#vachat Archive
#vachat is a great way for Virginia educators to share teaching strategies, educational resources, and more.
Monday March 21, 2016
8:00 PM EDT
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Good evening and welcome to . Tonight we're discussing grit and resilience. Please introduce yourself.
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Christine. Elementary gifted specialist. Charlottesville.
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And for our opening convo starter: Did you fill out an NCAA bracket? If so, who do you have winning it all?
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Well Cville is well represented
3 for 3
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Learning Technology Integrator in
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I did not fill out a bracket. I'm awful at them. I'll admit, though, that I'd have likely had Michigan State going further than UVA.
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Q1: Grit has become an education buzzword. Is it everything it’s made out to be? What problems do you see within this “movement”?
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As an alien looking on, your fascination with brackets intrigues me
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I wonder if we're the only ones not on spring break this week.
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Megan, Fauquier-HS history and Econ
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A1: Perseverance is good. Grit is good. That doesn't mean throwing hard stuff at kids for hard work's sake makes sense.
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Grit is informally defined as "indomitable spirit" or "pluck". We can embrace this and encourage it, but is it really teachable?
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I was out sick today so I am trying to catch up with some loose ends before tomorrow.
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Chris, Forest VA, looking forward to hearing about GRIT tonight
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Great question. As a matter of fact it's question 4
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I had Michigan st winning it all soooo. Oops.
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Oh yeah, I have Kansas winning it but am hoping they lose to MD on Thursday
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A1: Grit comes from working hard, finding success, and understanding that the 2 are linked. Hard work w/o success won't develop grit
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grit is a word not used in Ireland much in regards to education
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Grit is obviously not something new. We should be fostering it but I'm not sure it can be taught and I see problems with it
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Providing the int'l perspective. Love it!
Just curious, how about "rigor?"
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jury may be out on if it can be taught, but it can definitely be deterred to the point of extreme avoidance
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I think all these things are (role-)modelable, which we can call to be a different type of teaching
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More likely to be used until I clued in to VA & US educational terminology, I thought grits were a meal.
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Q2: What attributes do you associate with ‘grit’?
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in the vein of my previous tweet - lots of lard :-P
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A2: Grit: perseverance to accomplish goals, overcoming challenges/setbacks
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A2: perseverance. Focus. Hope.
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A2: Ability to work through frustration, knowing when to ask for help, knowing when to keep trying.
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A2: Grit doesn't become grit until a failure happens, the response is grit if it is to get back up and try again.
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'Hope, perhaps the most dangerous of all emotions and perhaps the most necessary.' Robert Ludlum
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Great points I wonder if this is easier for people from mid and upper classes?
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that last one could have been stated more clearly I think
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question 3 coming up as we discuss grit and resilience
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Q3: How can we create learning environments that foster grit?
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I think many Ss from poverty struggle to find success even early on in school. That's on us and it matters.
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likely. We like to romanticize grit in others, but seen mostly in mid-upper. Ps help instill grit.
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A2: Grit - resulting from the need to survive and the bravery developed from treading in foreign territory. Not 4 the privileged.
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A3: provide many opportunities for success from failure.
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A3: Challenging students to live & strive for dreams bigger than their biggest dreams. Grit develops in the journey of ups and downs
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An environment conducive to Grit, or "pluck", is one that involves risk taking and one that embraces failure.
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A3: Differentiation still matters. Ss need to be met where they are so they can have success. Success breeds more success.
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Struggle=what develops grit.Nobody with money can know what it's like to work for every. thing.
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So true. I'm lucky to be in a system that encourages risk-taking
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A3: normalize failure as part of the path to success.
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A3: encourage Ss to not settle for a grade and to seek opportunities to succeed after a failure then provide the opportunities
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A3: By refusing to hand out, and only give hand up. Show much love, while demanding more.
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1st day I used to draw on the board (model import of visualizing) but because I suck as an artist: model risk-taking
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A3: Classrooms need to be safely uncomfortable so EVERYONE knows that everyone else is being challenged, getting what they need.
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Redos and retakes are musts. Can't foster resilience and growth from failure if we don't allow it!
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A3: Stop expecting 100% perfection from one group and 100% failure from another group. No one is 100% anything.
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David from VA DJJ crashing the party late!
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a little bit of the normalcy bias at play with the later
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A3: Grading rubrics that stop at C average, anything lower, must be re-done/no questions, failure not n option.
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Awesome! I called it Not Yet or Work In Progress
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Q4: Should socio-emotional skills be part of state/district curricula? Can they be taught? Should they be assessed/measured?
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I agree. But there is a difference between this and no deadlines. I've witnessed Ss draw it out for the sake of it.
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Everything a student does should be assessed but never graded. .
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A4: not sure that can be taught. Ts can certainly provide opportunities for Ss to practice/develop those skills
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never thought of it that way, makes sense
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A4: As a gifted specialist, part of my job is coaching Ss through issues like perfectionism, etc.
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Evan Robb from Clarke- joining in
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Q4: Disagree about SEL as state curricula. Local data that is both personal and global across the school should drive SEL design.
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I think of all the character education things that have been implemented over the years...none seem to work/last
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I would say we can't teach it as much as we can design spaces and culture that foster it. https://t.co/O3iBU8BjBa
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Grit is informally defined as "indomitable spirit" or "pluck". We can embrace this and encourage it, but is it really teachable?
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Devil's advocate: what if a Ss refuses? (I work in corrections.)
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Grit education is found in a lot of non school activities like sports, scouts etc
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Definitely true. I don't teach a specific curriculum. I coach Ss through issues. 1 size doesn't fit all especially here
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One plus to grit being in a curricula: they realize it's not just about filling in the bubbles. Educ is soooo much more
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A4. I recently saw a NYT article about some districts in CA trying. Ss self report. I think assessing these skills is too tricky.
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What kind of activities do you do in this kind of coaching?
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can you clarify SEL for me?
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Parent is the 3rd leg. Mtg, ur child refuses to learn more, any ideas? Ps always on board here. 2nd chance...yes!
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It's almost all one-on-one conversations w/Ss. I also read a lot of picture books on similar themes w/Ss.
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I agree, but that isn't an equitable solution for all. Grit in football or fire making doesn't equate grit in
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We've answered the pre-written Q5 so I'll skip it. The new Q5 coming up!
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Q5:
What’s a student behavior that BUGS you and you struggle with? How could you better handle it?
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A4 See you like Toltec Teachngs-
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You train the child not the scenario. Motivation is also a factor. Quadratic equations never really did it for me.
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A4: couldn't, no key for SEL
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A5:Ss who immediately say they can't do whatever task I've just assigned. Without trying, without even looking. I wish I knew.
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Q5 is an opportunity for us to show our desire to grow, be resilient, etc
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A5 Apathy bothers me and not getting the education is the key to a better future
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A5: My go-to is to ask Qs about the assignment, what they know, what they don't know. It just doesn't work as much/often as I'd like
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I'm w/ ...So how can we better deal with seemingly apathetic students?
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A5: Students who do not believe in themselves. Sometimes they can't see it in themselves, & it's our job to give them the confidence
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A5: Ss coming to school high - playing video games instead of working
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They need to find a reason to be in school. A reason it matters. How many would buy in w/VoTech?
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A5 Also do not like students or staff for that matter who proclaim a fixed mindset VS a growth mindset
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A5: not starting a problem or activity. Just unwilling to try, too scared probably. Need to find better coop activities.
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A4: Saw Beckett from Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence at a Conf. Think he would say yes. Check out https://t.co/A5LRQtUU7A.
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A5: Ss settling for average when they could push further.... Try to address with goal setting/checking in
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Dealing w/ apathetic student: 1) realize it's not always what it looks like 2) figure out why--often difficult 3) change ur approach
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A5: tell them, I can totally see you in a suit and tie behind your own desk in an office one day. Where do you see you?
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A5 Career pathway discussions- engaging instruction- work study opportunities, Mentorship.......
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I'm really enjoying Q5...Thanks for putting yourself out there and being honest...sometimes lacking on twitter
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A5: 28 weeks of not bringing a pencil .Student gets a pencil every time from me
it wasn't the pencil Student wanted (attention)
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Yes! This kills me! They have no idea what they're capable of! https://t.co/VDrNpXXBC9
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A5: Students who do not believe in themselves. Sometimes they can't see it in themselves, & it's our job to give them the confidence
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YES! Glad to see Virginia is looking at other paths for high schoolers
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Q6:
Do you have any take-it-or-leave-it/my way or highway elements in your classroom? What are they? Could you change this?
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Pencil? Now it's coming without their computer charger.
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A6: I've tried to phase them out. I hope I don't, but I suspect I do. I just haven't figured them out yet.
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We pull in therapists and counsellors and try the same thing. :)
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A6: It used to be assigned seats, working quietly, homework, bathroom. Giving up control was the hardest, best thing I did.
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A6 -- Here's a my way expectation- Not learning is not an option-
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A6: Ss contact me if running late & put in for time off if they know they'll be absent. play out WPR skills while teaching content
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Once a stickler, but got rid of: no food, how to organize notebook, deadlines. In other words: It's not my classroom.
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Q6: Had to let them go Ss were quick to find & use them.I do set limits with based on a Ss individual situation leaving room to grow
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We have MH professionals officed in the school, and very helpful Guidance Counselors
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I "love" how we refer to it as bathroom privileges
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Heh. I agree. I've mostly moved on to go if you have to go. Still trying to work on the bathroom as avoidance strategy.
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A6. The take it or leave it rules in corrections are pretty basic. No fighting. No exposing yourself. No copulating. No murder.
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I didn't put him up to this Thanks! and a great segue to this week's challenge...
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Challenge take note of how you greet and interact with your students. Commit a minute or two to make a student’s day special.
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A5. I had to figure out how to word this: Ss who are unwilling to stand up for themselves and/or request help when needed.
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Breakfast duty is the best part of my day! I've made it my mission to make sure Ss start off on the right foot.
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HA! I want so badly to comment!!
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20 min. late for class, and much luv, I'm OH I'm so glad you came, thought you wouldn't be here!! Luv your input!!!
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I agree, first couple of interactions are crucial to their daily success
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Thanks for a great . Learned a lot from all of you and hope to see you back here next week. Lots to think about
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No self advocacy skills? I get that too.
