Growth Mindset: Stories About Growth

Being a science major and sometimes one of the very few women in my classes I absolutely hate pointing out gender differences. Like when people say, "Men are just good at math." Like yes, that MUST be the reason why there are only 5 women out of 40 in my calculus III class!  It really does not get anymore close minded than that.  People like that are the reason why there were only 5 women in my calculus class... because we have been told our whole lives, women just are not good at math. But this is not what I am writing about! (I just got side tracked by one of my tangents).

After reading the prompt for this Growth Mindset challenge I started to really think about some of the characters I have read about this semester and what kind of mindsets they had. Women do not play huge roles in most of the Indian Epics but most of them have relatively open minds. Rama told Sita she did not have to follow him but she was willing to try something new and not afraid. Savitri was willing to marry Satyavan even though she knew he would die after a year of marriage. In the story, The Divine Brothers, the youngest wife grabbed at opportunities and brought her family riches.

These women and many more have all practiced a growth mindset the way I see it. Savitri could have easily not married Satyavan when she found out his curse that he had no idea about. She chose to stay with him and grow. In the end she was able to persuade Yama to give him a second chance.
The women in the stories seem to not let bad luck or circumstances get them down but keep fighting on.

(women in the workforce)

Reading Notes: Sacred Tales of India, Part A

The Divine Brothers

• A rich farmer had 7 sons, all of whom were married. 
• Their 7 wives were sitting around one day talking about what their wish would be if they were granted one.

             - The youngest did not talk until called upon to state her's but she was hesitant she finally said
                hers.
          *I could write a story about how since she was patient her wish came true and all the other
            wives were jealous.

• I could write a story about her time spent with the snakes. I would like to do something different though. Not with snakes or if I used snakes they would only have a minor role in my story. 
• I would like to focus more on the 7 wives and how they share jobs and gossip to one another. Maybe the youngest wife is bullied by them or something like that. 

Snatched from Death

(Savitri and Satyavan)

• Savitri is a princess and is able to choose her own husband. She chooses a blind hermit's son, Satyaban. 
• Unknown to him, he is cursed and will die at the end of the first years marriage.
• Savitri knows this and prays to the gods every day to let him live. 
• Yama's messengers went to collect Satyaban when he died but could not bc the chastity of his wife Savitri. 
• I already have one story about Yama I would love to write another one!
• Savitri tricks Yama into giving Satyaban's life back.
• I really feel like I can do something with this story. 
• **In my story I think the messengers will act as the middle men between Yama and Savitri. Neither of them willing to give in.**

By Itu's Favor

• 2 daughters, Isani and Rama, were banished in the forest for eating loafs of bread the wife made. 
• I do not really like this story.
• Their dad basically tricks them into thinking he was attacked but then they still wish wealth for him... so they knew he was alive the whole time?
• After years the girls returned home and, their father was rich due to them wishing this upon him, but he gets mad at them again and says the next guys the pass will be their husbands.
• Isani was married and no longer worshiped the god, Itu Thakur, so every town they passes would go up in flames or an epidemic would break out

                 - People called her a witch 

• Rama continued to worship Itu Thakur on the daily. The towns she passed would flourish along with their crops. Even brought a dead girl back to life with her holy water. 
• **I could write about the fortune of the girls but in modern day** Maybe they won the lottery and one lost her money trying to play the lottery again or she is just flat out unlucky.**
• A lot of banishing going on in this story. 
• Itu has lots of power. 

Bibliography: Scared Tales of India by D.N. Neon. Illustrated by P. Ghose. 1916. 

Reading Notes: Jataka Tales, Part B

I know I said in my Famous Last Words post that I was going to try and read something else besides fairy tales but I could not help myself! I absolutely hate not finishing a book or article or story. I had only completed part A so I have to complete part B now!!

The Wise and Foolish Merchant

(Conestoga Wagon)

• A wise merchant and a stupid young merchant were traveling through the same city and bought a puppy of goods they were going to sell as they traveled the country
• The thrifty merchant did not want to travel together.
• The foolish young merchant decided he would go first
• I could write a story about the demon who tricked the young merchant but not the wise one.      

                   - in my story maybe the demon has dialogue with the merchants or maybe the wise one 

                     convinced the young one to go first because of the demon.

The Elephant Girly- face

• Girly- face is a super kind elephant that overheard some robbers talking about how to show no pity for people they are robbing. Girly-face overheard this and was convinced that is how he was suppose to treat people now
• They sent good people to talk her his stall to convince him to be kind and it worked!
• I think I could make a story up about bullying in school and how when people talk it is so easy to convince a little kid that is how one is suppose to act.

The Banyan Deer

• Deer the color of gold and eyes were like round jewels. 
• This deer reminds me of the one that Sita wanted Rama to catch for her, maybe I could write a story about the deer that Sita wanted!!!!

The Princess and the Water- Sprite

• Story about Prince of the Stars, the Moon Prince and the Sun Prince.

The King's White Elephant

• Kind of  a sad story but the white elephant was always well taken care of. 

The Ox Who Never Envied the Pig

• Ox named Big Red
• Young brother named  Little Red
• Do not be envious of people for what they have because you do not know what will become of them. 

Grannie's Blackie

• I could write a story about the encounter black, the elephant, had with the man trying to pass the river with his wagons. 
• Blackie was a smart elephant and would not leave until the merchant gave him what he promised him. 

The Crab and the Crane

• The story about the crane tricking the fish in a shallow pond to be carried to a big pond to only be eaten by the crane
• The crab did not fall for it though!

Why the Owl is Not King of the Birds

• Apparently owls and crows do not get along which is why the owl is not king but the turtle dove is. 

Bibliography: The Jataka Tales by Ellen C. Babbitt. Illustrated by Ellsworth Young. 1912.

Famous Last Words: Riding the Struggle Bus

This week I am really regretting not doing the extra credit assignments before now. They are fun! Why is that no matter how many times we are told to do something or try something out we just don't.... or is that just me? Literally every day of the week in announcements, our class has been told to try out some of the extra credit and I have not until now! The tech tip, I mean it is so useful and not just for this class but for others as well.

This was the first week I did not write a story. It seems now that the semester is ending my creative side is struggling to keep up. I have been reading the Indian Fairy Tales, which is what I wanted to do since the class began. Now that I have read them though I just cannot seem to think of a story to write. I guess you could say they are not inspiring to me. This week I think I am going to switch it up and read something different. Maybe my creative juices will start to flow.
This week I also quit my job. As a full time student I was definitely being overworked. Staying up until at least 1:00 am in order to work on my online classes to wake up at 6:00 am on the daily to get to work and go to class is not my ideal schedule. So, hopefully, this week I will not be stressed about my time management and will actually get ahead in the class!

So here is my to-do list this week:

• Find a new story to read
• Try to get my readings done by Tuesday morning 
• Start writing my story on Tuesday, hopefully get done by Wednesday morning (the story writing seems to take me a few hours, creativity is not my forte). 
• Edit my Story for the Project
• Get my new story in my Portfolio by Wednesday night. 
• Start commenting on Thursday/Friday
• Extra Credit on Sunday. 

P.S. I am very good at making lists. I should have been doing this the whole semester!

(Making a to-do list)

Growth Mindset: Perfectionism

Wow. Was this an eye opening article to perfectionism. I think most people have at least a hint of perfectionism in them. Maybe some more than others, I will be the first to admit I am a perfectionist most of the time. I am much more aware of my perfectionist attitude now that I am out of high school and got slapped in the face with the real world pretty quickly.
I do not want to blame social media, simply because I enjoy social media outlets, but people get to pick and choose what to post about their lives. This means most things are only happy (guilty as charged) and people only get to see in your one window; that one widow being the perfect window.

Social media is not all bad. I am going to share this Huffington post on my Facebook and encourage my friends to read it. I think the more people we have aware of their perfectionist attitude the more they realize how sad it is to go on carrying this point of view. Once aware, we can grow from it and learn from our mistakes. Maybe what we learn today about growth mindsets will benefit our children the most.

The perfectionist Cycle 

Tech Tip: Canvas Calendar

I officially regret not completing more of the tech tip extra credit assignments. As I scrolled through all the options I thought how helpful some of these tips will be and how too bad I have not learned about them earlier.

This is my only class this semester using canvas and from my understanding all courses will be on canvas starting next semester. The university is going to drag some of the professors kicking and screaming it seems too. Once we finally learn and understand how to use a program it seems like another one comes out and we are forced to learn all over again just in time for another to come out. Funny enough, I remember distinctly feeling this way when Facebook went public. I was so reluctant to join because I had literally just got the hang of Myspace. I finally had to make the switch though and.... turns out Facebook was a ton better than Myspace!

I watched the introduction video for the calendar tool on canvas. I personally have never kept a digitized calendar, even on my iPhone. I prefer to buy an Agenda and write everything down... color coordinated by class. This system has worked for me since middle school and it has not let me down yet. I do have an on campus job, however, and I would not be able to schedule and organize my work life without the outlook calendar. It is a very convenient tool when scheduling meetings and such.
I have enrolled in next semester and those classes have already shown up on my calendar which makes it a little confusing. Of course when the assignments are due are not on there but they are listed under my courses (not by title but by course number too).

I am just a little worried about the professors who are reluctant to switch to canvas. They only make it harder on the student trying to figure out the new system when they do not attempt to learn it as well. This course has been amazing! I do not know what I would have done if not for the extension you have added on to our assignments. I wish some of my professors could complete some of your canvas tech tips. It would make the students live's so much easier if they had a professor willing to learn.

Reading Notes: Jataka Tales, Part A

The Monkey and the Crocodile

(Wild Crocodile) 

• Monkey lived in a tree next to a river full of croccodiles
• The mama croc wanted a monkey's heart, she asked her son to get her one
• The young crocodile thought he would trick the monkey into going to the middle of the lake to an island full of fruit
• The greedy monkey jumped on the tricky crocs back
• The crocodile tried to kill the money  by drowning him
• The monkey said he left his heart on the shore. The crocodile was stupid. 
• The crocodile wanted the heart so he took the monkey back to the bank of the shore
• The monkey of course took off left down the river to live another tree but the crocodile found him and tried to trick him again but it did not work!

How the Turtle Saved His Own Life

• A turtle tricked men who were afraid of him to throw him into the water bc they thought it would kill the turtle. 

I'm thinking about combining a few stories into one. Like a  couple of animals with some good dialogue. 

The Merchant of Seri

(Ancient Gold Bowl)

• Basically a story about greed.
• An old poor lady and her golden bowl and the 2 merchants

The Turtle Who couldn't Stop Talking

• Two geese and a turtle became good friends. 
• The geese wanted to talk him with them so they said as long as you can keep your mouth shut and hold on to this stick you will make it
• The turtle did not and died

These stories are very similar to Giant Crabs and Other Tales. which I just read but it is fun to see the different styles and how some of the gory ones could be turned into nice ones. 

The Ox Who Won the Forfeit

• This is a story about being nice
• The man made a bet but was mean to the ox so the ox did not cooperate until the man said he was sorry

The Sandy Road

• wow. This story was about a desert and how they found/ dug a well.
• I think I like the grim stories better than the happy ones. 

The Quarrel of the Quails

• Tale about the quails that learned to get away from the hunter but quarreled and got caught anyway. 
• Maybe I could make a tale about two children who gets caught stealing candy or something like that. 

The Measure of Rice

• There was a dishonest king
• Maybe I could write a story about the one king who was too kind and this king. They would not get along very well I have a feeling. 
• The valuer on his court was very honest and set the price of things
• Obviously the King wanted to cheat so he found a random person to become his new valuer but he made a laughing stock of himself bc of course he new the value of nothing!
• I hope the king learned his lesson

The Foolish, Timid Rabbit

• There was a rabbit who thought the world was breaking up and stated to run when he heard a loud noise. 
• Rabbits began to follow him then deer then a fox then an elephant
• The lion stopped them and made the original rabbit go back to the tree and see what has happened, that is when they saw a coconut and knew that is what scared him.

Bibliography: Jataka Tales. Ellen C. Babbit. Illustrated by Ellsworth Young. 1912.