In a January 28, 2015, article in the Education World blog, Jeffrey Beard, former director of the International Baccalaureate Organisation and Chairman/Founder of Global Study Pass, draws on Howard Gardner’s work on the Good Project and his current thoughts about “grit.”
As discussed in his talk for the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Campaign launch in Fall 2014, Gardner believes that “grit,” a concept popularized by Dr. Angela Duckworth that denotes perseverance and the accumulation of valued traits, is beneficial only when combined with the “good,” which Gardner has been studying for two decades on the Good Project. Because “grit” can be motivated in a negative direction for ill ends, “good grit” entails the use of our capacities for ends that benefit ourselves, our communities, and society as a whole.
Beard denotes two attributes that are essential for young people to develop “good grit”:
1) a “can-do” attitude that encourages a positive, constructive midset; and
2) exposure to cross-cultural experiential learning, which allows students heightened awareness of global and ethical responsibilities.
Beard concludes that in order to foster a sense of “good grit,” students need a top-notch education, supported by parents and peers, that encourages experiential learning and global understanding.