Can Grit be taught and is it effective?

The term Grit was coined by Angela Duckworth. It can be defined as having passion and perseverance for achieving important long-term goals.

That is why Grit is a useful strategy for students to practice.  It teaches them to work hard and strive towards their goals. This poses the question: Can Grit be taught and is it effective?

Ex education secretary, Nicky Morgan, is the author of “Taught not Caught. Educating for 21^st Century Character.” Morgan discusses that developing students’ character traits is a vital aspect for their personal growth.

As well as “grit and resilience”, the two key factors for development, there are many underlying characteristics which are important for success. These include understanding, empathy and compassion; these are crucial for character development, which compliments success.

Grit and Academic Development

• Grit is useful for achieving long term goals. This means that once a student achieves a goal of theirs, they don’t stop there. Using Grit, the student will continue to achieve their future goals in order to maintain their success.

• Angela Duckworth identifies 8 character strengths of Grit, called the “Grit Scale.” They are: curiosity, zest, gratitude, growth mindset, grit, self-control with learning, understanding others and self-control with others.

• These 8 strengths combined compliment students in terms of how they learn and how they develop their personal skills.

• In “Taught not Caught. Educating for 21^st Century Character”, Nicky Morgan suggests that sometimes the most successful people, including political figures, lack the “ability to work with others, humility and self-discipline.”

• Therefore, without interpersonal skills, success is not effective.