Zuyi Cai
ESOL 400
Serena Chu-Mraz
March 3 2014
Give It Your Best Shot
Do you believe that brain can be developed like a muscle? It is about our mind not the size.
In the article “Brainology: Transforming Students’ Motivation to Learn” by Carol S.
Dweck, the author defines that a human has two different mindsets which are growth
mindset and fixed mindset. She demonstrates that fixed mindset students are afraid of
mistakes and run away from setbacks. They believe that people have innate intelligence
and their intelligence can’t grow. She argues that growth mindset students relish challenges
and learn various knowledge. They believe that everyone can develop their intelligence.
The people who have growth mindset would easily achieve goal by their effort. Secondly,
Dweck suggests that parents should praise children’s effort not intelligence which can
encourage them to learn and success to develop their growth mindset.
Fixed mindset and growth mindset affect students’ learning attitude. According to Dweck,
“those with a growth mindset reported that, after a setback in school, they would simply
study more or study differently the next time. But those with fixed mindsets were more
likely to say that they would feel dumb, study less the next time, and seriously consider
cheating”(Dweck 2) Here, Dweck emphasizes that growth mindset students are more likely
to make an effort when they face a setback. On the other hand, fixed mindset student’s
gloomy reactions to setback prevent them from making an effort, and they get frustrated.
Praising children’s effort is more crucial than intelligence, praising them their intelligence
