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OAESA CLOSING KEYNOTE 4:00 PM-5:00 PM
June 11, 2015
1-603-924-1140
Tips and Tactics for Addressing Pitfalls & Concerns
JIM GrantJIM Grant
Answering The Grit Critics:
Big Goal This session will
inform you of the issues surrounding the grit initiative and help you think
through thoughtful responses to address the concerns.
A.A.
Q. Some critics of character traits and specifically performance grit traits question whether or not grit can actually be taught. Do you think children can be taught to be “gritty?”
A. Yes! I believe grit can be taught in different ways, but not solely in the literal sense of the traditional “transmission model.” A more pragmatic view of learning to be “gritty” would be acquiring grit by having traits taught, developed, fostered, strengthened, guided, nurtured, etc.
Recurring Theme
B.B.
Where Did You Get Your Grit?Genetics Parents Home environment Church community Generational cohort Teachers!!! Culture Friends Neighborhood Neighbors Mentors Sports Scouts Jobs
Taught
Taught
Taught Taught
Taught Taught Taught
Immersion
Immersion Immersion
Luck of the draw
Association
Taught
#1
Association
C.C.
___ the latest education fad to create compliant children.
___ a tool of wealthy philanthropists. ___ a right-wing capitalist conspiracy. ___ an economic model. ___ designed to separate social classes. ___ a state/federal government initiative. ___ a tool of racism. ___ a way to address poverty by blaming the victim. ___ a replacement for mental health services. ___ a way to compare and classify children.
Grit is not…Understanding What Grit is Not
1.1.
Understanding The Nuances of Grit
2.2.
1. Some researchers have raised the concern that some people may adopt the
view that children are “broken” and we need to fix them by making them “gritty.”
This is not a “broken kid” model!
Thoughts About “Gritty” Kids
1. not all students express being “gritty” in the same way.
2. students are not “gritty” in all areas. 3. students aren’t “gritty” all the time. 4. a student’s grittiness is dependent on multiple factors and circumstances.
Keep in mind
Developing “Gritty” Children Conditions to Consider
1. will depend on the child’s emotional readiness. 2. will depend on the child’s chronological
age and grade level.
2A. (supports slide 2 #4).
3. must take into consideration the child’s developmental level.
4. must start with the child’s capacity to handle setbacks, disappointments, and obstacles.
Strategies selected to help develop and/or strengthen a child’s grit:
Note: It is important to monitor the child’s reaction to struggles and “good failures.”
Understanding The Nuances of Grit
3.
2. Take time to differentiate between and among the different categories of traits including 1. traditional character traits (soft).
2. performance grit
traits (hardy).* 3.
“pseudo grit” traits (not true grit).
* True grit.
Adapted from: Dr. Thomas Lickona Adapted from: Dr. Thomas Lickona Character Education Network and the Character Education Partnership Character Education Network and the Character Education Partnership
__ honesty. __ integrity. __ citizenship. __ responsibility. __ perseverance. __ caring/kindness.
__ courage. __ fairness. __ respect. __ patriotism. __ empathy. __ self-discipline.
charactered.net/main/traits.asp
These traits transcend ALL people and ages!
Traditional Character TraitsTraditional character traits usually center around moral and community values. These traits include, but are not limited to
3A. (supports slide 3 #1).
___ self-control (willpower). ___ persistence. ___ tenacity. ___ resilience. ___ hard work. ___ delayed gratification. ___ perseverance. ___ open-mindedness. ___ optimism. ___ conscientiousness. ___ social intelligence. ___ courage.
Grit qualities may include, but are not limited to
Grit Traits
Grit traits are internal resources that help us
navigate life’s landscape.
3B. (supports slide 3 #2).
“Pseudo” Grit
___ be overly concerned about what people think. ___ be more of a “show horse,” vs. a work horse. ___ have a boastful side. ___ have false courage. ___ make excuses. ___ have surface enthusiasm and passion. ___ be all talk with little action. ___ be scarce during challenging times. ___ have an inflated view of themselves. ___ substitute “motion for action.” ___ be quick to point out “…how the strong man stumbles…” Google… Not The Critic by President Teddy Roosevelt. See appendix A.
Persons exhibiting “pseudo” grit may
3C. (supports slide 3 #3).
Kids With The Wrong Kind of “Grit”
___ be overly concerned about what the other kids think. ___ be overly concerned about always being right and is NEVER wrong! ___ be a know-it-all. ___ come across as a bully. ___ have an arrogant side and be a bit boastful. ___ exhibit false courage. ___ be quick to make excuses for any short- comings or personal failings. ___ have surface enthusiasm and false passion. ___ tend to be all talk with little action. ___ have an inflated view of themselves. ___ be quick to point out the failures of other kids. ___ be bossy, pushy, and/or overbearing.
Children with “pseudo” grit may
3D. (supports slide 3 #3).
Not True Grit! “Pseudo” grit will not help you become a better person nor will it
help you improve academically!
Understanding Negative Grit Some kids exhibit toughness that
isn’t true grit!
Arrogance is a form of bullying!
Overlay supports slide 3C.
Overlays support slide 3D.
Understanding The Nuances of Grit
4.4.
4. Be a realist! Know when it’s time to leave the “battlefield.” When faced with impossible odds,
it is prudent to quit or disengage from something. Become familiar with The John Henry Effect. 5. Do not allow grit to be used as a money-saving
substitute for services for special need students, English language learners, and children from poverty.
3. Strive to keep the power of grit in perspective! Be careful not to overstate what grit can do.
Know grit’s limitations.
Limitations of Grit
2. compensate for incompetence.
3. overcome insurmountable hurdles.
Grit will NOT
6. cure someone with a “terminally” fixed-mindset.
8. rescue someone who has had a “grit by-pass.”
4. assure one of meeting unattainable goals.
5. help someone meet an unrealistic timeline.
7. overcome unrealistic optimism.
1. replace services for those in poverty.
This slide supports slide 4 #3. 4A. (supports slide 4 #3).4A. (supports slide 4 #3).
All the grit in the world won’t help overcome unattainable goals.
1st Law of Leadership Leadership depends on a
knowledge of reality!
Understanding the Limitations of Grit
Overlays support slide 4A.
Overlays support slide 4A #4.
If You’re Riding a Horse and It Dies, Get Off! Knowing when to quit is considered a
strength and a sign of intelligence. Continuing to stay with a task under the banner of grit when there is no hope for success defies common sense. It is not uncommon for some tasks and/or circumstances to be so difficult and overwhelming they are impossible to overcome no matter how gritty you are.
Knowing when to cut your losses is a sign of being “gritty.” It’s time to
move on!
4B. (supports slide 4 #4).
Taking perseverance to a radical extreme makes it difficult to disengage from something that
makes no sense to continue doing.
Reachable Goal “Striving is good for you only when success is possible.”
Joshua Rothman
“John Henryism” starts when you’re responding to stresses beyond your control by working extra hard;
despite your hard work, the stresses keep you from succeeding, pushing you ever harder.
Adapted from: John Rothman
THE COST OF WINNING The mighty railroad worker, John Henry took on a new steam-powered hammer in a contest.
He won, but the effort killed him!
4C. (supports slides 4 #4 & 4B).
Sometimes Quitting Makes Sense!
Things that made sense to quit and the rationale for my actions include:
1. __________________________________
__________________________________
2.
__________________________________
__________________________________
3.
__________________________________
__________________________________
4. __________________________________
__________________________________
4D. (supports slides 4 #4 & 4B-C).
NOT A SUBSTITUTEThe promise of performance grit traits
should not be used to eliminate or reduce services for English language learners, children from poverty, and
students with learning disabilities. Jim Grant
4E. (supports slide 4 #5).
Speaking of Poverty
Poverty is very complex and rarely boils
down to an individual’s choice.
No one would choose to be poor!
4F. (supports slide 4 #5).4F. (supports slide 4 #5).
Poverty could be defined as the extent to which a person lacks the resources necessary to maintain a
basic standard of living.
Keep in mind… Persons in poverty go
without!
Overlays support slide 4F).Overlays support slide 4F).
The Great Recession The Great Recession has been disastrous for those who don’t have resources to fall
back on.
POVERTY
“Culture of Poverty” Researcher William Julius Wilson defines
culture as the way “individuals in a community develop an understanding of
how the world works and make decisions based on that
understanding.” New York Times
November 18,
20104G. (supports slide 4 #5).4G. (supports slide 4 #5).
The Tentacles of Poverty: Borderless Challenges
Poverty’s Impact
obesityPoor nutrition
Education
Stress
Inferior housing
Depression
Absenteeism
Transiency
Poor neighborhood Dropouts
Low paying job
Mental health
Crime
Physical health4H. (supports slide 4 #5).4H. (supports slide 4 #5).
When equity is the goal,ALLALL gaps must be addressed.
food
shelter clothing
intact family
medical care
college accessgood jobs
dental care
child care
obesitydiabetes
drug abuseinfant mortality rate
low birth weight
asthma
hypertensiondepression alcohol
incarceration
prematurity
banking
absenteeismtransient
abuse
pregnancyunemployment smoking
footwear
toxinstoxins
Transportationdigital divide eye care
4I. (supports slide 4 #5).4I. (supports slide 4 #5).
“What’s wrong with education cannot be fixed with technology.” Steve Jobs
1996 interview with Wired magazine
Persons from poverty have a very different life journey compared to those individuals from
abundance. People from poverty spend a considerable amount of time and emotional
energy worrying about scarcity of resources.
Overlays support slide 4I).Overlays support slide 4I).
Understanding “Slack”
Children from privilege have “slack.” They spend little if any emotional energy worrying
about having their basic needs met.
The term “slack” is the space created by abundance that allows any person access to
his/her cognitive and emotional resources. Mullainathan and Shafir
On the other hand, children from poverty spend considerable emotional energy being preoccupied worrying about having their basic needs met, i.e., food, housing, clothes, safety, health care, family
stability, etc. These factors alone can be enough to minimize the impact of effort and diminish
the promise of grit.4J. (supports slide 4 #5).4J. (supports slide 4 #5).
Lack of Grit or Basic Needs? A
lack of basic needs could be misinterpreted by some as lacking grit.
Persons from privilege have a wider “mental bandwidth,”
i.e., more time and resources.
Adapted from Scarcity by Sendhil Mullainathan and Eldar Shafir
Magical Thinking Grit will NOT eliminate the need for
services for people living in poverty.
Overlays supports slide 4J.Overlays supports slide 4J.
Overlay supports slide 8A #1.Overlay supports slide 8A #1.
Children from poverty have a very different road to travel than those who come
from abundance and have “slack.”
Understanding The Nuances of Grit
It is hard for someone from poverty to pull themselves up by the bootstraps
and persevere when they haven’t any boots!
Overlays support slide 4J.
Toll of Poverty Children from poverty need time-relief from the stress of worrying about day-to-day
survival.
__ 1. PTSD. __ 2. severe depression. __ 3. suicidal ideation. __ 4. self-harming behaviors. __ 5. debilitating stress/anxiety. __ 6. behavior problems. __ 7. ______________________.
IT’S NOT ABOUT CHARACTER
A growing number of students suffer serious mental health problems* such as
*None of these issues are a result of NOT having grit.(Other)
4K. (supports slide 4 #5).4K. (supports slide 4 #5).
Not Yet “Gritty”
___ be inclined to give up quickly. ___ have feelings of entitlement. ___ look for the easy way out. ___ NOT be resilient. ___ NOT be able to delay gratification. ___ NOT have perseverance. ___ have a poor work ethic. ___ NOT persist when a task becomes difficult. ___ NOT have yet developed the quality trait of self-regulation. ___ NOT be reliable nor make commitments.
Students who have not yet become “gritty” may ___ be less optimistic. ___ have a fixed mindset. ___ NOT be putting in enough effort.
4L (supports slide 4K.)
Being Less “Gritty” Resembles Helplessness Learned helplessness is when a person believes they have no control over a situation, even when they
do.
Overlay supports slide 4L.Overlay supports slide 4L.
Nothing undermines a student’s grit more than an entitlement mindset!
Adopting a Grit InitiativeThoughts on a strategic grit plan.
2. Involve the whole school community in the initiative. This early step is crucial to staff buy-in.
3. Be sure the stake holders fully understand the change process as it pertains to a grit
initiative. 4. Provide a variety of on-going staff
development opportunities. 5. 5.
1. First create your own understanding of a 21st century mindset coupled with grit. Be sure the concepts support your school’s
mission and vision statements, long-term goals, and culture.
One Size Doesn’t Fit All!
Think in terms of building-in, rather than bolting-on!
Overlays support slide 5 #1).
When taken literally, some definitions of grit may be interpreted as being too narrow, thus having
a limiting effect on the scope of grit.
Overlay supports slide 8 #4).
Grit will breathe life into your school’s mission and vision statements.
Change in teacher
practices
Change in student performanceChange in
beliefs and
attitudes
Turn-n-talk to your colleagues and rank the above 3 steps in order of
progression.
THE PROCESS OF CHANGE Understanding Teacher Buy
In
#___
#___
#___
5A. (supports slide 5 #2-3).
Change is Hard! Consider how hard it is to change yourself and you’ll
understand what little chance you have in trying to change
others.
Overlays support slides 5 #2-3 & 5A).Overlays support slides 5 #2-3 & 5A).
People don’t change until the pain of NOT changing
is greater than the pain of change.
Staff Development Opportunities
3. attending seminars and conferences.
4. engaging in Webinars, blogs, tweets, etc.
7. _____________________________________.
5. on-site trainings.
1. studying the research (see slide 6 #7).
2. conducting a book (s) study.
5B. (supports slide 5 #4).5B. (supports slide 5 #4).
On-going professional development includes, but is not limited to
(other)
6. You Tube.
7. read the empirical research on mindset and grit, as well as other areas of social emotional
learning. Read research conducted by Angela Duckworth, Carol Dweck , Thomas Hoerr, Paul Tough, Laura Pappano, etc.
Thoughts on a strategic grit plan.Adopting a Grit Initiative
5. Establish no more than 5 or 6 goals.
9. create your own definition of grit.
6.
8. create your own definition of a 21st century mindset.
6. Select metrics to monitor the efficacy of the grit initiative (see slide 8 #5-6).
Thoughts on a strategic grit plan.Adopting a Grit Initiative
7.
10. Identify a dozen grit traits that will become the focus of your initiative (see slide 3A).
12. Develop pragmatic mindset and grit strategies that foster perseverance.
11. Some people may focus on teaching performance grit traits at the exclusion of traditional character traits in order to avoid a debate over values (see slides 3A-B).
13. Identify several go-to gritmeisters* in your school for on-going support.
*Grit Advisory Team
Twelve Ways to Kill The Grit Initiative
2. taking a purist approach to teaching grit.
6. evaluating grit with letter grades.
3. “over-rubricing” the concept rendering the initiative impossible to adopt.
5. adopting a way to give a standardize test to measure the grit comprehension of students.
4. turning the concept into a curriculum add-on.
7. being an “academic snob” when it comes to valuing soft skills.
See Grit Cautions and Concerns.
Policies, practices, and challenges that can and will undermine the grit initiative include, but are NOT limited to
8.8.
1. Ignoring the legitimate cautions and concerns of the grit critics (see slide 8A).
Grit Cautions & Concerns: Avoiding The Purist Approach
2. When taken literally, some definitions of grit may be interpreted as being too narrow, thus having a
limiting effect on the scope of grit.
3. Taking perseverance to a radical extreme makes it difficult to disengage from something that makes no sense to continue doing. 4. Some people may focus on teaching performance grit traits at the exclusion of traditional character traits in order to avoid a debate over values. 5. Some people worry that the schools are trying
to turn out “tough kids.”
8A. (supports slide 8 #2)
1. Some ideologues may believe they can substitute grit in place of support services for English language learners, students from poverty, and students with special needs.
Grit could be defined as a collection of hardy, timeless character traits that emanate from a 21st
century mindset. These universal traits enable one to persevere in the face of setbacks, adversity, disappointments, and “good failures” in the pursuit
of both short and long-term goals.
Create your own definition of grit!
Don’t waste time arguing over which traits to teach; traditional character traits or grit traits.
We need BOTH soft and hardy traits to develop into the best person we can be.
Overlay supports slide 8A #4 Overlay supports slide 8A #4
Overlays support slide 8A #2
Inner Strength We don’t want to create “tough”
kids… we want to foster strong “gritty” ones!
Overlays support slide 8A #5.
“It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.”
Frederick Douglas
Teaching students to be “gritty” is NOT counter to a
caring school environment.
Twelve Ways to Kill The Grit InitiativePolicies, practices, and challenges that can
and will undermine the grit initiative include, but are NOT limited to
8. taking a zero-tolerance approach by substituting grit in place of giving multiple
chances, test retakes, time extensions, etc.
11. the idea that if students are taught to create a Plan B, it is a signal to students
not to persevere on the original plan.9.9.
10. the mindset that grit can only be acquired through adversity. Experiencing adversity is
only one source of helping one develop grit.
9. censoring popular children’s books that are used to foster mindset and grit.
Zero-Tolerance Mindset: Taking Things to a Radical
Extreme!
__ do-overs to correct their mistakes. __ an opportunity to retake a quiz or test. __ a second or third chance. __ more time for task completion. __ to quit something that doesn’t make sense and/or holds no interest to them.
People with extreme positions tend to be intolerant of the following practices such as NOT allowing students
I have zero-tolerance for sanctimonious zealots who use grit to legitimize their self-righteous unforgiving stances!
— Jim Grant
9A. (supports slide 9 #8).
Are You a Bully? Taking a “tough guy” stance on grit is
a prime example of “pseudo” grit!
Some people may misuse the grit narrative to justify their zero- tolerance, “no excuses”
stance with students from poverty.
Zero-tolerance disproportionately impacts children of color!
Overlays support slides 9 #8 & 9A.
True grit will help counter the zero tolerance
mentality!
Midcourse Correction Plan A seldom works out. The quality of our lives reflects our capacity to develop and follow
plan B.“Plans are useless. Planning is invaluable!”
Dwight D. Eisenhower 34th President of the U.S.
Re-Routing Plan B is usually an upgrade of
plan A.
Keep in mind that experiencing adversity is only one part of becoming “gritty.”
Overlays support slide 9 #11
Overlays support slide 9 #10
Twelve Ways to Kill The Grit InitiativePolicies, practices, and challenges that can
and will undermine the grit initiative include, but are NOT limited to
12. studying the concept to death!
Or until it goes away!
Studying grit to death is an early warning sign of having NO intention
of implementing the grit initiative.
10.10.
JUST DO IT! NIKE
__ overstate the benefits of grit.
__ engage in a no-win nature vs. nurture debate.
__ become a grit purist.
__ skip the change process. __ make grit too complex to adopt.
__ position the mindset/grit concept as a curriculum add-on. __ box yourself in by narrowly defining grit.
__ label people based on their level of grittiness.
__ set unattainable goals.
__ force the grit concept on the unwilling,
11.
My Grit to Don’t List Remember not to…
__ look at setbacks as a learning experience.
__ continue to learn and grow.
__ look at good failures as a pathway to success.
__ try things I’ve never done before.
__ create and follow my own path to the future.
__ be persistent and “stay-the-course.”
__ be reliable and fully committed.
__ redefine myself and strive to become an Outlier.
__ follow my heart and trust my intuition.
__ live my life in a way that will inspire others. __ practice gratitude every day.
12.
I Am Grit Ready! Are You? Working resolution…I resolve to:
“Character is the ability to carry out a good resolution long after
the excitement of the moment has passed.”
Cavett Robert
Self-determination is the first prerequisite to the success
of a resolution!
Overlays support slide 12.Overlays support slide 12.
Not The Critic*
Teddy Roosevelt • 26th U.S. President
Paris, France — 1910
““It is not the critic who counts: not the man It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at best, knows, in himself for a worthy cause; who, at best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at worst, if he fails at least he fails while who, at worst, if he fails at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.victory nor defeat.””
Appendix AAppendix A
*AKA Man in The Arena 13. (supports slide 3C).
