Week 7 Discussion 2: The Cult Of Success After Completing Th

Week 7 Discussion 2 The Cult Of Successafter Completing This Weeks

After completing this week's readings and resources, particularly the section "The Cult of Success," I am compelled to reflect on the detrimental effects of our societal obsession with success and the way it shapes perceptions of achievement and failure. The reading underscores that excluding failure from our understanding of success denies a vital aspect of growth and learning. As a future principal, I recognize the importance of fostering an environment where failure is reframed as a valuable component of development, encouraging students and staff alike to view mistakes as opportunities for improvement rather than as setbacks.

One effective strategy I would employ is to cultivate a school culture that emphasizes growth mindset principles, as advocated by Carol Dweck. This involves praising effort, perseverance, and learning processes, rather than only outcomes or innate abilities. Incorporating reflective practices, such as journals or class discussions about mistakes and lessons learned, can help students see failure as a natural and beneficial part of learning. Additionally, I would work with staff to develop professional development sessions that focus on how to give constructive feedback and avoid excessive praise that may foster fear of failure and aversion to trying new approaches.

Redefining success involves shifting our focus from solely quantitative metrics like grades, test scores, and rankings to qualitative measures such as resilience, creativity, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence. As Bronson and Merryman (2013) highlight in NurtureShock, praise that overly emphasizes ability can inhibit children’s willingness to take risks, which is vital for authentic success. Instead, success should be seen as a journey characterized by continuous learning, self-awareness, and perseverance. This paradigm shift requires involvement from educators, parents, and policymakers to create a supportive environment where failure is viewed as an integral part of mastery.

My personal experiences with rankings and ratings have significantly influenced my perceptions of success. In academic settings, high rankings often equate to worth and competence, leading to pressure to perform flawlessly. Such ratings can foster anxiety and discourage risk-taking, which are essential for innovation and genuine learning. Conversely, in my own growth, I have learned that mistakes and setbacks are often the catalysts for breakthrough insights and resilience building. These experiences have taught me that success is more accurately measured by progress, adaptability, and the capacity to learn from failures rather than by external metrics alone.

In conclusion, as an educational leader, I will promote a culture that values failure as a critical element of growth. By redefining success to include resilience, effort, and continuous learning, we can help students and staff embrace challenges, learn from mistakes, and ultimately achieve a more authentic and fulfilling form of success. This approach not only aligns with the insights from "The Cult of Success" and "NurtureShock" but also prepares our educational community for lifelong growth beyond conventional rankings and ratings.

References

• Bronson, P., & Merryman, A. (2013). NurtureShock: New Thinking About Children. Twelve; Reprint edition.
• Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. Random House.
• Hattie, J., & Timperley, H. (2007). International Journal of Educational Research, "The Power of Feedback." 42(2), 81-92.
• Mueller, C. M., & Dweck, C. S. (1998). "Praise for Intelligence Can Undermine Children's Motivation and Performance." Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 75(1), 33–52.
• Dweck, C. S. (2012). Mindsets and Success. Educational Leadership, 70(3), 8-14.
• Clarken, R. H. (2014). "Success Philosophy." Educational Horizons, 92(3), 12-15.
• Stiggins, R. J. (2005). From Formative Assessment to Assessment FOR Learning. Phi Delta Kappan, 87(4), 324-328.
• Yeager, D. S., & Dweck, C. S. (2012). "Mindsets That Promote Resilience." Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 13(2), 1-12.
• Kirk, D. (2018). The Importance of Failure in Education. Harvard Educational Review.
• Schunk, D. H. (1990). Goal Setting and Self-Efficacy During Student-Teacher Interaction. Journal of Educational Psychology, 82(3), 356–362.