Dive Brief:

• Scholars presenting at the American Psychological Association's annual conference explained how teaching students "grit" may not foster creativity.  
• University of Pennsylvania developmental psychologist Angela Duckworth popularized the trend of teaching grit in school, arguing that students with more grit (conscientiousness and perseverance) are more likely to graduate.  
• Magdalena G. Grohman, the associate director of the Center for Values in Medicine, Science, and Technology at the University of Texas at Dallas, argues that while grit can help measure a student's academic outcomes, the traits of perseverance and conscientiousness do little when telling us how a student will succeed creatively.  

Dive Insight:

Grohman is not necessarily saying grit is bad to teach, but rather that educators should be open to other forms of success. Not every student is going to graduate from college or get straight As, but that does not mean we should write them off. Being an artist, a singer, a ballerina, a graphic designer, or a novelist require different skill sets, and students who are interested in these career paths should be celebrated, as well. For some reason, the life of an artist is viewed as less successful unless that artist is making a lot of money. This mentality is skewed and educators have a chance to change that perception. That said, it won't be on teachers alone — as the creative class grows and starts to become parents, we will most likely see a changing perception of what "success" looks like.  

Recommended Reading:

Ed Week : 'Grit' May Not Spur Creative Success, Scholars Say