Tenacity is a word I like. It is defined as persistence, determination, or grit. My own definition includes something about having a "stick to it" mentality. I think that in order to do my job effectively, I must be tenacious. I am preaching to my students, and my own children, quite often that if you want to be successful in life, you must be tenacious...there is no other way. The world that our children are growing up in is not necessarily the world we are showing them. Not everyone wins every time. There will be instances when they fail, big time, and that is part of learning and growing into the citizens I hope they become. Throughout these trials and tribulations of growing up, our kids need to realize the benefit of sticking with something and not giving up when it becomes difficult. If we deprive our kids of the lessons learned through hard work and dedication, then what have we taught them really? Each player on my daughter's basketball team had to come to practice one day with their word. Bre chose tenacious. That is who she is. I would love to take credit for this, but I think Scotty is the one who has instilled this is her, actually in all 3 of our kids. They have seen through his example how persistence pays off. I want my students to see, also, how being tenacious will benefit them. They need to believe that anything is possible if they are willing to work hard for it. This is the lesson I want these kids to walk away with from 4th grade... I can, not because someone did it for me, but because I can do it for myself!
Sincerely,
Tara Reed
Amen!!! Celebrating persistence in the process is key to me!!! I'm with you, tenacious just feels good on your tongue!! You, my dear friend, are a tenatious teacher!!!
ReplyDeleteWe could all use this reminder from time to time in such an all-consuming job. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely! Have you seen this TED Talk?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ted.com/talks/angela_lee_duckworth_the_key_to_success_grit?language=en
She calls it grit and there is research to prove your point.
Judy is correct! All-consuming is a great word to describe teaching. You have to have tenacity if you are going to make students climb academic mountains. In Angela Duckworth's research on grit, she says you have to "go easy to go hard". Kids have to feel some sense of agency if they are going to exert effort moving forward. Of course not every child is excellent at everything, so this makes our work even harder. Keep at it girl!
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