After taking the quizzes in Carol Dweck's book, I discovered that I was a mix between the two mindsets, but leaned towards a growth mindset. Having a growth mindset means that I believe that my intelligence can be developed with persistence and effort (Ricci, 2013). The opposite would be a fixed state of mind, in which we believe that a person is born with the abilities that they will have. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay I’m not surprised I’m leaning more toward a growth mindset. Looking back on my childhood, my parents sent me mixed messages about mindsets. They believed that most children are born with their abilities and that there is very little opportunity for growth, but they also said that with hard work, a person can achieve great things. I remember once when I came home with bad grades in 7th grade, I attributed it to the fact that I was so smart and had reached my potential. My parents didn't approve of my idea, and even though I didn't like it at the time, they continually made me try harder, redo work, and encouraged me to ask for help to the teacher when I was going through a difficult time. Since then, I have demonstrated more of a growth mindset in school and in life by working hard on the things I want to achieve and remaining persistent despite a nagging urge to give up when things get harder than I would like. An example of my growth mindset that I have seen manifest in life is most of my math classes in high school and college. I noticed that each of these professors had different teaching styles, and after adapting to one of their styles, I found it a bit difficult at the start of each new semester to learn from one new teacher. While part of me wanted to blame the math teachers' inconsistent methods, I noticed that even though I struggled at the start of each new semester, I still ended up with a good grade at the end of the semester. . So, rather than blaming teachers for my short-term struggles, I encouraged myself to keep trying, pay close attention to what the teacher is doing and what I'm learning well from, and to do homework, whether I find it easy or difficult. This ties in with the attribution theory of the second week summary. People with a fixed mindset tend to attribute their flaws to internal factors like intelligence, and external factors like a teacher who doesn't have a good style. People with a growth mindset look to behavioral factors and understand that they may need to change to achieve the desired outcome. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Although I believe I have more of a growth mindset, I see that I have remnants of a fixed mindset. I hope that through efforts to maintain and develop a growth mindset, my fixed mindset will not “snap back” as Ricci says (Ricci, Mindsets in the Clasrrom, 2013). I also believe that these readings have been useful both for my personal reflection and for my future as a teacher..