Grit Case Study

Grit: Does teaching grit predict academic success with at risk youth? Intelligence has been widely thought as a predictor for student success across grade levels. The recent studies done by Angela Duckworth, assume a different opinion for contributing factors of student success. Duckworth is one of the leading researchers and forbearers for the academic buzzword, grit. According to her definition, grit is the tenacity and desire to strive towards long-term goals. Grit, is implemented by working with diligence despite challenges, having tenacity despite the failures, road blocks or plateaus that one may face working towards the goal. Her research team attests that the gritty individual sees their various challenges as a marathon, which requires

According to Laursen, an expert psychologist working with high-risk individuals in educational and behavioral systems, growth mindset is cultivated primarily through dedication and determination. Those with growth mindset may revel in their intelligence, but they do not see that as the only factor in their success. They approach education, involvement, and preparation as only prospects to further their experiences. They see that no one person simply does great things, but they are cultivated through years of work and education. In comparison, fixed mindset is the antithesis of the growth-mindset. Those with a fixed mindset have the belief that their intelligence is predetermined. The attitude of those with a fixed mindset is that they often have negative beliefs about their personality traits. They may exhibit anxiety and are often seeking approval from others. Where as those with a growth mindset, see their failures and successes as part of the learning process. They are often always trying to better improve their situation. Research has shown that growth mindset is cultivated primarily through the first few grades of school. In a study done by Ricci, all children that were in kindergarten had a viewpoint of intelligence, that it was malleable and they had the ability to learn. By the time they had reached third grade, only 58 percent viewed intelligence as malleable

Each one of these was determental in Munoz & JoJoa’s study on adolsecent English Language Learners in Colombia. The study included several lessons that were primarily focused on teaching the students to learn English. These lessons were structured around the SMART goals, each one of the students had the responsibility to plan their specific goals, montior their comprehension, and evulate themsleves with the criteria that was set by the tutor. After each, lesson the students had a a further responsibility to write a reflection on the lesson, and the road-blocks that were found during the lesson. These journals were highly instrumental to give awareness of how each participant in the study felt during the process of learning. The results of this study were quite positive in the implications of practicing SMART goal setting. Before the SMART goals were taught to the students, none of the students could properly set SMART goals. By the end of the post-test, it was shown that 35% (seventh graders) and 52% of ninth graders were able to set SMART goals. However, it is stated by this study that SMART goals were more effectively set by the older students because of the maturity level and the knowledge base that was connected to the student. The most important implication of this study is how core-motivation and personal responsibility contributed to their enthuasism