10/21/2013

Developing Grit and Persistence

Before
AUSTINA DE BONTE
PRESIDENT, NW GIFTED CHILD ASSOCIATION CO-CHAIR, NORTHSHORE HIGHLY CAPABLE ADVISORY BOARD

Topics

A story Grit really matters

2nd

Grade

Emotional factors
Underachievement Developing grit

2012-2013 Austina De Bonte

2012-2013 Austina De Bonte

Meet James

James didnt know how to write his letters when he entered kindergarten
Hi, Im James! OK, lets write the letter H

Hmmm...

But with some practice, he learned

He was nervous about subtraction

Yes, you can. Here, lets do it together

Give it a try, you can do it!

Hey! I made an H

Im not sure I can do this

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and he did struggle, but the teacher helped him, and he figured it out
No, not that way. Try this instead...

In Kindergarten, James learned it was OK

to ask questions to try to not give up at the first hurdle

Oh, I get it now! Like this?

Meet Susie

Susie is very bright. She started Kindergarten already knowing how to read, and was surprised that other kids didnt read yet.
Hi, Im Susie!

Why dont the other kids know their letters yet?

Susie quickly grew in her abilities, seemingly without trying

2 beans + 2 more beans = 4 beans all together So 40+40=80, right?

As Susie grew, she easily picked up on new topics

I read a book about cumulus clouds once. They are the puffy ones!

Lets talk about weather

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Susie often finishes assignments early

Im done! What should I do now?

Susies parents were very proud of her perfect report card, and remarked at how easily she learned new things
Susie is a delight to have in class. Were so proud of you!

Class, you have until recess to work on...

In kindergarten, Susie asked a lot of questions

How do plants know to grow up but the roots know to grow down? Do plants have brains? Were not talking about that right now, Susie. Why is the earth round and not square?

By 2nd grade, Susie realized that she didnt need to work very hard to do well in school.
Another straight A report card! Youre so smart, Susie!

But school is so boring! I just sit around and read books all the time.

Susie stopped asking so many questions

Meanwhile, James grows, and every school year gradually presents bigger challenges
I had to do 5 revisions for this essay, and it took FOREVER. But I think it turned out great! Can you explain long division one more time?

James has had lots of practice learning how to attack new, hard challenges.
He has strategies
Dont give up. Read it again. Ask for help. Try it, even if youre not sure how to do it at first.

OK, Ive finally got it!

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James goes to middle school, high school, college

All along, learning how to tackle bigger and bigger challenges.
I have worked through hard problems before, I bet I can figure this out too.

Meanwhile, Susie continues to achieve despite not putting in any real effort

Wow, Susie, your essay was magnificent!

I wrote it on the bus

Meanwhile, Susie continues to achieve despite not putting in any real effort

Meanwhile, Susie continues to achieve despite not putting in any real effort

How do you get so many creative ideas?

I dunnothey just pop into my head

Another 100% on the math test!

I knew this stuff in 2nd grade

Meanwhile, Susie continues to achieve despite not putting in any real effort

Susie grows too. She starts middle school, and does well in her honors classes
Honors English, Honors World History, Honors Pre-Algebra, Chemistry, French This is easy, just like elementary school. No sweat.

Wow, you are fast!

This is so easy!

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But the next year she takes Honors Geometry

I just dont get it Why do I need a compass to draw a triangle? These geometric proofs just dont make sense Why cant things just be easy?

And her parents react

But Susie is so bright, how could she be having trouble in math? This has never happened before. Susie, youre just being lazy. Youre not trying hard enough. Dont you care about your GPA? College?

Her teacher sends a note home that Susies grades are slipping.

And Susie starts thinking

Smart people shouldnt have to ask for help If I was truly smart, Id know how to do this.

Im doing the same thing Ive always done at school. I went to class, I listened, what am I doing wrong?

Because Susies elementary school experience didnt stretch her, Susie never had the opportunity to develop these skills:
Self-confidence
to know that she can tackle a truly hard problem

Emotional coping skills

to persevere through a challenge
Maybe I was just lucky all those easy times? Maybe Im not so smart after all.

Delayed gratification Tolerance for failure

and learning from mistakes

Study skills
to learn something you dont already understand

Grit really matters

TALENT IS BORN; PERSISTENCE IS TAUGHT

2012-2013 Austina De Bonte

10/21/2013

What is grit?

Grit is more important than IQ

Self-discipline Perseverance through challenge Ability to withstand stress Tolerate and learn from failure Perseverance and passion for long-term goals Delayed gratification Maintaining effort and interest over years despite failure, adversity, and plateaus in progress Stamina: Winning the marathon, not the sprint
2012-2013 Austina De Bonte

Duckworth & Seligman studied success at:

West Point Military Academy National Spelling Bee Adolescents: High school juniors, 8th graders

It wasn't social intelligence. It wasn't good looks, physical health, and it wasn't IQ. It was grit. Self-discipline predicted academic performance more robustly than did IQ. In our data, grit is usually unrelated or even inversely related to measures of talent.
2012-2013 Austina De Bonte

Duckworth grit scale http://www.sas.upenn.edu/~duckwort/images/12-item%20Grit%20Scale.05312011.pdf

Duckworth & Seligman

Studying 8th graders Self-Disclipline is a better predictor of GPA than IQ Even the highest quintile of IQ has only a small effect on GPA

Mindset, Carol Dweck

The Perils and Promises of Praise

Effort Effect 5th graders

Kids

who were told they were smart didnt try as hard next time Kids who were praised for effort did better Fixed vs. growth mindset

Takeaways
Dont praise Praise

kids for being smart effort and progress, not results Keep on trying, keep on trying
Self-Discipline Outdoes IQ in Predicting Academic Performance of Adolescents by Angela Duckworth & Martin Seligman 2012-2013 Austina De Bonte
The

brain is a muscle. It needs a workout to get stronger.

2012-2013 Austina De Bonte

Mindset, Carol Dweck

The Perils and Promises of Praise

More evidence

Effort Effect 5th graders

Kids

who were told they were smart didnt try as hard next time Kids who were praised for effort By age 12, kids dont did better believe praise anymore. Fixed vs. growth mindset By high school, criticism Takeaways is a better sign that a teacher believes in Dont praise kids for being smart you. Praise effort and progress, not results --Lisa Van Gemert Keep on trying, keep on trying Mensa Gifted Youth
The

IQ scores only explain 25%-49% of the variance of school grades

(Neisser

et al., 1996), (Anderson & Keith, 1997)

10,000 hours (or 10 years) of deliberate practice to develop expertise

Even

for Mozart

Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration

Thomas

Alva Edison

brain is a muscle. It needs a workout to get stronger. Specialist

2012-2013 Austina De Bonte

2012-2013 Austina De Bonte

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I never recognized myself as gifted, and school came easy to me. I never learned to study until I almost failed my first year of college. Kids who weren't as smart as me, had skills that I had never learned, and understood how to work the system, it was humiliating to figure that out the hard way.

I was never challenged in school until college, and I almost lost an academic scholarship my first semester because I had never learned how to study or work hard! My whole concept of self was shaken when I finally "failed" at something.

2012-2013 Austina De Bonte

2012-2013 Austina De Bonte

When I read Carol Dweck's book Mindset, I felt like I suddenly understood what had happened to me. It is critical that we challenge our gifted kids, teach them to equate hard work with rewards, and help them learn how to persevere and take chances. They can't count on being labeled "smart" in elementary school as something that will carry them through the rest of their lives! We need these children, and their parents, to understand that being the smartest kid in the class is not necessarily a good thing, if academic rigor and challenge are missing.
2012-2013 Austina De Bonte

Grit Really Matters.

IQ alone is not enough.

2012-2013 Austina De Bonte

Gifted kids at a disadvantage

Regular ed curriculum provides little challenge Parents who dont push elementary students to achieve
Theres Especially

time for that later, in middle school girls helplessness

Parents who dont allow kids to struggle

Learned

Emotional traits

Common gifted personality traits can predispose kids to avoid challenge

Or

to give up too soon

2012-2013 Austina De Bonte 2012-2013 Austina De Bonte

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3 core emotional traits

Perfectionism
Afraid to try

Overexcitabilities - OEs

Dabrowskis 5 super-stimulatibilities

Psychomotor Sensual

Hates criticism Dwells on mistakes

Imaginational
Intellectual Emotional

Intensity
Stubborn/inflexible Mood swings: higher highs, lower lows

Sensitivity
Big reactions to minor setbacks Takes discipline personally

Hard wired in central nervous system, not just psychological

Feel a more intense reaction For a longer period than normal To a stimulus that may be very small
2012-2013 Austina De Bonte

Major meltdowns

SENG: Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted (www.seng.com)

2012-2013 Austina De Bonte

Honor it! Coach how to cope with it, not change it

Overexcitabilities - OEs

Dabrowskis 5 super-stimulatibilities
Psychomotor Sensual Imaginational Intellectual Emotional

Sensory Processing Disorder Sensory Integration Disorder Central Auditory Processing Disorder

OEs to an extreme

Coaching Intense Emotions

Book: The Out of Sync Child Occupational Therapy (OT)

Anxiety, anger, fear

Leads On

OEs arent an accident; they support higher intelligence.

to aggression, tantrums, withdrawal

Is this a baby problem or a giant problem?

a scale of 1 to 10, engage logical reasoning

More not energetic Hard wired in central nervous system, just Imagine deeper psychological More curious

Your child may not be able to get over the initial hump on their own
Goal

Feel a more intense reaction For a longer period than normal To a stimulus that may be very small

Hear more See more Feel deeper Etc.

setting & sticks Sometimes they need a real push

Carrots
Hold

accountable, insist on finishing, sit with the tantrum

2012-2013 Austina De Bonte

Honor it! Coach how to cope with it, not change it

2012-2013 Austina De Bonte

Taming the Worry Monster

From Dan Peters, Summit Center

Amygdala is the seat of emotion & worry

Tries

to trick you, exaggerates, lies, takes over

Big brain surrounds the tiny amygdala Use your big brain to keep your amygdala from taking over
Keep Boss

Underachievement
WHEN GRIT FAILS TO DEVELOP

your brain fed and strong it back!

2012-2013 Austina De Bonte

2012-2013 Austina De Bonte

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What is Underachievement?

Underachievement

Disparity between expected achievement and actual achievement Characteristics of gifted underachievers

Has its roots in 1st, 2nd, 3rd grade

But

doesnt show up until middle or high school

perseverance, emotional coping skills

Kids may never have to develop grit

Persistence, Study How

Low self-esteem
Consistently negative attitude toward school and learning Reluctance to take risks or apply ones self Lack of perseverance; Lack of goal-directed behavior Social isolation Disruptiveness in class and resistance to class activities

skills

to handle challenge, risk of failure down to fit in socially

Other reasons for underachievement

Dumbing Learning

Frustrated parents!
2012-2013 Austina De Bonte

disabilities (2e) may be hidden until the material gets challenging enough curriculum: this is pointless
2012-2013 Austina De Bonte

Under-challenging

Twice-Exceptional - 2e

Reversing Underachievement

Gifted AND

Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, Dysnomia, Dyspraxia ADHD, Autism, Aspergers Spectrum Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD, CAPD)

Very difficult to reverse

Figure

Anxiety, Depression, Mood Disorders, OCD,

Vision Processing Deficits (1 in 4, underdiagnosed)

out the individual cause any learning disabilities & medical issues Build on students strengths & passions Motivate with the long term picture
Address
Career

17% of general population, much higher of gifted Giftedness can mask learning disabilities

exposure, mentors, internships

dedicated, caring teacher that believes in me

IQ subtest patterns can help diagnose

Many gifted traits mimic ADHD, Aspergers traits Diagnosis is tricky! Insist on an expert
2012-2013 Austina De Bonte

Prevent underachievement by addressing needs before it becomes a visible problem

2012-2013 Austina De Bonte

Shocking Statistics

10%-20% of high school dropouts test in the gifted range (Rimm, 2003) 18%-25% of gifted learners drop out of high school (nagc.org) Up to 20% of the prison population is gifted (Streznewski)

Developing Grit
MINDSET & ACTION PLAN

2012-2013 Austina De Bonte

2012-2013 Austina De Bonte

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First Things First

Get the Mindset Right

Address any learning disabilities & medical issues

Teach a growth mindset

Your brain is like a muscle. It needs a workout to get stronger. Do not praise kids for being smart Would you praise them for having blue eyes?

Ensure access to true peers for social development

Prevent

Reinforce effort & progress constantly

social dumbing down

Find a good school fit

Level,

pace, peers

Actively discuss perfectionistic tendencies Talk about the amygdala Let kids struggle and fail (within reason) Insist on persevering through challenge

Do not let kids give up

2012-2013 Austina De Bonte

2012-2013 Austina De Bonte

Positive Pushing
Jim Taylor
Kids wont achieve their potential without a push from parents
Especially when anxiety and/or perfectionism get in the way

Build persistence & grit EARLY

Experiences that provide genuine challenge

Highly

capable school programs especially private instruction language study projects

Music instruments, Foreign Sports

teams

Gives tips for when to push and when to back off

2012-2013 Austina De Bonte

Independent Contests

First

Lego League, Destination Imagination, etc.

Character education programs in schools Advocate with teachers, schools, districts!

2012-2013 Austina De Bonte

Upcoming Events

What Parents Need to Know about Smart Kids October 23 at 6pm (Gig Harbor) November 6 at 6:30pm (Redmond) November 13 at 7pm (Bothell) What Parents Need to Know about Smart Kids Half-Day Workshop $35 ($5 for spouse/family) November 16 at 1-5pm (Woodinville) More info at http://www.nwgca.org
2012-2013 Austina De Bonte

Thank You
Northwest Gifted Child Association http://www.nwgca.org

2012-2013 Austina De Bonte

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Books on Gifted

A Parent's Guide to Gifted Children

Social/Emotional

Emotional Intensity in Gifted Students

Living with Intensity Some of My Best Friends are Books Academic Advocacy for Gifted Children Re-forming Gifted Education Losing Our Minds Genius Denied

School

General Resources
NWGCA RESOURCES AT HTTP://WWW.NWGCA.ORG/RESOURCES.HTML

Twice Exceptional (2e)

Misdiagnosis & Dual Diagnosis of Gifted Children & Adults

Different Minds The Dyslexic Advantage Gifted Kids Survival Guide (10 and under) Gifted Teen Survival Guide
2012-2013, Austina De Bonte

THE FOLLOWING ARE MY PERSONAL FAVORITES

For Kids

2012-2013, Austina De Bonte

Local Specialists 1
Dr. Torgerson, Dr. Murphy http://alderwoodvisiontherapy.com/ Dr. Neena Gabrielle Eastside Family Vision Care, Kirkland Developmental optometrists that can diagnose and treat eye teaming, tracking, and convergence problems in kids. These can sometimes look like dyslexic or ADHD-like symptoms, particularly if it happens when reading small text size. Most eye docs dont know to look for this.

Local Specialists 2
Dr. Shelly Mackaman, 425-885-3330 Child psychologist in Redmond who is particularly good with gifted kids. Plan to spend 2-3 months on the waiting list. Dr. Lisa Erickson, http://www.lisaerickson.net/giftedness.html Psychologist in Seattle who specializes in gifted adults.

Gayle Fay, Bellevue, 425-452-8036 Philip Dunbar-Mayer, Issaquah Also Mariam Maraujo, www.drmariamaraujo.com Pediatric neuropsychologist for IQ testing and also other assessments that can indicate ADHD, learning disabilities, dyslexia, etc.
Dr. Mandelkorn, 206-275-0702 ADHD diagnosis wizard, pediatric psychiatrist. Dr.(s) Eide, http://neurolearning.com/ Husband/wife neuropsychologist team who focus on 2e, especially dyslexia & gifted. Book very far in advance.
2012-2013, Austina De Bonte

Dawn Blomberg, 206-963-6252, www.speechtherapykirkland.com Speech therapy, articulation, executive function, social thinking
Childrens Therapy of Woodinville Speech therapy, Occupational Therapy (OT) Wallys Club (Kirkland) www.wallysclub.com Friendship & Social Skills groups

2012-2013, Austina De Bonte

Discussion Groups

Web Resources

NWAccel Seattle Area Good place to find gifted playmates

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NWaccel/

http://www.nwgca.org/ - join the mailing list! Northwest Gifted Child Association

http://wcge.wordpress.com/ Washington Coalition for Gifted Education www.nagc.org National Association for Gifted and Talented www.hoagiesgifted.org Hoagies' Gifted Education Page www.sengifted.org Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted www.davidsongifted.org Davidson Institute for Talent Development http://www.2enewsletter.com Twice-Exceptional Newsletter
2012-2013, Austina De Bonte

GTWorld Nationwide family of lists, incl. 2e

http://gtworld.org/

BrightKids (Mensa) Nationwide

http://www.us.mensa.org/learn/gifted-youth/other-resources/

Seattle Mensa Chapter Kids Programs

Currently defunct, needing a leader (is it you?) Do NOT need to be a member of Mensa
http://mensawwyouth.wordpress.com/

2012-2013, Austina De Bonte

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