Jean Badou
ENG 100 Assignment #2 Academic Mindsets Argument Professor; Mr Sabatino Mangini May 07,2017 Fixed and Growth Mindsets Aristotle said, “Education is the best provision for life’s journey.’’ The best I can do to be successful in my life’s journey is to earn a college degree. Going to college will provide me with the means to pursue a career in the medical field. Earning a degree will prepare me and mature me to face the real world. However, before I can become a doctor I must be on the right path. I must have the mindset to overcome any and every obstacle that may want to interfere with my education. Everything that I am doing does matter and all the things I am doing now is preparing me for a better and healthy life. In this essay I’ll talk about how has my academic mindset impacted my abilities as a student to learn. When talking about academic mindsets I will refer to two things, which are the fixed mindset and the growth mindset, how they have impact my abilities to learn. A growth mindset has had a positive impact on my abilities to learn because it helps me learn English, get my Ged and learn about auto mechanics. Many students are born with different talents that enable them to be successful in life but students like me will have to be taught a skill and master it, in order to be successful in it. So therefore, we all are different because we all have different mindset, goals and different purpose in life. Some students think negatively while others think positively. Some student think that there are born with certain amount of intelligence and they can not develop it while other think that they can develop their intelligence by working hard to get what they want. I think those who think that way are in the right direction. I know that when somebody have a fixed mindset, that person think that he or she is born with a limited intelligence and he or she can not do anything about it. At school for example when that person is not doing well, he or she can think that it is how he or she is born, that he or she is dumb and can’t get improvement.On the other side I know that someone who have a growth mindset think that he or she is capable to develop his or her intelligence by working hard. According to the article ( The Perils of “Growth Mindset” Education: Why we’re trying to fix our kids when we should be fixing the system), Alfie Kohn stated that “Kids tend to fare better when they regard intelligence and other abilities not as fixed traits that they either have or lack, but as attributes that can be improved through effort.” and according to another article which is (Teachers,Parents Often Misuse Growth Mindset Research), Carol Dweck stated that “kids with what she calls “fixed mindset” 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” on the other side she say that “adult can, instead, help foster a “growth mindset”- the belief that the brain is like muscle that can grow stronger through hard work.” I like more Dweck argument because she is using the growth mindset. After reading her article, I remember that when I was back in my native country of Benin Republic, I was fascinating about the structures and the functions of cars. At that time, I was very curious. My curiosity was growing everyday. One day, when I woke up, I started thinking about the shape of my Dad car and I went to get the car key. After getting the key, I went to open the car and I started to look at every part of the car from the front to the back and I began to wonder about how all those part(the Radio, the sits, the wheel, the gear etc) have been fix together in the car.The more I watched, the more I became eager and fascinated to work as a mechanic. It was for this reason that, few years ago I decided to go to a trade school, to obtain more knowledge about cars. Once I had decided, I went to my parents to propose my idea to them. Both of them encouraged me to follow my dream of becoming mechanic. After having the conversation with my parents, I inquire about the auto-mechanic program. By doing so, I got in contact with a family friend, who was in charge of the program. We agreed that I will be attending class six days a week. On each day, I had to focus on specific tasks or skills. I had to be at school at 8 o’clock but I had to wake up early in order to make it on time because my school was an hour driving away. On the first week, I learned how to use different types of tools, such as adjustable wrench,combination wrench, double box wrench, rubber wrench, ratchet, socket etc. The following weeks I learn more stuff about and at the end I was able to have a lot knowledge about cars. I reached my goals with my my growth mindsets. My growth mindsets also helps me when I came in America and I had to learn English and get my Ged. Many of my friends were telling me that it’s hard to pass the GED test, especially the English and the Social Study part. When these friends were saying this stuff, I used to said to myself that I’m going to maybe fail this test because first, I don’t understand English, Secondly I don’t know a lot about America History and there is no way I could pass it in French which is the language I speak well. Those though were a barrier for me but I don’t like to be negative about things. At that point the fixed mindset wanted to stop me to do what I can do to succeed and continue my studies but as I’m positive and I like to be positive about things even though I know it will not be easy, I told myself that I am not a failure and even though, I will fail, I will try and do it. Also, people who go and pass the test does not have two heads, so , I will do anything I can to pass this test. After those reflection to myself, I found a school where I can learn, understand,speak and have conversation in English with people.This school was Delaware County Literacy Council ( DCLC). I started on October 2014 where I used to go two days a week. This is the beginning of growth mindset. I started to think about how to do, to understand and learn faster so I can pass my GED which will allow me to start college. I started the class and was getting a lot of homework that will help me with my writing, vocabulary, grammar skills and also to get better in communication. Nothing is easy in this world if you don’t give yourself into it. You have to be determine. By the time I was taking this class, every time in the afternoon or evening, if you see me, I always have a paper or my bag in my hand. It is either I am going to do my homework or I am doing it. I knew I will study a lot to get it and that was what I did. It was not easy but I did it. I couldn’t speak to anybody and that person will understand me in English. After learning English, it is now I started to take my GED Classes at the same place in 2015 and I found another place too which is the Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvania. I was going to both school and at the same time was working full time. That is what we call “determination”. Finally I get my GED in June 2016 and here I am. I think America education System does not help a lot because there are not a lot of challenges between students. For example in my country there are a lot of challenges where students will be working on the board after class just to be able to work harder than others. They have there own teacher who help them understand what they need to understand. I have a growth mindset because I like to learn and I like to know new things, have more experiences. This is what I will tell you. In life, you have to be positive and be ready to embrace new opportunities. You have to persevere to get what you want even though it is hard, try more and more to achieve what you want and here are three questions that I would like you to ask yourself every time you have a doubt about something. Where I am going and how to get there? Can I try first before I say I can’t? Now, I didn’t do good, how can I improve myself to get there? Work cited:
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