Chapter 5
As I read this section of the book on business, it only makes sense that people who are open to change, open to constructive criticism, open to teamwork, and view themselves as a part rather than the whole in a company or business will generally be more successful than those that are not.  Everybody in business is in it to make money and  are judged by the amount of money they make and the longevity of the business.  This is how most view success in the business world.  This seems almost in conflict with the growth mindset which is about learning and improvement, regardless of failure or success.  Don't get me wrong; I understand her point as she redundantly gives anecdotes of failed companies and the egotistical leaders of those companies.  But, I see growth mindset as an opportunity to improve oneself and grow through experience and learning which includes failures.  There really is no room for failure in business.  Therefore, it is understandable that fear of failure is the white elephant in the room in regards to the business world.  In the end, people are judged based on the "success" of that business.  On page 124, Dweck states that, "When bosses become controlling and abusive, they put everyone into a fixed mindset.  This means that instead of learning, growing, and moving the company forward, everyone starts worrying about being judged.  It starts withe the bosses' worry about being judged, but it winds up being everybody's fear about being judged."  I started really thinking about this quote in relation to our current situation in the business of running schools.  The APPR is in direct contrast with a growth mindset.  I have taught 26 years (including this one) and was never really fearful of being observed.  Since the Danielson rubric has been put into effect, my concern is less on improving my teaching with the suggestions of an outsider observing a day in the life of Maria Shea.  My focus is now on being judged and rated a particular score that may affect my standing as a competent teacher based on an observation once a year, regents scores, and other criteria which doesn't necessarily fairly assess me and definitely doesn't help me to grow.  My concern is about including in my lesson what the observer wants to see so that observer can check off a checklist.  I know that some teachers literally create a checklist from the rubric for that one lesson. I also know of specific situations where teachers fought for a "4" on their evaluations and may have been a bit bullyish until the score was changed.  Is this practice supportive of improving teaching and an "enterprising spirit"?  Dweck makes it clear that judgement does not move the "company" forward, but rather forces workers into a fixed mindset due to fear.

Chapter 2- Better Late Than Never

If I had a fixed mindset, I would blame the fact that I am late in blogging on all sorts of things (holidays, stress of my mother moving in, bad weather...). However, I think I have more of a growth mindset, so let's be honest- I did not budget my time well for reading the book.  I am now back on track, and hope to be better at my blogging responsibilities henceforward. 

The thing that kept jumping out at me as I was reading Chapter 2 with all of the little stories and examples of fixed versus growth mindsets, was that I think I started off life with more of a fixed mindset.  I used to do well in school without every having to study or complete homework.  I was always proud of my grades, and thought I was a pretty smart cookie.  If I didn't do well in something (let's say science), it was because I wasn't good at it and I had every excuse in the book as to why I wasn't good (teacher is terrible, rocks are boring, I am more of a history person...).  THEN, I got to college.  Boy was it a wake-up call when I got a D in History 101.  HISTORY!  101! The subject that I was "good" at.  It turned out, in college I actually HAD to read the books and study my notes.  Thankfully, I had such a strong passion for history, that I didn't let my more fixed mindset change my major.  I began to think about why I failed (in my mind, a D was failing), and what I needed to do to change it- read the book, learn how to study, ask questions.  I think this was probably a turning point with me in regards to my mindset.  Now, when I don't succeed with something the first time, the only person I blame is myself. 

Chapter 3

"Can anyone do anything? I don't really know.  However, I  think we can now agree that people can do a lot more than first meets the eye." Although I agree with a lot of Dweck puts out there, I think this is the most realistic statement she has made thus far.  I think we are all more capable of doing things than we let on. I am still waiting for her to address how the upbringing of a child plays into the mindset role. As a special education teacher, I feel that many of us have the growth mindset, however, as we continually motivate, support and differentiate, we are still not able to reach all learners.  When we have students entering the high school reading at a 3rd grade level and by the end of the year they have progressed to the 4th grade level, we are excited for that student.  Unfortunately, that student has to take the same Regents exams as their classmates. That growth is not applauded by the state because they are still significantly below grade level. These students obviously want to improve their reading scores and possess the growth mindset.  However, the Low-Effort Syndrome could very likely come into play when test time comes. Even if these students are provided test modifications, they can still feel threatened by the test and may protect their ego by not trying to the best of their ability. 

Chapter 3

One quote that stood out to me in this chapter is about the "low-effort syndrome". It describes how students  put in little effort to "assert their independence from adults, but it is also a way that students with the fixed mindset protect themselves". The author says that the protection part is to keep others from judging them.  I also think that it protects them from themselves. By putting in little effort, later on they are able to blame their failure on their lack of trying/caring rather than it having to do with how "smart" they are, keeping their own views on their intelligence intact. In their point of view, actually trying would create a direct link between the outcome of that attempt and their intelligence. 
  Even in Kindergarten, I see this frequently. Many students would rather not even try than to even risk the chance of failing. It takes an active awareness and effort on the part of teachers to create an atmosphere where trying is rewarded (rather than just focusing on being correct).

Chapter 2

"The idea of trying and still failing- of leaving yourself without excuses- is the worst fear within the fixed mindset."  In particular, this quote stood out to me because I notice this behavior in the classroom.  I think of the student who makes excuses for not doing a homework assignment, or the student who immediately says "I'm going to fail" before even attempting an assessment.  How do we change these mindsets?

Chapter 2

On small section that I found interesting was, " As a New York Times article points out, failure has been transformed from and action (I failed) to an identity (I am a failure)."

Chapter 1

Dweck says, "... as you begin to understand the fixed and growth mindsets, you will see exactly how one thing leads to another-- how a belief that your qualities are carved in stone leads to a host of thoughts and actions, and how a belief that your qualities can be cultivated leads to a host of different thoughts and actions..."    What connections can you make to this?