Growth Mindset

I have never heard of Carol Dweck or the Growth Mindset before. I agree with the concept. I hate thinking of things as only pass/fail. I feel better about myself if I feel like I have learned something out of an experience than if it came easy to me. A hard earned "B" is worth more to me than an easy "A". 

I have tried to install in my kids the importance of learning something from an experience rather than just getting through it. Before Christmas break my 5th grade daughter entered the 4th and 5th grade spelling bee. As we practiced the words that were being used in the spelling bee, she would often get discouraged when spelling something wrong. I would tell her that just because she got it wrong today, doesn't mean she will never get it. Everything takes practice, and that she just learned a wrong way to spell it and I would tell her the correct way. She was pleasantly surprised when we practiced again and she would get it correct. Each day her confidence grew. She was also very nervous about getting up in front of all of the 4th and 5th grade and the parents. On the day of the spelling bee, she had a good part of the practice list correct. Unfortunately she didn't make it to the second round as she was given a word that she struggled the whole time practicing. I praised her for having the courage to stand up in front of everyone and not giving up. She told me that it was ok that she didn't win because she had 4 of those words from the list on her spelling test and the day before and she spelled them all correctly. 

I am very shy and introverted. I have to force myself to do things that make me uncomfortable. This is my first semester at OU. I transferred from Rose State which is very small in comparison. There have been many times I have considered giving up, just so I didn't have to go to such a big school that intimidated me. However, I have set a goal for myself, and that goal includes me stepping out of my comfort zone. This class is also out of my comfort zone. I don't feel like a do a good job of writing. I don't really like it, and I feel like it takes me a lot longer than the typical person to get it done because I second guess myself. I almost dropped the class when I received the email explaining what the class work consisted of. But I like the subject and decided that this would be a perfect learning experience for me. 

I have always loved this quote and find it quite motivational.

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