Should Grit be taught?

I recently read a column written by Jill Barshay entitled 'Grit under Attack.' Grit in the title is a  psychological term originally defined by Angela Duckworth and used to describe the perseverance and tenacity that must be shown if people are to be successful in life. Angela Duckworth suggests that Grit is not fixed and can be taught, developed and encouraged. Some schools have shaped their curriculums to support the development of grit and some even measure this characteristic through standardised tests.
I have been considering the notion of Grit for some time and although it is undoubtedly a desirable quality, I have often wondered if it might be an elitist concept. The column suggests that US researchers have been unable to confirm that Grit is measurable or that the teaching of Grit has any impact on academic outcomes. I cannot claim to have conducted scientific tests on this subject, therefore although my experiences are real, my opinions are purely theoretical.
As a pastoral leader of a comprehensive school I work with pupils from a range of backgrounds and abilities. Some of my students came into year seven fully loaded with Grit. They are almost effortlessly able to self regulate and seem determined to improve and progress. Their school life is simply another step on the ladder to success and these learners seem to take advantage of every opportunity that our school provides. They perform well in examinations, complete homework, bring equipment and are polite and cooperative members of our school community. Other pupils are less conscientious and appear to care a lot less about their school reputation and their future. I have interviewed many of them about their attitude to learning and one issue in particular seems to divide them. Simply, our 'grittier' pupils are able to imagine their future and feel that they are working towards it and the less gritty pupils cannot seem to think beyond the present day.
It is possible that the parents of pupils with Grit often have high expectations of their children and promote aspiration and often the parents of those who demonstrate a lack of grit do not seem to expect their children to succeed academically. This does not mean that they do not care about their children or that they are neglectful. They might have underachieved in life themselves and they might be prepared to excuse their children for doing the same.
Angela Duckworth believes that Grit can be built and I am beginning to believe that this might be true. In recent mentoring sessions with some of the year group's underachieving pupils I asked them what they would like to be in the future. All of the pupils were unable to answer the question. I asked them to tell me about hobbies or school subjects that they enjoy and this question resulted in a more positive response. It was almost as if they had never considered how their hobbies and skills could be used in a future career. They had never been asked to make that connection before and they seemed to be excited by the idea that the things that they enjoy could eventually pay their bills. I listened to their ideas and made informal career suggestions for them. I then told them how school could help them to achieve their proposed career and we worked out a 'flight path' for them. Interestingly, the behaviour for learning of some of the pupils has already improved and (again anecdotally) teachers have noticed a difference. It seems clear to me that for Grit to be developed our students need to have dreams and aspirations.
When I ask my more motivated students to tell me what drives them to work hard and be resilient they give me a variety of responses. Many are driven by the fact that they do not want to let their parents down. They want them to feel proud and they say that their success is payback for all of the love and time that has been invested in them. Some pupils say that their friends encourage them to keep going and to show Grit. They see their friends working hard and making progress and they believe that they can do it too. Some pupils tell me that their parents do not make demands on them, but they are still driven to succeed because they themselves want a good job and a happy future. These responses come from pupils with a variety of backgrounds and circumstances.
One pupil told me that he works hard to improve in one particular subject simply because he loves it. He tells me that he doesn't even notice the time passing when he is working in that lesson and he is always sad when that lesson is over. He takes risks and is not afraid to be wrong because he knows that he will learn. In his book 'How Finding your Passion Changes Everything' Ken Robinson suggests that pupils should be encouraged to discover and pursue their passions. Grit is effortless when your mind is engaged in an activity which brings you joy. "If you love doing something, you'll be constantly drawn to get better at it" (Finding your Element - Ken Robinson)
It would seem that grit is difficult to pinpoint and develop in our students because motivation is personal. Perhaps the answer lies in a more creative and innovative curriculum and a learning environment which promotes risk, wrong turns and collaboration. We also cannot ignore the fact that Grit is also about our attitudes when we do not want to do something. We could perhaps consider the benefits of reviewing our PSE, careers education and mentoring programmes at key stage three.
In answer to my original question, I do not believe that Grit should or could be taught in a prescriptive way. If our students are engaged in their learning and surrounded by positive role models, then Grit and self regulation will come naturally, regardless of background and circumstances. Evidence of this character trait should be celebrated with our students and personal motivation journeys should be shared.
Thank you for reading BexK06