Grit: Children succeeding with character

How do we measure a child’s success in school or socially? Plenty of attention is given to test scores and IQ. But there’s something else many educators and psychologists say is just as important, and it’s called grit. It’s a character trait we either have or develop that boils down to self-discipline — one’s ability to plug away with dogged determination and focus.

Dan Gottlieb talks with Angela Duckworth and Amanda Jefferson about how the cultivation of grit helps kids achieve their goals academically and behaviorally.

Angela Duckworth is a professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, with their Positive Psychology Center.

Amanda Jefferson is the executive director of Summer Search, a Philadelphia program for low-income children that provides mentoring and opportunities to go on adventurous, team-building trips.