"This provocative and profoundly hopeful book will not only inspire and engage readers; it will also change our understanding of childhood itself." -Goodreads
PART 2: Grit
“The idea of building grit and building self-control is that you get that through failure,” Randolph told me. “And in most highly academic environments in the United States, no one fails anything.” ― Paul Tough, How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character
What is grit? Webster's Dictionary defines grit as showing courage and resolve- Example: "a gritty pioneer woman". A few synonyms offered up for Grit include: courageous, brave, plucky, mettlesome, stouthearted, valiant, bold,spirited, intrepid, tough, determined, resolute, purposeful, dogged, and tenacious. These are great options, but I am more interested in how Angela Duckworth, an assistant professor in the psychology department at University of Pennsylvania defines it. She defined Grit with the following analogy:
“
Grit is living life like it's a marathon, not a sprint.- Angela Duckworth
Duckworth should know, her research subjects include students, West Point cadets and corporate salespeople, all of whom she continues to study to determine how "grit" is a better indicator of success than factors such as IQ or family income. How did she become focoused on this type of research? Well, she left her consulting job and decided to take a job teaching math to seventh-graders in a New York public school. Over the next few years she quickly realized that IQ wasn't the only thing separating the successful students from those who struggled. This led her into the world of academia, where she continues to study this topic, as she searches for methods that can be used to teach children to be GRITTIER.
If you are interested in the survey Duckworth developed click on over to the survey and find out your grit factor: Click Here
If you are interested in the survey Duckworth developed click on over to the survey and find out your grit factor: Click Here
SIDE NOTE
How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character also led me to seek out other books which were mentioned in the text. I have, of course, added several of them to my list of To Be Read books on Goodreads for further reading during my year of BECOMING. An example of the books mentioned include Learned Optimism by Martin Seligman, a leading scholar on the subject of positive psychology. Check it out if my comments have sparked an interest in this topic.
Click Here to get a feel for what Grit is all about. Also check out my post of Angela's TED talk on GRIT at my sister site The Writing Whisperings: Click Here.
This only an example the type of gems that can be found inside the covers of this book. As I said there is so much information to be discussed and shared I have broken it down into smaller chucks in the hopes that folks will actually read and digest some of these findings. Check back as I continue to update you on my reflections with regard to this amazing book.
"In How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character(public library) – a necessary addition to these fantastic reads on education – Paul Tough, whose writing has appeared in The New Yorker, Slate, Esquire, The New York Times, sets out to investigate the essential building blocks of character through the findings and practical insight of exceptional educators and bleeding-edge researchers. One of his core arguments is based on the work of pioneering psychologist and 2013 MacArthur "genius" grantee Angela Duckworth, who studied under positive psychology godfather Martin Seligman at my alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania, and has done more than anyone for advancing our understanding of how self-control and grit – the relentless work ethic of sustaining your commitments toward a long-term goal – impact success."-BRAIN PICKINGS
How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character also led me to seek out other books which were mentioned in the text. I have, of course, added several of them to my list of To Be Read books on Goodreads for further reading during my year of BECOMING. An example of the books mentioned include Learned Optimism by Martin Seligman, a leading scholar on the subject of positive psychology. Check it out if my comments have sparked an interest in this topic.
Click Here to get a feel for what Grit is all about. Also check out my post of Angela's TED talk on GRIT at my sister site The Writing Whisperings: Click Here.
This only an example the type of gems that can be found inside the covers of this book. As I said there is so much information to be discussed and shared I have broken it down into smaller chucks in the hopes that folks will actually read and digest some of these findings. Check back as I continue to update you on my reflections with regard to this amazing book.
How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character was featured in an article entitled "The 13 Best Psychology and Philosophy Books of 2013" on Brain Pickings. How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character is helping me to demystify what makes one child successful and another not. It has certainly given me clarity on the issue of how or why certain children succeed. I have included an excerpt from the article from Brain Pickings. Read on...and if this is something that makes you go Humm...then click on over to read Brain Pickings full article or better yet pick up the book from your local bookstore or library.
"In How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character(public library) – a necessary addition to these fantastic reads on education – Paul Tough, whose writing has appeared in The New Yorker, Slate, Esquire, The New York Times, sets out to investigate the essential building blocks of character through the findings and practical insight of exceptional educators and bleeding-edge researchers. One of his core arguments is based on the work of pioneering psychologist and 2013 MacArthur "genius" grantee Angela Duckworth, who studied under positive psychology godfather Martin Seligman at my alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania, and has done more than anyone for advancing our understanding of how self-control and grit – the relentless work ethic of sustaining your commitments toward a long-term goal – impact success."-BRAIN PICKINGS
Summary:
Why do some children succeed while others fail?The story we usually tell about childhood and success is the one about intelligence: Success comes to those who score highest on tests, from preschool admissions to SATs.
But in "How Children Succeed," Paul Tough argues for a very different understanding of what makes a successful child. Drawing on groundbreaking research in neuroscience, economics, and psychology, Tough shows that the qualities that matter most have less to do with IQ and more to do with character: skills like grit, curiosity, conscientiousness, and optimism.
"How Children Succeed" introduces us to a new generation of scientists and educators who are radically changing our understanding of how children develop character, how they learn to think, and how they overcome adversity. It tells the personal stories of young people struggling to say on the right side of the line between success and failure. And it argues for a new way of thinking about how best to steer an individual child – or a whole generation of children – toward a successful future.
This provocative and profoundly hopeful book will not only inspire and engage readers; it will also change our understanding of childhood itself. -Goodreads
Food for thought:
“The part of the brain most affected by early stress is the prefrontal cortex, which is critical in self-regulatory activities of all kinds, both emotional and cognitive. As a result, children who grow up in stressful environments generally find it harder to concentrate, harder to sit still, harder to rebound from disappointments, and harder to follow directions. And that has a direct effect on their performance in school.” ― Paul Tough, How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character
Resources:
Six Must See TED Talks from 2013: Click Here
How to Foster Grit in the Classroom: Click Here
How to Foster Grit in the Classroom: Click Here
True Grit: The Best Measure of Success and How to Teach It: Click Here
‘How Children Succeed’ — Q&A with Paul Tough: Click Here
‘How Children Succeed’ — Q&A with Paul Tough: Click Here
One Little Word℠ Introductory Video: Click Here
NPR: MacArthur 'Genius' On Grit, Self Control And Success: Click Here
NPR: Is Having Grit The Key To Success? Click Here
NPR: MacArthur 'Genius' On Grit, Self Control And Success: Click Here
NPR: Is Having Grit The Key To Success? Click Here
Grit Angela Duckworth's TED Talk: Click Here
Happy Reading☮
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