Grit Does Not Apply To Worksheets

One of the things that really gets my nerd juices going is Angela Duckworth’s research on grit. I am personally a big fan of hard work, so this idea of grittiness really appeals to me. (I won’t be recounting the depth of her research here, but if you are interested, definitely check out her book or even better, have her read it to you). Duckworth’s work intrigues me because she has found that grit is one of the single most consistent predictors of success. Individuals who have the ability to show grit are far more likely to reach success and achieve goals. Duckworth defines grit as “the tendency to sustain interest in and effort toward very long-term goals” (Duckworth et al., 2007).

This definition is important.

I once had a significant debate with a member of my PLN regarding grit in schools. The opposing argument claimed that learning should be joyful and exciting, and in turn, not gritty. This intrigued me. Are grit and joy mutually exclusive? Is it impossible to show grit and also feel joy?

Grit is different from perseverance. We may show perseverance through serious yard work or watching pee-wee soccer games in the rain. Grit, on the other hand, is tied to an ultimate goal. This goal offers purpose and meaning to the work.

So, is this just an issue of semantics?

Perhaps. And none of us have time for a frivolous debate over word choice, so I will make this quick.

I believe kids should come to school and demonstrate grit, not just perseverance. We should help kids build stamina and work hard, and they should be working toward a worthy, relevant goal.

Ask yourself: What is the purpose of this work?

If the answer to that question is a school specific task, try to reflect and revise.

We owe our students opportunities to practice grit.

Anyone can dream up arbitrary tasks that can test perseverance: 100 word problems or a ten page, single-spaced paper. Gritty work requires purpose, and vision, and connects our students to a world beyond their own.

How are students showing grit in your classroom or school?