despair. Looking at the test scores, I was guaranteed to retake the class the next semester with Ali. Even though my school was hailed as a very good school, I felt like it was not very welcoming. Going back home on the bus, I would hear many other students talk about how they got that A or how that other teacher helped them get a better grade. Maybe, it was just the environment but Ali and I felt that we were being cheated on by the education system. We had both failed the Mr. Lee’s class and had to take another semester of Geometry to our horror and mutual
We live in a society where we are surrounded by people telling us that school/education and being educated is the only way to succeed. However, the school system is not up to the standards we want it to uphold. There are three issues we discuss the most which are the government, the student, and the teacher. In John Taylor Gatto 's essay “Against School”, we see the inside perspective of the educational system from the view of a teacher. In “I Just Wanna Be Average”, an essay written by Mike Rose, we hear a student 's experience of being in a vocational class in the lower level class in the educational system when he was supposed to be in the higher class. Both Gatto and Rose give their opinions on how the educational system is falling apart. Today the government is only trying to get students to pass, making it hard for teachers to teach what they want. Students are affected everyday by the school system. They sit there - bored - and do not think that the teachers care, making the
Setting goals for yourself creates an individual growth. In the article, “Why we are looking at the ‘value’ of college all wrong” by Valerie Strauss, Nelson discusses how an independent learner is able to teach themselves and learn from the challenges they tend to face. “The educated graduate is an independent learner…able to direct his or her own learning in accordance with the challenges that life presents in the circumstances of his or her own life.(Strauss 1)” For example, I want to become Registered Nurse; therefore, I write that down as one of my goals. However, I would then have to write everything else in order to become a Registered Nurse. Having a goal set that I want to become a RN, I now have something to strive at and to motivate myself to reach that goal. Therefore, creating goals helps establish what direction I am trying to go in, and also allows me to figure out how to solve a problem. Another example is if I failed a test, I will try to examine the errors within my work; however, I will then create a goal for myself to make sure I do better on test the next time. Finding the errors and creating goals to fix the errors makes me an independent learner. I am taking the charge that I want to do better; therefore, I am going to create a goal to help me succeed. By fixing the errors, I then challenge myself inside and outside the
How did I, a student who could barely receive a passing grade on any essay, become a student who believes that mastery in writing is achievable? The switch in beliefs roots back to my mindset. Specifically having a fixed mindset versus a growth mindset. A person with a fixed mindset believes that their talents and characteristics are carved in stone. There is no point in pushing yourself forward because what they have, is what they got. On the other hand, we have a person with a growth mindset. Those with a growth mindset believe that talents and characteristics are not something they were born with, but rather something that they can work towards. What they have is just a starting point. For several years I
Have you ever thought about yourself if you are in the fixed or a growth mindset? A fixed mindset person is someone who overcomes obstacles, works hard, and failure does not stop them. On the other hand a person who is in the fixed mindset is someone who is non challenge, gives up, or thinks that success is abuse. In a book called “Mindset The New Psychology of Success” the author Carol S. Dweck talks about different ways we can convert ourselves from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset and the author also talks about the qualities of the growth and fixed mindsets. In a movie“Freedom Writers” the author Erin Gruwell shows us how she was a growth minded teacher but her students were in the fixed minded group. Throughout the school year the students had a fixed mindset but as time went by the students somehow their mindsets into the growth mindset. Freedom writers illustrates the fixed mindsets of the teacher and students and a growth minded teacher who changed everything.
"Those with growth mindsets reported that, after a setback in school, they would simply study more or study differently the next time" (Dweck 2) . Students in a growth mindset understand that failures are temporary setbacks. That means they must be an effort in the learning process more vigorously. Dweck shows, " Those with fixed mindsets were more likely to say that they would feel dumb, study less the next time, and seriously consider cheating "(Dweck2). By contrast, students with a fixed mindset believe strongly in innate ability. Those get a failure, they would simply think they are not smart enough ,all their efforts has been wasted. As a result, that creates a desire to give up rather than trying
As Carol said “Students stop working when school become challenging” “negative effect on student’s mindset, harming their motivation to learn.” (Carol 2) It’s very true because I feel like giving up when it gets harder in school. I lose focus and I’ll tell myself I don’t understand and lose interest. Some student who consider themselves to be fixed mindset tend to believe they are not up to task and will mistake. For student with growth mindset, they are willing to learn more and to challenge themselves. Carols states that student with different mindsets have different reactions to setbacks “Growth mindset reported that, after a setback in school, they would simply study more or student differently the next time. Fixed mindset was more likely to say that they would fell dumb, study less the next time, and seriously consider cheating.” (Carol 3) Even with different mindsets, we shouldn’t use stereotype and encourage with the same positive
Over the past semester, I have found the most challenging part of this course to simply be the transition from high school composition classes to college. Because writing expectations are so different in college than in high school, even with AP and Dual Enrollment “college level” classes, I first found myself being overwhelmed with the pressure to write the perfect first draft. The pressure came from knowing how much a final draft of a paper contributed to my grade. This left me sitting in front of my computer for hours at a time with thoughts of what I wanted to say racing through my head, but unable to deliver these thoughts into organized, structured sentences. I learned, through writing my persuasive essay, that instead of trying to write the paper start to finish and already in its perfect form, it is easier for me to look at the paper through its different components and focus on them individually, then work to best organize my ideas fluently.
I do believe that I have experienced both mindsets, but a fixed mindset has been more dominant in my life. I realized that I experienced a growth mindset during my DMV permit test. I actually failed my first try at it because I was told that it was just common sense and I didn’t feel like I needed to study. Then I failed, and it encouraged me to actually read the handbook and study. Surprisingly, I wasn’t upset after failing my first attempt. Instead, it actually made me realize that I should study. I would love to have experienced a growth mindset throughout my life, but unfortunately I know I grew up with a fixed mindset. Growing up I remember my parents telling me how smart I am every time I received good grades, and according to the article written by Carol Dweck, that isn’t the best way