Call to Action Reflection

On Tuesday we got to work with 5th graders from Ravenswood. We spent the day at the Marine Science Institute. Although it was very tiring i actually enjoyed working with 5th graders. Through Call To Action Day I learned that you can have fun while helping others. We were helping the fifth graders but more importantly we were engaging with them which made it more of a friendly environment. Theres always a purpose when volunteering, in this case we were able to connect with them and make a difference in their life whether it was big or small. At fPersonally I enjoyed it and even learned new things about plankton and about kids. First I went in there with a negative mentality because I thought it was going to be more like babysitting but afterwards It was completely different. The fifth graders were funny and interesting to observe and spend time with them. On Tuesday I learned that I like kids more than I thought and I enjoy spending time with them.

Growth Mindset vs. Fixed Mindset

Sarah Jayne Blackmore's Ted Talk and Dan Siegel's presentation I learned the difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset. Having a fixed mindset is having thought like “I’m either good at it or I’m not” and when they get frustrated they give up. Having a growth mindset is wanting to challenge yourself and when you get frustrated you want to persevere. In this case I feel like I have both; a fixed and a growth mindset. For instance, in math I have a fixed because once I get frustrated with the material I gave up. On the other hand, I also have a growth mindset because when someone succeeds I am inspired. I think that Sarah Jayne Blackmore's presentation was better because I felt like she was actually engaging and communicating with the audience. While Dan Siegel seemed like he was just reading and giving information. They both talked about the difference of a fixed mindset and a growth mindset.

During our orientation last Friday we met with the Marine Science Institute and we talked about our engagement with the Ravenswood School fourth graders. I am very excited to be helping kids because they each have their own personality and are still very eager to learn which makes it fun and interesting. One Hallmark that is relevant to this is number four which is us committing ourselves to community service. This specific Hallmark is also relevant to me because I think its important to be able to help others and its also something I value as a person. Community service has always been a big part of my life and how I grew up. Its important to me because its not only helping your community but it also helps you grow as an individual and understand people and makes you see things in different ways.  

Yay – I’m done!