Week 2: Grit, Literacy, and that One Time I "Drove" a Ferrari
Let me declare that THIS is my first ever attempt at a blog. Candidly, I must admit that it feels great! As I take another leap into 21st century scholarship I can't help but feel like this:
But then the undefeated nature of reality sets in and it is actually like this:
Nonetheless, my newfound passion for blogging pales in comparison to the ever-present buzzword that has taken the education world by storm: grit. As I devoured the readings for this week, I was continually drawn back to the concept of grit in education. In 2007, Dr. Angela Duckworth, psychologist from the University of Pennsylvania, headed a pioneering study into the concept of grit and its value as a predictor of success. Duckworth (2007) defined grit as perseverance and passion for long term goals. She argues that grit, not talent or intelligence, is the greater predictor of long term success. She elaborated that grit is what drives people to overcome obstacles and challenges. Duckworth stated that gritty individuals see achievement as a marathon, therefore, they are able to withstand hardships and use their stamina as an advantage. According to the study, boredom and disappointment prevent most people from success, however, those with grit stay the course and accomplish their goals. Duckworth went on to argue that grit is essential to high achievement. Therefore, star performers display more grit than those who do not outperform their peers in their field. Duckworth's research spearheaded an explosion on the study of grit in education and psychology. More research is conducted every year that attempts to prove her arguments. It has even crossed over from academia to the mainstream with the 2015 release of her book titled, Grit: the Power and Passion of Perseverance. Here is an abbreviated version in the form of her Ted Talk if you are interested.
Initially, I too bought into the hype of grit. As a coach, we often use cliches that reinforce the concept of grit. "When the going gets tough the tough get going" or "winners always find a way" are repeated on practice fields and in gyms across the country every single day. However, I do disagree with Duckworth that using grit is essential for accomplishing long term goals. Don't get me wrong I think the concept of grit is tremendous and we should always encourage others to never give up on their goals. But, in my opinion, Duckworth's version of grit has oversimplified and discounted other FACTORS that can prevent people from accomplishing success.
I harken back to the opening page of the Purcell-Gates reading. A 66-year-old Salvadorian named Maria explained to the researchers why she and some of her fellow classmates rarely attended school. She relented that the school was too far from where they lived, required travel on extensive trails, and the journey required crossing a ravine that was impassable during the winter. Consequently, was Maria lazy or lacking grit for not receiving an education? Hardly. There were actual geographic barriers that prevented her from going to school.
As a society, I want us to be careful about using the term grit to explain why certain individuals experience success and others do not. Let's examine Donny from the Purcell-Gates reading. Donny's parents could not read or write. He struggled in school. His parents could not model literacy at home, therefore, Donny struggled with literacy in school. Is this Donny's fault? No. It is far too common for teachers and other members of society to blame Donny's situation on a lack of grit. Some might suggest that if only he would try harder then he could learn to read and write. I can already hear some naysayers diagnosing Donny's socioeconomic status as a consequence of his parents lack of grit. However, this could not be further from the truth. Donny's mother personally went into the school "constantly" to notify administrators of their situation and her concern for her son's education. Despite her outcries, the school continued to ignore her requests/concerns and continued to send written notes home and pass Donny along to the next grade. In my opinion, Donny's mother displayed grit by constantly appearing at the school to try and better her son's education. It was not until the researcher intervened with the school that they began to honor her requests. Alas, it was not a lack of grit that aided Donny's lack of success but rather a social construct (the lack of cooperation from school administration) that contributed to his academic struggles.
In short, I am concerned that we are going down a tricky road. I think it can be argued that grit can be used to enable certain connotations of deficit thinking. The thinking by those in the middle/upper classes who uses grit as a crutch to explain why certain individuals are in a lesser socioeconomic condition when reality shows that things are much more complicated.
I appreciated the car analogy that Purcell-Gates used in her writing. Most Americans know what the terms key, ignition, start, hit the gas, tap the brakes, etc. before they ever drive a vehicle. However, somebody who did not grow up around vehicles would have no idea what these things if they did not have any experience with them. This analogy reminded me of my former job as a valet extraordinaire (I use that term very lightly) when I was an undergraduate student. As a valet at a downtown hotel, I drove thousands of different vehicles during my stint. Most of these vehicles were your standard rental cars driven by the business people who stayed at the hotel. However, on the weekends the hotel experienced an influx of vehicles in all shapes and sizes. The unwritten valet code specified that the most exotic vehicles (Ferrari, Maserati, etc.) were reserved for the veteran valets.
After a couple of years on the job I became one of those seasoned valets. Towards the end of one of our busier shifts, a Ferrari appeared on our front drive. As the highest ranking valet on staff, I finally had my chance to drive an exotic car. I enthusiastically took the keys and made way to the drivers seat to begin my very first Ferrari journey. After I sat down, I intensely searched for the ignition to turn the car on. But, the Ferrari had other plans. I checked the dashboard and found no ignition, then the steering wheel column, but no luck. Finally, I had to accept the fact that even though I had started thousands of cars up until this point in time I had no idea how to start a Ferrari. I reluctantly took the walk of shame back to my manager and informed him of my misfortunes. He hopped in, started the car, got out, and told me to pull it forward ten magical feet! I reflect back to Purcell-Gates and her argument that lack of experience not an internal deficit is the cause of most literacy problems. Perhaps, if my family owned a Ferrari and the ignition process was modeled for me on a daily basis as a child then I would have been prepared for my big moment on the valet stage. Much like children with parents who model literacy on a daily basis then they have experiences they can reference to model their behaviors after.
As it turns out, driving Ferraris are not my only shortcomings as a person. The Delpit reading opened my eyes to some behaviors that I am guilty of as well. Unfortunately, I have been guilty of being the grammar police when it comes to dialect. Although I cannot recall a specific time where I correct a student's dialect as a teacher, I am absolutely guilty of correcting the dialect of my family members. I have spent many times interrupting a story told by my sister where she expressed that she "seen" something instead of "saw" something. Despite my corrections, I do not think this has changed her dialect to the more standard version I rudely insisted on. I agree with Delpit that if teachers mimic my correctional behavior to their students then this perhaps will cause them to resist reading and cause resentment toward the instructor. I wrongly confused dialect with literacy when in fact there is very little research to declare a causation between the two. I agree with Delpit's assessment that instead of correction educators can provide avenues for their students to experience other dialects such as reading lyrics, plays, and stories.
In conclusion, I have a couple of questions based on my experiences and the readings that I would like to pose for the class.
- What is your opinion on the concept of grit as defined by Duckworth? What interaction does grit play with literacy?
- Purcell-Gates illustrated that parents who modeled literacy in their own homes such as reading books, newspapers, magazines, etc. created a frame of reference for students to fall back on when they learned to read themselves. Do you think technology compromises this modeling or do you think there are still ways for parents to model technology to encourage literacy before children begin formal schooling?
- What are practical ways that teachers can model literacy in the classroom?
- Do you agree with Delpit's claim that "Standard English" is the language of economic success and it is the educator's job that students have equal access to this without using threats of correction?
This is your first time blogging? I would have never guessed it! I I loved the story of the Ferrari. In college, I once asked a friend's dad if I could just sit in his Ferrari at the end of a driveway so people would think it was mine. He laughed. And then he said no.
ReplyDeleteThe challenges for educators were brought to mind as I read your blog. I especially appreciate your discussion of grit - especially when you pointed to the lack of cooperation from school administrators that contributed to Donny's academic struggles. I agree with you in that it is not a lack of grit; however, I am also going to throw out an underlying issue present in the articles: the lack of teacher experience. We read how a child's early experiences in language largely influence their ability to process and use language, and I think that is a given. However, I am going to risk saying that teachers, typically, are people who want to help every student who walks through their classroom doors, yet they do not have the exposure or experience of knowing how to do it. Perhaps, I am taking a Pollyanna approach to the articles, but I do not know many K-12 teachers who do not approach a career that pays little (I do not see a lot of Ferraris in school parking lots) and demands a lot thinking they are going into it with any other intention other than to help children succeed. Also, many are lacking the appropriate training and education in order to address issues they have never before faced. Did the administration at Donny's school contribute to the failure to help him? Absolutely. Did the educators? Yes, to an extent. I say that because while many educators want to help, they just do not know how to do so, or they are are unmotivated to do so because of their work loads. It is, however, also the responsibility of educators to continue developing their own teaching practices. This can't be done without providing opportunities and support for teacher training. Just like students who do not ideally learn from educators who take an entirely prescriptive approach to language, educators also need to observe how others model literacy, reflect on their own practices and be comfortable enough to change them. Until that happens, literacy will continue to be modeled in the way it was modeled for the educators.
I want to emphasize the responsibility of educators to educate themselves and be willing to adjust their attitudes, expectations, and teaching practices. This article especially demonstrates the need for this and for continued teacher training:
Deletehttps://www-jstor-org.proxy.ulib.uits.iu.edu/stable/pdf/40364292.pdf?refreqid=search%3A320230697915ccf21918844a11dac339
MAC, thank you for your feedback on the article. I absolutely agree with your points that lack of teacher experience and lack of appropriate training are underlying issues in the education system. I think these issues will only magnify with the teacher shortage our country is currently facing. I can imagine that school districts will have no choice but to hire more under-qualified and inexperienced teachers. I can also relate to your comment that many teachers would like to help, but sometimes don't know how. For example, a young man just transferred into one of my classes who is an ESL student. As it turns out, he is also illiterate in his own language. Therefore, it is very difficult for him to have a frame of reference for words in his native language when he attempts to read in the English language. This is a difficult situation for both the student and the educators. I do agree that teachers need to be willing expand their development in order to be better equipped to handle these instances. However, I am worried about the number of teachers who are leaving the profession. Experienced teachers who are better equipped to handle situations are becoming more scarce. As a result, I believe an endless cycle of these underlying issues you mentioned can result if things don't change soon.
DeleteMAC,
DeleteI had similar ideas when I was reading the Purcell-Gates reading and this post. As a high school teacher, I do not often encounter students who are illiterate. This could be that the student was taught before they got to me, or unfortunately as Purcell-Gates mentioned, it could be because those who are illiterate dropped out. She gives the example of Donny's parents dropping out in 7th grade.
While I don't have any students who are illiterate, I do have students that are struggling readers. In your post you said, "I say that because while many educators want to help, they just do not know how to do so." I can 100% agree with this and I think a lot of us are taking a step in the right direction by taking this class, to learn what to do.
Similarly, a lot of my questions when reading this article were along the lines of, "How can I make sure that I am not classifying a struggling reader as having a deficit, when in reality there is just a difference in culture?" I think often times what happens is they will get put into a remedial class, similar to what Purcell-Gates pointed out. These students might not need it at a slower pace; they might just need more exposure to it.
I've been in a similar situation as well with an ELL student who could struggled to read/write in his home language. It took 2 years before we made this discovery. His parents had not been forthcoming with information and the records that his previous school provided were minimal. We discovered that he had switched schools several times and even missed a few years of schooling in his home country before he immigrated to the United States. I worked with another faculty member trying to find the best resources to help but unfortunately he moved and switched schools.
DeleteI agree that teacher education hugely important. I have found that when I've tried to self-educate or even received resources from my administration, much of what is available is in theory. I feel like I'm always struggling to find strategies that actually apply to my classroom.
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ReplyDeleteFirst off I love that you not only connected the concept of grit and how you even used the idea of it in your own life, but you also went a step farther by providing a youtube clip that dived deeper into that meaning!
ReplyDeleteResponding to your question of Delpit's claim that "Standard English" is the language of academic success I do agree. As a Black woman I have learned where I can use my English, where I use many words and syntax that correlate with my race and where I can not use those words. While I do believe we shouldn't have to turn on and off the types of English we use I think it is important as educators to not only appreciate and celebrate our students language, but also realize that where we live and the systematic racism and oppression that exists will affect how our students will be seen in a variety of contexts. I also agree with Delpit's thinking of how we can do both, not correct our students language but expose them to the differences in language that exists in certain areas, lyrics, plays and stories.
I too have been a person who has corrected people when they say something "wrong". Overall all the readings made me become more aware and realize how that simple correction can deter a student from literacy and cause a deficit mindset in my thinking when I am exposed to others who speak differently than me.
I agree with you, Alexis! It is incredibly important to embrace the diversity in languages and make students feel confident and empowered, and exposing both students -and even some educators- to the differences in languages is the start to doing that.
ReplyDeleteWhat I find amusing is that if we were to ask a group of educators to define "Standard English", no one would be able to do so - or, at least they would not be able to come to a consensus of what it means. In our classes, we discussed how language is part of our identity, and like students, teachers come with their own identities, biases, and inconsistencies that they need to be able to (but aren't always willing) to identify. I would also venture to guess that they all would not be able to define all of the parts of speech or explain why certain grammar rules exist. So, how can a teacher educate others about "Standard English" if they do not know what it is themselves? After teaching non-native English speakers (NNES) off and on for over 10 years, I have learned that the students who come to IUPUI from other countries have a much better grasp of what many would categorize as "Standard English" than even our native speakers have. What they also have, however, are the critical thinking skills that I do not see as often as I would like in our native speakers. Those pesky critical thinking skills and the ability to be socially aware (a part of critical thinking) stand out. Perhaps, if we start focusing on cultivating students' critical thinking and reasoning skills and begin allowing students to examine the rhetorical purposes of language, specially as students approach Junior High and High School, it will develop the social sensitivity that students need.
I must start off by saying that I am truly tired of hearing the word "Grit" used in the school setting. Because I work in the special education division of the educational realm, I believe that it does not include my students and in turn excludes them. It plays no role in literacy with respect to students in special education. I agree that if students don't have a model of literacy at home where they feel most comfortable they will struggle in school.
ReplyDeleteTechnology plays a big role in the lives that we live in today's day and age. I feel as though it enhances modeling opposed to compromising it. There are multiple ways for parents to model technology to encourage literacy before children begin formal schooling. It is important to keep up with the ever changing aspects of our society with respect to education. It is my belief that children learn best when they are allowed to learn in ways they feel most comfortable and in this current time it is through technology. This approach may not have worked 20 or 30 years ago but it is an effective approach in these current times.
Practical ways that teachers can model literacy in the classroom would be through reading logs, group reading, current event analysis and incorporating technology in many lessons that they introduce. It is important for teachers to use these ways on a consistent basis.
I agree with Delpit's claims that "Standard English" is the language of economic success and that it is the educator's job to see to it that students have equal access to this without being judged. I agree with this theory because not everyone is accustomed to other ways of speaking, reading and writing aside from the universal aspects of "Standard English" that have been around for centuries.
Tiffany, I must say that I do see your point where grit in education excludes certain students. Originally, I think the concept was well-meaning, however, these exclusions become more apparent every day.
DeleteI appreciate your suggestions for promoting literacy through technology for kids. I love the idea of digital reading logs as well. This year I logged all of the books that I read in a Google Doc and it was rewarding to examine the list at the end of the year. There is no question that literacy has evolved from where it was 20 to 30 years ago. As a teacher, one of my favorite things to do with Youtube is to turn on the closed captioning. I think that is a way to promote literacy while keeping the students attention. Some veteran teachers I've interacted with appear to adopt a literacy vs. technology mentality. Therefore, I am always looking for ways to mesh the two instead.
In some ways I agree that technology can certainly be harnessed to promote literacy. I also use close captioning when I show video in my classroom. Some of my students have thanked me for doing so. If I forget to turn it or show something which does not have CC available, I have had students ask me to turn it on. For each unit in my US and World History classes I incorporate some type of activity that uses both literacy and technology. For example, for a unit on the Gilded Age, students had to create memes using images of the robber barons of the era (Rockefeller, Carnegie, Vanderbilt, etc.) I've also had students create relevant hashtags to images or quotes as a warm up or exit ticket.
DeleteOn the other hand, I am also very selfconciouse about my own reading habits at home. What am I modeling for my children? Most of my reading is done on a tablet or a phone. I might be reading the news, grading papers, reading a novel, or scrolling through Facebook but my child does not know the difference. All he sees is my face glued to a device. Is this different than what was modeled for me? On Sunday mornings my dad and I would trade the sports section and comics while he drank his coffee and I ate my breakfast. He often brought work home - in paper form - in the evenings and worked at the dinner table. My mom read magazines and worked the crosswords from the newspaper. It was obvious what they were doing. I don't believe that it is as obvious for my three year old and I worry that all he is seeing is a device that is pulling his mother's attention away from him.
Tiffany, I completely see where you are coming from with grit in respect to special education. I was diagnosed dyslexic in second grade and STRUGGLED with literacy knowledge and just the big picture in general for many years. I had fantastic, compassionate special education teachers and I do think grit played a factor in my own personal success. That being said, I am by no means saying I think grit will help everyone succeed educationally because that just simply isn't true. My son has an individualized education plan and will need one for his entire school career. Grit isn't going to "fix" his educational hardships and I would be disappointed in anyone who would suggest otherwise.
DeleteI love to see that you are using technology to further literacy knowledge in your class! I know my son responds well and can focus better when technology is involved. I'm not sure how old my son will be when he is able to read, or if that will ever happen but we try hard to have him exposed daily to the written word by either reading to him or listening to books on his tablet. I have found using models/objects works well with my son so he sees the connection between the written words on the pages and his daily life.
Tiffany,
DeleteI loved your response! It gave me a new perspective on grit, which I really appreciate. I wish that grit was inclusive for everyone and your students were not left out because that is unfair. Also, I think the way that you utilize enhancing literacy in the classroom is great. I included some of the same examples in my blog post. Group readings and reading aloud are very beneficial for students.
Your blog entry states so much of what my own family had to endure, specifically my father. His story is so similar to Donny's that while reading Purcell-Gates article I actually teared up more than once. My father was born on top of a mountain in southern Kentucky in the mid 1950's. His father had a 3rd grade education and his mother had a 4th grade education. They were both unable to read and as far as I know signing their names were the extent to which my father saw any written print in his household as a small child. Until the age of 14 he lived on top of that mountain, and walked everyday to a small k-12 schoolhouse in the valley where all the kids from the other dozen or so families within a 5 mile radius attended. He had essentially zero literacy knowledge before entering school at age five. I do believe in grit and think it played a huge factor in my family's success. I come from gritty, gritty people. My grandfather worked the hardest, most dangerous jobs in the coal mines to make money and my grandmother caught squirrels and vermin and made a day's worth of food last a week.
ReplyDeleteThat grit and determination is what got them to a small factory town in Indiana when my father was 14. Unfortunately, grit couldn't change their "hillbilly" southern dialect, filled with mispronounced words that had become their reality from years of being isolated on that mountain. They immediately belonged to a social underclass and my father (Johnny on his birth certificate) was not considered worthy of teaching. His gritty nature did not get my father fantastic grades in school, but he did graduate and has always had a thirst for knowledge. I can't help but think that if just one teacher, or one administrator had realized as Purcell-Gates pointed out that cultural differences are nowhere near the same as cultural deficits he could have received a better education and had a much easier future.
The one thing that stood out to me as I read about Donny was when his teacher called Jenny "ignorant." The reason it stood out is because when I was young my father used to say they were just "ignorant country folks" when they came to Indiana. The differences is he didn't see ignorant as a bad word. He used to tell me ignorant just means your untaught, or underexposed it has nothing to do with your abilities or intelligence. He would always follow up with saying being "deliberately ignorant" is a different story because that's by choice and therefore your fault.
I do believe that in our society Delpit's opinion that "Sandard English" is the language of economic success. I'm not saying I think it's right but it is the truth. Every student should have access to learning Standard English in a way that is comfortable for them and their needs. They will be required to use it in their future.
Thank you for sharing your family's story, Amanda. What you said about the definition of the word "ignorant" stood out to me. I have a very clear memory of my father explaining to me the difference between "stupid" and "ignorant". I called myself stupid because I didn't know something and he said that I wasn't stupid, I was just ignorant. I took great offense to this because I thought the words meant the same thing. He explained that being ignorant was nothing to be ashamed of because all it meant was that you didn't know something. We didn't get in to the "deliberately ignorant" conversation though I'm sure that he would have agreed with your father!
DeleteI once attended a breakout session that heralded "Grit" as the marker for success. I went with a colleague and we both had a difficult time sitting through it for exactly the reasons that you highlighted. While I do believe that the ability to work through difficult circumstances is necessary for success, it certainly does not guarantee success. A person's success is dependent on many more factors than determination. As I was reading your response, my mind jumped to the story of Donny's mother as well. People are quick to blame parents for not educating their children at home or participating in their education. Here is a woman who clearly loves her son, actively engaged with the school, and advocated for what she and his teacher believed was the best course of action, but because of "linguicism" was ignored. I found myself cheering for her as I was reading. The fact that she recognized the missteps in her and her husband’s education and was trying to prevent the same from happening with her own son was inspiring. She showed tremendous grit but would not have been heard if she had not had someone, whose academic voice and opinion were valued, step up for her.
ReplyDeletePurcell-Gates included a lengthy section on practical things that schools and teachers can do to help level the playing field in literacy achievement. I, of course, agree that children from all cultural and socio-economic backgrounds are capable of learning. One of the reasons I chose to take this course is because I worry that I am not effectively differentiating my instruction for struggling readers. I utilize technology and offer instruction in multiple formats and I offer choice any many of my assignments. However, I feel like I am missing something. The Delpit reading opened my eyes to the cultural differences in the use of language and provided examples that illustrate the importance of understand a student’s cultural background and how that effects what they say and how they say it. I also appreciate the examples of how these differences can be used to enhance learning in the classroom. In my own social studies classroom I know that most of my students are more engaged with the lessons when I am able to help them make connections to current events and things that are relevant to their lives.
Amazing job on this blog post! I really enjoyed reading it and watching the Ted Talk about grit! Personally, I think that grit is meant to be taken in a positive and motivational way. I love it! It is concepts like these that keep me motivated to always go my best and to never stop reaching for my goals no matter how hard they could be to achieve. I also believe that there are so many different forms of grit, just like you explained in your post. It is all just a matter of perspective. For your next question, I believe that technology is a great way for parents to model literacy. Technology is such a huge part of everyday life now so not only will kids be exposed to it but they will be able to interact with it in educational ways. They could download reading apps, eBooks, and so many more educational programs. I believe that a group read aloud is a great way for teachers to model literacy for their students. A read aloud is educational, informative, and engaging for students. Also, simple things like writing on the board and allowing reading time are other activities to consider. Finally, I do believe in Delpit's claim, I do not think it is right but I do believe that it is the truth. I think the educator has a very important role in making sure that students feel like they have access to it. However, nothing should be forced on a student.
ReplyDeleteOverall, loved your post! Thank you so much!