Mindset plays an integral role in determining how an individual copes with life’s challenges. After reading “A Case in Point,” I realized that Mrs. Worrell exhibited a fixed mindset by majoring in the negative (Sousa & Tomlinson, 2018). Although it was the first week of school, Mrs. Worrell saw everything around as negative. She complained that the students came from different language and economic groups. Mrs. Worrell also complained of having many students with no help and a single textbook for every subject. Based on this, Mrs. Worrell wondered how she would get all the students ready to succeed in the test on the day under the same condition (Sousa & Tomlinson, 2018). I realized that there was nothing positive in the case. As shown in the case, Mrs. Worrell majored in the challenges to the extent that she failed to focus on improving the negatives.
After reading “A Better Scenario,” Mrs. Worrell displayed a growth mindset. A growth mindset is an approach to life when individuals believe that their intelligence and talents can be developed further. Although the challenges in the classroom did not change, Mrs. Worrell had a different mindset. She decided to focus on the positive by seeing the students as individuals with different capabilities (Sousa & Tomlinson, 2018). Mrs. Worrell discovered that there were students who learned fast and others who needed more time to learn. She also discovered that there were students who performed well while working with peers and others who preferred working alone. Mrs. Worrell learned that some students had come from comfortable and supportive families while others come from chaotic ones (Sousa & Tomlinson, 2018). Therefore, even though she does not know how she will create a classroom where all students can succeed, she has some strategies that she is determined to follow.
Reference
Sousa, D. A., & Tomlinson, C. A. (2018). Differentiation and the brain: How neuroscience supports the learner-friendly classroom (2nd ed.). Solution Tree Press.