First part of the book, mainly focused in US.

 

Q1:

Personal experience has been shared

 

Chapter 1

Q2: 

Talent is nothing without being pushed. The grit makes the difference.

if you do not give up you will be successful. 

 

Q3: depends on numbers/scale

Worth pursuing

 

Grit (our definition): don’t give up/ mental toughness 

US: more positive connotation

Uk: more negative Gritty (in series for example)

Do you think people with talent are likely to be less gritty?

Grit is a talent

 

Chapter 2:

32: Scott: Am I a learning disable kid without a future. 

The author does address this. 

 

Q4: Natural bias

Natural talent/ strivers

Ex: in a school talent show, natural talent and strivers are chosen

Natural bias: In Basketball, if you are from the Netherlands you have to prove more than if you are from Servia/US

 

Q5: p33

Achievement doesn’t trump potential. It builds on it.

Everyone has potential. Don’t we strive to help every child reach theirs? But we cannot turn their potential into achievement that they must want to do themselves

 

Chapter 3

 

Q6: 

First: strivers but in the areas/fields we feel comfortable it become more natural ability.

 

Q7:

Common sense. Nothing in life come without an effort.

 

Q8

Good to see it from different perspective and not only from an educational point of view.

Question: Do you believe that effort is more important than talent to achieve success?

-       what success mean to you: it doesn’t necessarily mean working hard every day of your life, it can mean to be happy wherever you are

-       book doesn’t take into account important factors like personal background, income which play a huge part in everyone’s life 

-       privilege is a big part of achievements 

-       Talent is used in misleading way

 

Key take away:

All teachers have a grit

 

 

1.     Comparison of school systems in different countries - examinations, make-up of classes [mixed abilities, different sets] (UK, Finland)

 

2.     It depends…

Luck can be an element in terms of physical attributes, right time/place, the socio-economic standing of parents - can they afford to give their children the opportunities to find their passion and develop talents?

It depends on how you define/measure success. There are people who become successful in short period, e.g.:

-       Rowing in England, pulling kids out of school based on their BMI and within two years are rowing for England in the Olympics. 

-       Emma Watson pulled out of school and set on a path to success.

 

3.     We discussed how to think critically about information even when it is based on science/data because everything is tailored/manipulated to fit a narrative. 

 

Key take-away:

People shouldn’t only be judged on their academic ability. 

Scary to think that doors can be closed to children at a very young age due to assessments of their academic ability.

Critical Review
Is 3% statistically significant in this context?
Extenuating circumstances and the sample size should be considered.
What is the reach of this research and the implications.

Chapter 2: Distracted by Talent

Chapter 3: Effort Counts Twice

Main Takeaway

 

 

Should  I have been disappointed with my result? In our team, we had 3.5, 3.8, 3.9, and 3.3. It automatically assumes your personality. Is there some response bias, we want to look better than we actually are, so we get a higher score, because being gritty is perceived to be more hardworking. If the goal is to know lots of things about a diverse range of things, then this can be defined as gritty. If you are very knowledgeable about one thing, this can be defined as being gritty. So gritty is super subjective. Vladmir Putin is very gritty, so is that necessarily a good thing? The Dutch translation of grit - is it positive or negative?

2. The goal is to be better or the best. 
“Not all who wonder are lost”. 

If we were all a little less gritty, and give back to the world, the world could be a better place. Should we all be present and not always focussing on a goal? Could we change ‘goal’ into ‘value’ to promote self-development?

Perseverance vs. being adaptable can contribute to personal growth. Age can also contribute to having different goals. If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there”. Liberating or restrictive?

3. Do you think age or culture affect grit?

Nature or Nurture? Personality is shaped but your age and culture, and times have changed – in 2022,  youngsters don’t need to be more grittier, but elders are more grittier. 

If you are older, you don’t need to be more grittier because you have had all your life to get to your goal. Or, when you don’t have much time left, do you create more goals to make sure that you can achieve them with a shorter time frame? Is grit a spectrum or a continuum?

4.Ed Sheeran?

Yes. Passion & hobby. But what drives Ed Sheeran? Is it his musical ability, or is it money? Is his goal becoming the best artist, or becoming famous?

The take away from today: Not all goals in life require grit, do you have to be ambitious to have grit? Grit can be toxic depending on the goal that you have in mind, so it is important to set realistic goals.

We discussed about the result of the test. How relevant it is?

1.     People adapt to how their life unfolds. They pick up another challenges and overcome other kinds of barriers then before.

The test is more focused on the professional life. 

 

2.     Regarding the hierarchy of goals – it makes sense but in the book it is explained very simple; in real life things are more complicated. People’s values and goals are changing.

After reaching a goal, human beings try to challenge themselves with something else.

Some of us find setting goals quite difficult. Some of the goals are detrimental to values we hold and have a negative impact on them. Because of this, some of us we do not pursue the goals to the extent of reaching them with great success.

 

3.     It is a good idea to be reflective and ask ourselves time to time if our goals are aligned. It helps us to redirect our efforts on pursuing the goal that it is more important to us.

4.     It depends on the goal. 

Life does not go according to the plan. 

What is the purpose of this book?

Is it telling people how to get more gritty? 

 

 

1.     Grit can change over the time, it might grow with age. 

For teenagers it is hard to understand what impact resilience, pursuing their goals it can have on their lives. Over the time, by their own experience they learn how important it is to find their own interests, to practice a lot and looking forward to achieve their goals.

 

Culturally, it depends. Some countries have that status orientation. The book does not consider people who come from societies where they have to work so hard just providing for their families and have no time for interests. But those people might be very gritty, overcoming all kinds of obstacles in their everyday life.

2.     The video it is an evidence that he has practiced and he had interests in what he does.

3.     It was mentioned a book “Utopia for realists” - a book that could encourage people to follow their interests without worrying of not having enough money to live from.

Next time Fatima will be the facilitator and Chisaki is going to take notes.

 

Is teaching a vocation – 

It’s important to be good at teaching (being talented at something isn’t enough). There has to be a part of it. 

 ‘Just because you love something doesn’t mean you’ll be great at it’

 

I loved working with kids, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. Tried teaching other subjects.

 

 

Practice. 

We agree with the quote. We can be overthinkers by nature so it’s easy to look back negatively. Looking forward and growth come with practice.

Does your passion need to relate to your job? People do their job for different reasons- doesn't necessarily relate to your passion. The more you learn and then the more passionate you become.

Teaching as a vocation- generally agree. Have to be interested in education and have passion for the job as you are moving with the times, curriculum development, life circumstances etc and have to be interested in this to develop yourself further and to 'move with the times'. 

Creating small term wins in your early career- setting goals around things you were interested in; lesson observations and feedback being given;

Triggering interest within your job- CPD, discussions with collagues, peer observations 

Cultivate novelty in our jobs- collaborating with others as it allows you to gain new perspectives; learning new skills outside of the school environment that can contribute; listening to the children and their suggestions/topics and what they want to discuss. 

Formula makes sense- passion is built through discovery, development and deepening. Discussed concept of time in a career- do you still have the passion after teaching for 20 years?

General formula- doesn't take in any additional needs, it is a 'typical' child. Being able to connect with the formula depends on your upbringing. 

Can you be passionate and complacent? 

Striving for the better isn't always healthy.. 

It’s ok to try to find your passion and you can change passions on the way. Some of us explored some interests, but making a living was a big influence. However, we do love what we do, but wouldn’t call it a “passion”. 

Teaching is not the kind of thing you can do if you don’t have a want for it. However, some people are in it for the stability, the fixed holidays, the hours, family, etc. 

We find this question is not about not liking teaching, but what teachers have to deal with on a day-to-day basis (especially in the UK, where you are accountable when something goes wrong). The education system wears people down. It has nothing to do with being a teacher.

For some of us, it’s the gratification of imparting knowledge and seeing your students grow and make progress. For others, it’s a means to an end; teaching (especially internationally) gives you the opportunity to experience different places, cultures and interact with people from all over the world. A lot of us also come from a family of teachers and feel there might be a connection to how we got in it. 

Passion is necessary to have a happy career. We don’t feel we need it to be successful. We are happy in our jobs and we like it, we get a satisfaction from it, but not necessarily passionate. 

"It's a persistent desire to do better...”

For some of us, that constant desire can lead to unhappiness because you are never satisfied with what you have accomplished, but you always want more. It has a negative connotation. It can also lead to selfishness, like Jeff Bezos, where his persistent desire has led to people being exploited and mistreated by what he has created. Is this really the inspiring model we want to have?)

You can create a flow through deliberate practice. They are not incompatible.

As teachers, we think we are good at giving critical feedback in a caring and constructive way. When it comes to receiving it, it depends on how it is given and what the intention is. 

When making mistakes, we often feel stupid and embarrassed. Eventually, we recover and persist. Fail sounds worse than mistake (would we use that language with our students?), but succeeding means recovering from failure and trying again “Fail again, fail better!” 

 

1.     How does this resonate with you? 

Passion to work younger people comes from inside. 

Excitement only comes from what we try.

Career choice does not necessarily come from their genuine passion, but it can end up being a good choice for them.

 

2.     What interests have you tried? 

We (in this group) tried some different careers and found that teaching was a good fit. A choice can be also made based on an uncontrollable thing and we could eventually find something interesting from that.

 

3.     Teaching is said to be a vocation – do you feel this way about your job?  

To be successful as a teacher, it shouldn’t be just a ‘job’. It should go beyond teaching your subject and should provide emotional support and responsible for whole life of children. 

It’s also important that teachers are not too responsible for everything.

 

4.     In the UK 1/3 of teachers leave within the first 5 years . Why do you think this?

Some people become teachers only for holidays and things like that, but those people leave soon. 

 

5.     What made you feel your job was a worthy career to pursue? 

Children coming in with smiles, but this doesn’t necessarily happen everywhere. It depends on how well the school is working.

 

6.     Do you think passion is necessary to have a happy or successful career? 

Teachers usually like to talk about their job: that’s because it’s their ‘vocation’ and they are so passionate. Passion makes you feel fulfilled with your career. 

 

•       What do you make of the formula that passion is built through discovery, development, and then deepening?

 

We shared our past experiences (from other schools and other industries). Most of us were feeling that they were in the Deepening phase. Once in a new position, you can get novelties from a new perspective.

 

"It's a persistent desire to do better...it's the opposite of being complacent. It's a positive state of mind, not a negative one. It's not looking backward with dissatisfaction. It's looking forward and wanting to grow." Journalist Hester Lacey ---Do you agree with this quote and why?  

Yes. We tell our students that practice makes perfect, and it’s totally ok to make a mistake. The concept of deliberate practice applies to sports. You make a tiny little change to make things better and keep trying.

 

Reflecting on your own experiences, and the importance of deliberate practice are there examples of interests you have failed in by not practicing deliberately?  

 

Learning languages, sports, 

 

What do you deliberately practice for? 

 

How good are you at giving and accepting critical feedback? 

 

It depends. If you know how a critical feedback help you, you are open to it. 

At school we do not critical feedback very often to keep children motivated.

 

 

 

Q.1. - every job is not a calling, sometimes you just need to take a job for the money, whatever is available.  

Q.2. - sometimes the people around us influence our future plans/careers.  

 

Ch.9  

-In our group we all have a growth mindset 

-We believe that Dweck and Duckworth's works go hand in hand.  

-Both are need, always look forward but take time to relish you're achievements.  

-It can be detrimental, if it's something when your young that you are pushed into you can live to resent it. 

-We don't think that only black people are at risk, it applies to many other socio-economic backgrounds and cultures.  

Upbringing and role models like one’s parents can be some of the social forces that can influence the person’s choices/outlook on their professional life. 

Financial means/qualification can determine what route is available. 

Stigma, statues, opportunities, location can be barriers to a desired path.

 

Chapter 9

1. disagree – Neuroplasticity

2. disagree – intelligence 

3. agree 

4. agree

 

Video recommendations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7fyqpHKARg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DmUJcRrX48 

Societal change can be installed collectively.  

 

We can't see how gritty people are connected to the world around them since the centre of all their actions is to succeed their goals and this is self-centered again. 

There are many factors that can stand as a barrier to people in seeing their job as a calling. One of these forces can be financial stability.  What if someone’s purpose is to provide the basic needs (1st level of Maslow Pyramid) does it mean that they are not gritty enough? 

 

As teachers we believe that having growth mindset is very important and most teachers have it. We also discussed how even when you have growth mindset there are people that have to work harder than others. 

 

Dweck and Duckworth both talk about the importance of effort and how investing time is essential to higher achievement. 

 

We should encourage hope and a growth mindset to people since we are focusing in how to become better and achieve the things that we want by being reflective. The magic word of YET!

 

It can be detrimental, and it can also apply to more groups that can be at risk.

 

Job a calling – Social forces are at play. Depends on background, upbringing, education, economic factors, private life, friends etc. People have different personal motivations. Some people have more privilege and can accommodate a ‘calling’. Depends on your job – teaching definitely!

 

Chapter 9

We have a growth mindset and agreed you can change your intelligence. 

 

Is ‘Grit’ anti-black = an interesting discussion on ‘red line’ districts and the new nominee for the US Supreme Court and how her gender and race mean she is judged differently depending on her answers and reactions to questions. Is having ‘grit’ a privilege? External forces can work against this and give you a disadvantage.

Our book club has a open and accepting culture. This was created by our ability to communicate and listen to each other, while getting to know each other. 

Difficult to get out of a 'toxic' group. Do you run away? Are you able to see other options while in this group? All have been in a 'toxic' situation at some point in our life. 

Feedback- 

Need for providing constructive feedback to allow the person to grow, not 'nit picking' on little things for the sake of it. 

Tough feedback can be hard to take but should be given constructively to allow the person to grow. 

If you have received negative feedback in the attrition model, you know how horrible it is so know not to give people feedback in that way. 

Chapter 13- Conclusion

Ending- We are all genius's in our own way. Discussed experiences of the term 'genius'- what it means to us, what it means working in a school. There should not be a set standard of what a genius is. 

Biggest insight- It sounds nice in theory but it does not take into account the various systemic factors that influence our capacity to be Gritty. (learning difficulties, poverty, family status etc) 

We have enjoyed spending the time together as a group and finding out about colleagues we wouldn't normally speak to. 

-       By sharing your experience with other people (removed from the group/culture) it’s easier to identify that the culture is toxic.

-       We have experienced both models, the attrition model can have a lasting negative effect or be a driving force (unfiltered feedback). The developmental model can support improvement through a more conscious, knowledgeable approach.

-       We embrace grit, but it is important to recognize privilege. Luck is a big element. Money and time also play a role.

-       All the examples in the book were extreme success stories – not always relatable. 

-       Passion/grit can sometimes require privileged in light of structural problems, racism, inequality and poverty. E.g. Where you were born, who your parents are etc
- Developing passion in your professional and personal life is important.

Q1. We agree with the idea of that the culture in which we live, shapes us. It takes long to recognize por own culture and then change it.

Q2. We had some questions about the creation of this group, like What was the intention or purpose of having the bookgroup? 

We had some negative reactions at the beginning, but it has been nice to get to know us, to spend time and share our own stories and experiences. The mean idea of this group is to connect people and build bridges between us.

What about our school culture? Our students persevere and work very hard to achieve their goals, even when they get frustrated because they can’t do it yet, they show grit.

Q3&4. People showed up open-minded and positive since the first meeting. We have been good listeners to each other, we were interested in our different cultures and backgrounds. It felt a safe space, we felt comfortable and being respect from others. We had space for everyone to talk.

 

Q5. We need to be aware when we are in a negative environment, because it is not good for us. We could complaint if it is for taking action and making changes. We could have some coaching to help us deal with a toxic culture, talk to somebody about it and let them support you.

 

Q6. Development model vs attrition model. We could come with solutions instead of leaving it as a solution. We have talked about the Japanese culture, which is a very intense working culture.

 

Q7. It has hard when we see tough feedback, but sometimes it is good to hear it because it will let us work harder on it. But we also need positive feedbacks. The feedback doesn’t need to correlate of the way how we feel. Providing feedback to someone it means that you care about that person. We can recognise success but also failure, and that will let people success and get better. Some tough feedbacks could hurt.

 

Some of our thoughts:

We changed our first idea that we got of the book (you need to be grittier).

How can you take control of the situations?

It changed the idea of natural talent.