This blog is set up to give STEM Academy families tools to think about learning in positive ways both in and OUT of the classroom.
Today I received a book from my college and friend Mrs. Caswell @casswellsusan, Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. I have been wanting to read the book since it came out last May. Mrs. Medendorp has read it and shared what she learned with rave reviews. Here is an exert from the amazon.com review of the book.
"In this instant New York Times bestseller, pioneering
psychologist Angela Duckworth shows anyone striving to succeed—be it
parents, students, educators, athletes, or business people—that the
secret to outstanding achievement is not talent but a special blend of
passion and persistence she calls “grit.”
Drawing on her own
powerful story as the daughter of a scientist who frequently noted her
lack of “genius,” Duckworth, now a celebrated researcher and professor,
describes her early eye-opening stints in teaching, business consulting,
and neuroscience, which led to the hypothesis that what really drives
success is not “genius” but a unique combination of passion and
long-term perseverance.
In Grit, she takes readers into
the field to visit cadets struggling through their first days at West
Point, teachers working in some of the toughest schools, and young
finalists in the National Spelling Bee. She also mines fascinating
insights from history and shows what can be gleaned from modern
experiments in peak performance. Finally, she shares what she’s learned
from interviewing dozens of high achievers—from JP Morgan CEO Jamie
Dimon to New Yorker cartoon editor Bob Mankoff to Seattle Seahawks Coach
Pete Carroll.
Among Grit’s most valuable insights:
*Why any effort you make ultimately counts twice toward your goal
*How grit can be learned, regardless of I.Q. or circumstances
*How lifelong interest is triggered
*How much of optimal practice is suffering and how much ecstasy
*Which is better for your child—a warm embrace or high standards
*The magic of the Hard Thing Rule
Winningly personal, insightful, and even life-changing, Grit is a book about what goes through your head when you fall down, and how that—not talent or luck—makes all the difference."
If the amazon.com review didn't wet your whistle to learn more about grit maybe Angela Duckworth's TED talk about the subject is more up your alley.
Another great resource is the video from www.characterlab.com about Grit.
Dr. Angela Duckworth talks about Grit from Character Lab on Vimeo.
December is a great month to talk with your family about self-control.
I’m not just referring to resisting the urge to keep eating holiday sweets, or the desire of little kids to create long lists for of wants, but also to reflect on how to develop self-control. This character trait is both strength of heart, and strength of mind. Character lab defines self-control as controlling one's own responses so they align with short- and long-term goals. Self-control predicts academic, personal, health, and economic outcomes. The famous “marshmallow experiment” showed that preschool students who demonstrated more self-control had better academic and social outcomes decades later—including less drug use and higher SAT scores—than did those who demonstrated less self-control as young children. Check out the link to see some examples of observing self-control, an evidenced based tool for developing self-control called WOOP, which stands for Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, and Plan. Also there are two short videos about what the research says about self-control.
Dr. Walter Mischel talks about Self-Control from Character Lab on Vimeo.
Dr. Ethan Kross, Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of Michigan, talks about Self-Control from Character Lab on Vimeo.
On a personal note I am working on exercising self-control as I train for the steelhead ½ ironman in Benton Harbor, Michigan on August 13th. I’ve never done this distance of triathlon (70.3 miles) I will be working on exercising self-control as I resist the snooze button, and stick to my training plan the next 9 months.
- Mr. Chopp
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