A very long time ago, in a state not so far away (California), I was beginning my teaching career at a very innovative school in Turtle Rock, a community in the city of Irvine. When I assumed my brand-new position, we had training in a relatively new program launched by parents and educators, born of the "Self-Esteem" movement that first blossomed in the late 1980s.
As I learned about the program and how it would be integrated into our teaching, classroom management, and philosophy, which proposed lavish praise of kids and handing out trophies just for "trying hard," I felt myself cringe inwardly. At first, I wasn't sure why.
I mean, isn't cultivating a "positive" self-esteem a good thing? You would think so, but that still, small voice inside of me--you know the one-- that sort of sixth sense or inspired discernment that just "knows" things to be true or not, whether or not you have concrete proof? That's the one. That voice whispered to me: "bad idea." While I couldn't articulate why at the time, I just knew this wasn't the right approach to cultivating the dedication and enthusiastic engagement of young learners.
As time passed, I learned that, lo and behold, that voice was right. Subsequent studies showed that kids did NOT try harder as a result of the program. In fact, it was the opposite: coddled kids became softer, slower, and less likely to persevere. Why? Because there was one very important characteristic that past generations knew about and encouraged that was NOT fostered and learned in the process: GRIT.
Carolyn Adams Miller, an author and speaker on the topic from Bethesda, Maryland, said, "This is not a gritty generation. They become overwhelmed and stressed easily because they have been protected from failure."(1) Like Miller, Psychologists now assert that grit, not a positive self-concept, is the best predictor of future success and overall happiness.
So...what, exactly, is grit? According to the dictionary, it is, in this sense, "courage and resolve; strength of character." (2) It is a passion and perseverance in the pursuit of long term goals. It is what determines whether a West Point cadet survives or who makes the cut for the Olympic team; in other words, it sifts out those who can ultimately reach the finish line of hard goals in life from those who cannot. Miller says that talent can only get you so far. It is really your grit that determines whether or not you make it.
In fact, research has shown that grit is completely unrelated to talent. (3) At times, it is even
inversely related! Those who are not blessed with talent discover they must work twice as hard, and with grit, they develop the skills of discipline and perseverance. Grit is contagious. It is inspiring. It CAN be taught and fostered. In a Washington Post article, Miller proposed some steps to cultivate Grit, and they largely relate to our thinking and how we view and approach challenges:
1. When you face a tough problem, don't tell yourself "this is too hard." Instead, ask, "Why not me?"
2. When things get hard, and you want to quit, mentally change the channel. Focus on a spiritual phrase, mantra, or image that encourages you.
3. Build a team around you. Encourage each other. Be sounding boards. Connect positively as you pursue your long-term goals by achieving smaller goals.
4. Instead of offering empty praise and pity in failure, parents should coax their kids through failure. Point out the lessons and praise the efforts to keep on going through pain and failure.
5. While it is tough for parents to let their kids experience failure, it is actually the most important KEY in developing Grit!
Back in the 1980s, many communities opted to "soften" neighborhood parks so that kids could fall into a pillow of wood chips. This seemed, in many ways, very prudent, but as it turns out, it has made kids "softer" as a result. Creeping grade inflation, allowing kids to retake tests they "bombed," has also been shown to erode the development of grit. Reducing expectations and workload has made it harder to balance activities and time effectively. Alternately, participation in true, competitive sports and auditioning for roles (and experiencing the disappointment of not always getting the role you want) in theater arts has shown to cultivate grit.
This all really seems to put a spotlight on the IB profile attribute of risk-taking this week. We have learned through hard experience here that playing it safe and protecting ourselves from failure doesn't seem to net anything but more anxiety and cowardice. But taking risks, watching, and learning from those who never seem to quit will actually encourage curiosity and lead one to feel truly "alive."
Nancy Wake, an Australian woman who went to fight with the French Resistance against the Nazis during World War Two, once stated that while she was incredibly grateful the war ended as it did and freedom was restored, she never felt more alive and like she was living in her true purpose than during those long, fearful months she spent with troops of thousands of men hiding out in the forests. At a time of great danger, Nancy chose not to listen to the cautionary pleas and warnings of those around her. She learned to fight like the men she ultimately led. It turns out that her being a woman was not a "weakness" after all; in fact, it made her less likely to be seen as a threat by the enemy! Several of her fellow fighters were quoted as saying that having one woman named Nancy Wake was like having "five additional men" in their ranks!
Kids with Grit are finishers. They are the tortoises in the race that keep on
moving towards their own established finish lines. You may trip and fall in life. You may experience heartbreaking defeat and failure. But the kids who ultimately succeed are the ones who take risks and feel alive. They are the ones who get back up after a disappointing blow with a sparkle in their eye, and that sparkle? That's GRIT!
Here is a link to a Ted Talk by Angela Lee Duckworth. Listen carefully to all she has to say: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H14bBuluwB8
Then, click here to take the Grit test, and see how you score: https://angeladuckworth.com/grit-scale/
Finally, comment below on how you scored, what you have learned, and how you are going to apply it to your life.
Don't be afraid to get GRITTY!!
