Lecture Notes on Grit by Joseph Geni

Introduction

Background: Joseph left a demanding job in management consulting to teach math to 7th graders in NYC public schools.
Observations: Noted that IQ wasn't the only factor determining student success. Some students with lower IQs performed well, and vice versa.

Educational Challenge: Concepts in 7th grade math (ratios, decimals, area of a parallelogram) are hard but not impossible. Believed that any student could learn with enough effort.
Need for Better Understanding: Concluded that understanding student motivation and psychology is crucial in education.
IQ vs. Other Factors: Recognized that success in school and life involves more than just the ability to learn quickly and easily.

Research: Studied diverse groups (West Point cadets, National Spelling Bee participants, rookie teachers in tough neighborhoods, private company salespeople) to identify what predicts success.
Finding: Grit was the significant predictor of success across all contexts — more important than social intelligence, looks, physical health, or IQ.
Definition of Grit: Passion and perseverance for long-term goals, stamina, commitment to future goals day in and day out, treating life as a marathon, not a sprint.

Chicago Public Schools: Correlated grit questionnaires with high school graduation rates. Found that grittier kids were significantly more likely to graduate.
Broader Implications: Grit is relevant not just in elite settings but also in regular schools, especially for at-risk students.

Current Understanding: Admitted lack of knowledge on how to build grit. Talent does not equate to grittiness; many talented individuals fail to follow through on commitments.
Growth Mindset: Introduced by Carol Dweck from Stanford University. Belief that ability to learn can improve with effort. Kids with a growth mindset are more likely to persevere after failure.
Need for Further Research: Emphasized the need for more ideas and testing to build grit in kids effectively. Encouraged being gritty about enhancing grittiness in children.

Call to Action: Need to test and measure our best ideas, be willing to fail and learn, and continue striving to understand and build grit in students.

Closing: Thanked the audience. (Applause)