Grit, Mindset, and Determination as Keys to Academic Perseverance?

A hot topic last year at ASCD’s 2015 Annual Conference & Exhibit Show, the grit initiative is again among the buzzing conversations surrounding the state of education today and will be prominently featured at this year’s ASCD’s conference.
Over the years, interest in mindset and grit has been building as more and more school administrators, teachers, and parents have come to realize the important role non-cognitive factors play both academically and socially in the lives of their students.

“Although there are no true standards or assessment for the acquisition or application of ‘grit’,” explains author Jim Grant, “it is critical to join the discussion on how best to help students develop a growth mindset and what strategies work for teaching and fostering grit with our students.”

Grant believes the grit and growth mindset movement is more of an initiative rather than an education reform.
“Grit is a low-prep, high-impact initiative that is easily integrated in existing programs,” continues Grant. “This initiative requires a small time commitment and minimal funding.
Teachers are well aware that many education reforms tend to be more top-down, complex mandates orchestrated by people who don’t actually have to do it themselves!
For reforms to work teachers need to buy-in to the concept, make a firm commitment, and secure additional funding—the latter two are often in short supply.”
“Grit resonates with teachers and parents and is viewed as one way within one’s sphere of influence to counter some trends they feel are not healthy for their children and shore up the character traits they value dearly,” says Grant.

Standing in the spotlight of this trend will be the popular general session “Grit, Mindset, and Determination: The Keys to Academic Perseverance” developed by education-leader and best-selling author Jim Grant, who’s also the co-founder of Staff Development for Educators (SDE).

The session will be presented on Sunday, April 3 at 8:00 AM by educator, author, and consultant Jeffrey Benson and will provide insight into how grit can be taught through strategies that are easily incorporated into existing curriculum.
By first establishing what “grit” means and how it can be acquired or developed, the session will provide real-world examples of gritty traits that both children and adults possess, and more importantly, how to nurture them.
 
Attendees will have the opportunity to meet Benson immediately following the session and purchase Grant’s books, Grit To Go: Classroom-Ready Resources to Motivate Growth Mindset and What Gritty Kids Do When No One Is Looking, at the SDE booth.