Thing: Post on my blog that defines "mindset types" (definition/classification), uses research summary (informative), reflects through characters or personal story (summary narrative), incorporate a variety of sources within writing (synthesis)
Audience: E12 class
Writer: Me
Purpose: To create a working definition of "mindset types" to reflect about how this concept plays out in my life or those around me. To connect the concept of mindset to self-reflection.
Context: I am writing a blog post for my English 12 class that will help me to understand how my "mindset" influences my decision making process.
Requirements:
Requirements:
- Define Dweck's concepts of growth and fixed mindsets (in text citation)
- Summarize the chapter you read and give one direct quote (in text citation)
- Self-Reflection narrative connecting to mindset concepts
- Connect mindset concept to a famous person, character, film, tv series, or book of your choice (you may use the King of Queens episode from class if you like)
- One image illustrating any aspect of your post
Trails:
In the "Lottery of Life" we may not always choose what happens to us, but we can choose how to react. This is a lesson I remind myself of daily, especially when I want to slip into self pity, or boast about a lucky break. Dweck's concept of growth and fixed mindsets gives an on-it's-face simple approach to reacting to life's situations. Dweck offers two pathways: growth mindset or fixed mindset. She defines each, gives examples and even explores various outcomes each produces.
Dweck's Mindset addresses both what Dweck labels the growth and fixed mindsets. The growth mindset demonstrates someone's capacity to change, grow and adapt through practice, challenges, reflection; while the fixed mindset demonstrates someone's choice to define themselves by successes and failures. In the first chapter Dweck observes this as children attempt to solve difficult puzzles and some are delighted by the challenge while others shut down. I chose the chapter "Parents, Teachers, Coaches: Where Do Mindsets Come From". In this chapter, Dweck explains that the language and beliefs held and used by adults has the power to shape the way young people percieve themselves. Even children as young as four and five demonstrate attitudes that are growth or fixed in response to adult feedback. The environment caretakers establish will influence the way that children, students and athletes perceive the value and power of hard work, practice, dedication, and determination. This environment either encourages change, development, growth or fear, reluctance, and defensiveness. Dweck's message is not that learning new skills should be easy; in fact, she states the opposite, "Lowering standards just leads to poorly educated students who feel entitled to easy work and lavish praise" (Dweck, 193). In this chapter, Dweck's message is not only to adults in the position of parent, guardian, teacher, coach but to children, students, athletes: words have power; be aware of the language and messages you send and receive.
As a mother, an educator and a coach, I reflected on the language I use and the beliefs I hold about my children, my students, my athletes. The messages I convey matter, so then do my beliefs about the potential of people. For a long time, my parents set my goals and told me what I should be. When I decided to become a teacher, they were disappointed, but I perused teaching because I love it and it's a fulfilling career. My parents have grown to accept my choice, but that does not mean it was an easy process for either of us. After living this example, I am careful not to send messages to my children about love connected to my expectations for them. I try to avoid sending the message to my children that, "I'm judging you and I will only love you if you succeed on my terms" (Dweck,190). However, I hope, like my parents I believe in my children; that they have unlimited potential and can become anything. These are concepts I hope to apply in the classroom and in the gym as well. Life is about becoming; it's not about where you start; it's about learning; it's about change; it's about growth; it's about the journey: where and how you finish. Another author who illustrates this same concept through research is Geoffrey Colvin in his article, "What it Takes to be Great". Colvin connects the concept of Gladwell's "10,000 hour rule" to the need for this practice to be deliberate. Colvin also points out that this concept doesn't only apply to the predictable and larger goals like sports and academic success, but to "Anything anyone does at work, from the most basic task to the most exalted, is an improvable skill." (Colvin, 129). This lead me to think about how improving just the little things leads to the overall improvement of the larger ones.
Tammy Taylor in the series Friday Night Lights is a mother,a coach's wife, and a counselor. She constantly takes on students as projects, supports her family, and when others don't believe in them, she does. For example, she empowers Tayra to take control of her life and be the first in her family to go to college; she motivates Epic to come back to school; she believes in her husband when he is faced with an impossible task of building a program from nothing; she supports her daughter, but pushes her to do what is difficult but what is right. Constantly, Ms. Taylor's character believes in the potential of people no matter the circumstance, truly a reflection of the growth mindset. She embodies Dweck's quote, "The great teachers believe in the growth of the intellect and talent, and they are fascinated with the process of learning." (194). Dweck points out the importance of the process and pursuit despite obstacles just as Tammy Taylor pushes her students, daughter and husband to choose work over regret, to overcome obstacles, and to believe in the process of pursuing their goals.
As a mother, an educator and a coach, I reflected on the language I use and the beliefs I hold about my children, my students, my athletes. The messages I convey matter, so then do my beliefs about the potential of people. For a long time, my parents set my goals and told me what I should be. When I decided to become a teacher, they were disappointed, but I perused teaching because I love it and it's a fulfilling career. My parents have grown to accept my choice, but that does not mean it was an easy process for either of us. After living this example, I am careful not to send messages to my children about love connected to my expectations for them. I try to avoid sending the message to my children that, "I'm judging you and I will only love you if you succeed on my terms" (Dweck,190). However, I hope, like my parents I believe in my children; that they have unlimited potential and can become anything. These are concepts I hope to apply in the classroom and in the gym as well. Life is about becoming; it's not about where you start; it's about learning; it's about change; it's about growth; it's about the journey: where and how you finish. Another author who illustrates this same concept through research is Geoffrey Colvin in his article, "What it Takes to be Great". Colvin connects the concept of Gladwell's "10,000 hour rule" to the need for this practice to be deliberate. Colvin also points out that this concept doesn't only apply to the predictable and larger goals like sports and academic success, but to "Anything anyone does at work, from the most basic task to the most exalted, is an improvable skill." (Colvin, 129). This lead me to think about how improving just the little things leads to the overall improvement of the larger ones.
Tammy Taylor in the series Friday Night Lights is a mother,a coach's wife, and a counselor. She constantly takes on students as projects, supports her family, and when others don't believe in them, she does. For example, she empowers Tayra to take control of her life and be the first in her family to go to college; she motivates Epic to come back to school; she believes in her husband when he is faced with an impossible task of building a program from nothing; she supports her daughter, but pushes her to do what is difficult but what is right. Constantly, Ms. Taylor's character believes in the potential of people no matter the circumstance, truly a reflection of the growth mindset. She embodies Dweck's quote, "The great teachers believe in the growth of the intellect and talent, and they are fascinated with the process of learning." (194). Dweck points out the importance of the process and pursuit despite obstacles just as Tammy Taylor pushes her students, daughter and husband to choose work over regret, to overcome obstacles, and to believe in the process of pursuing their goals.
Dweck, Carol S., Ph.D. Mindset The New Psychology of Success. New York: Ballantine, 2008. Print
Friday Night Lights. Google Images. Google. 9.19.2017
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