What is grit? When I posed this question during the school assembly one day not a child could answer the question. And so I was delighted when I was approached the other day by a bunch of grade ones and twos who came up to tell me how much they enjoyed the story Stuck by Oliver Jeffers. While they laughed and giggled as the little boy kept throwing odious things up at the tree to get his kite down, the underlying message was not lost on them. What was special about this occasion was that the feedback came from the students. One girl approached me and said she understood the meaning of the word grit and that she was a very gritty person indeed! :) "I will never give up from now on," another child beamed proudly at me. How wonderful it would be if children were taught to value grit from a very tender age. How easily many adult give up when confronted with adversity. Watch this interesting video on Grit by Amanda Lee Duckworth : According to Ms. Duckwor...
This blog is a tribute to my parents who are life long-learners and my students whose identity and world views I am responsible for nurturing in the span of 365 days.