"THE BATTLES THAT COUNT ~aren't the ones for gold medals.
THE STRUGGLES WITHIN YOURSELF ~the invisible --- (inevitable) battles inside (all of us)THAT'S WHERE IT'S AT"
---Jesse Owens
Photo Source: Freep.com
WEEK #7 10.15.2011This past Sunday, I ran my second 5K at the Detroit Marathon, Half-Marathon and 5K Event.
Often times, I find myself reflecting on the parallels between running and my journey to becoming an art teacher. THE STRUGGLES WITHIN YOURSELF ~the invisible --- (inevitable) battles inside (all of us)THAT'S WHERE IT'S AT"
---Jesse Owens
Photo Source: Freep.com
WEEK #7 10.15.2011This past Sunday, I ran my second 5K at the Detroit Marathon, Half-Marathon and 5K Event.
There are many simliar *LIFE*LESSONS* and *CHARACTERISTICS* that the ~*Visual Arts*~ teach and that ~*running has*~ taught me along my journey to becoming a runner: Dedication, Perserverance, Living-in-the-moment, Set-backs, and "Grit".
What is Grit?
I came across the article, The Truth About Grit, by Jonah Lehrer (August 2, 2009). In his article, Jonah explains, "Grit is a term psychologists use to describe a *mental-trait*." This field of study is only a few years old. Grit is about setting a long-term goal and sticking to it until the goal has been reached...it simply isn't about working hard. People with grit, stick to it AND they don't give up. People with grit, can keep going ~ so why do others struggle and give-up?
says Angela Duckworth, a psychologist at the University of Pennsylvania who helped
pioneer the study of grit. “Nobody is talented enough to not have to work hard, and that’s what grit allows you to do.”
"Woody Allen once remarked that “Eighty percent of success is showing up.” Duckworth
points out that it’s not enough to just show up; one must show up again and again and
again. Sometimes it isn’t easy or fun to keep showing up. Success, however, requires
nothing less. That’s why it takes grit."I believe as an educator it is pertinent to teach student's *LIFE*LESSONS*and *CHARACTERISTICS* in the classroom such as becoming *"grittier." No one has ever been considered a "runner" in my family and as for myself, well, I just began running last winter!!! Meanwhile, my ultimate goal is to run the half-marathon next fall and the *MARATHON* for my *30th*!!! When it comes to art and being creative, my mother hardly as a pencil in the grip of her hand before she says "I can't...I'm not creative!" and my dad, well, he's never been fortunate enough to have educators or loved ones inspire and help him bring forth his creativity even though he has the potential to be so talented ~ and my sisters and I couldn't be more different. My younger sister is in the medical field and my older sister is in the business sector of the automotive industry. So my thoughts are that along the way, I picked up *grit*...it was learned in a nurtured environment that intended to do so ~
My *essential-question* would be: "When, where, how, and why did you develop your grit? Who do you attribute to supporting you develop this trait?"
My answer would be: "The person I attribute to supporting me develop this trait is the one whom reads this" :)
I believe grit is not necessarily an inherited trait. Instead, it is an understanding...a mental state...a personality trait...that we can be lead to grasp by parents, role models, and/or educators.
As Grant Wiggins states in his article, "What's An Essential Questions (EQ)?": "A good education is grounded in such life-long questions, even if we sometimes lose sight of them while focusing on content mastery. The big-idea questions signal that education is not just about learning "the answer" but learning how to learn." *Here is a link to a PDF that I found online regarding Essential Questions Understanding By Design Workbook by Jay McTighe and Grant Wiggins. I found this particular article very helpful and insightful about explaining *essential-questions*:
http://education.vermont.gov/new/pdfdoc/pgm_curriculum/science/resources/cd_materials/local_assessment/Questioning%20Skills/PDf%20Format/Essential%20Questions%20Summary.pdf
Full Article: http://www.skrpartners.com/pdfs/The_truth_about_grit.pdfMy *essential-question* would be: "When, where, how, and why did you develop your grit? Who do you attribute to supporting you develop this trait?"
My answer would be: "The person I attribute to supporting me develop this trait is the one whom reads this" :)
I believe grit is not necessarily an inherited trait. Instead, it is an understanding...a mental state...a personality trait...that we can be lead to grasp by parents, role models, and/or educators.
As Grant Wiggins states in his article, "What's An Essential Questions (EQ)?": "A good education is grounded in such life-long questions, even if we sometimes lose sight of them while focusing on content mastery. The big-idea questions signal that education is not just about learning "the answer" but learning how to learn." *Here is a link to a PDF that I found online regarding Essential Questions Understanding By Design Workbook by Jay McTighe and Grant Wiggins. I found this particular article very helpful and insightful about explaining *essential-questions*:
http://education.vermont.gov/new/pdfdoc/pgm_curriculum/science/resources/cd_materials/local_assessment/Questioning%20Skills/PDf%20Format/Essential%20Questions%20Summary.pdf
Another article I came across in the NYTimes: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/18/magazine/what-if-the-secret-to-success-is-failure.html?_r=3&pagewanted=9
"Just concern yourself with the next step, and don't look too far down the road.
Today is all that matters."
Howard Rankin, Ph.D., (clinical psychologist)
*TEST*
ReplyDelete