In the spirit of an iterative development process, we posted the Promoting Grit, Tenacity, and Perseverance report for public comment. Please review submitted comments below.
-
National Education Technology Plan
This plan addresses the five essential components of learning powered by technology: Learning, Assessment, Teaching, Infrastructure, and Productivity.
Learn more about the NETP
I am encouraged by the fact that this document exists, given the fact that it was produced by the US Department of Education. For too long, this department has harmed education with policies that have been well intentioned but in actual practice are counter productive.
Policies that focus on equity and policies that focus on completion have, in practice, lead to teachers doing more of the work that students should be doing. When failure is not an option there are many negative consequences for everyone involved, students, teachers, parents, and society. Failure actually teaches a very valuable and important lesson, a lesson that we are denying our students.
I have read much of the research, but I also have to rely on what I actually see in the classroom. My experience has been that federal education policy has allowed students to become rewarded for their lack of motivation and effort, and this is counter to every instinct I have as a teacher.
I see many good things in the classroom, many good students, many hard working and dedicated teachers and administrators, so do not take this as a blanket indictment of our educational system. However, the lesson cannot be sugarcoated: we have been teaching our kids to be lazy.
Teachers have been saying this for years, and our voices go unheard. Perhaps now someone is finally listening.
Developing grit, tenacity and perseverance require support as well as encouragement when failure occurs. Failure is an excellent thing because so much can be learned from failure, so less jumping in to assist students when the experience failure. Most current classroom environment does not encourage collaboration and/or an atmosphere of “It is o.k. for me to mess up because someone has my back. Let me step out on a limb and try this.” We need to work on changing the physical environment of our classrooms. Allow students to move about, some people think better pacing back and forth or around in circles. Most importantly, educators must be comfortable showing that they, too, fail at some tasks, demonstrate how through tenacity they persevered and succeeded in finding a solution. They will need to demonstrate the sense of accomplishment they feel in the end.
In order to promote grit, tenacity and perseverance–which are character traits– There has to be a goal for students to work towards. Rewarding mediocrity is not the answer. Retaking tests to achieve 80% among your student population, in order for the district to qualify for certain federal money, is not the answer. In the last several years, students and educators have been in “No child left behind” mode, which has promoted equality and sameness among students. A failed program, in my opinion. This middle of the road attitude has not created drive for students. Resiliency (grit,tenacity and perseverance) is difficult to measure. Longevity studies, looking at graduation rates, college entrance, job success, could be a means to gather data. However, you might miss certain populations.