The Start of Grit

This week we welcomed 900 students into our halls along with ten new staff members to greet them. As we got going and I saw familiar student faces and it was great to see everyone back at work. At the grade level meetings I introduced students to our theme for the year of "teaching grit" and in my classroom visits this week I have already seen some of you expressing this quality to your students.

I'm going to address the topic of grit many times this year in the Principal Ramblings and if something strikes a chord with you and your course, I encourage you to use it as you wish with your classes. Perhaps this will be the first opportunity.

I follow several dozen people online, both written and video. My iPad is almost completely used for the consumption of material and ideas. One of my favorite to follow is a spoken word artist, Suli Breaks. Below is a poem he did that I believe introduces the quality of grit quite well. If you would like to see the performed version, click here. While it speaks of making success, I firmly believe that it also accurately defines great teaching. Great teachers are "gritty" and are some of the best at overcoming obstacles on the road to success. On behalf of everyone that leads a school, thanks for starting another school year...we could never do it without you.

There are two types of people in this world

Those who are inspired, and those who inspire.

Those who constantly long for,

And those who acquire.

“No idea is original,”

Yes there’s truth in this.

But a person who has the strength to implement the idea,

Always is.

Because there are those that have dreams and chase them.

And those who sleep, waiting to be awakened;

Unaware that we can make a difference in our existence

Through hard work, resilience and persistence.

Because a man that wishes to move mountains must realize

That he must first start by shoveling pebbles from its base.

And be aware that no matter how long it takes,

A man CAN move mountains.

And most of you will think that this is just a saying,

And a majority won’t believe me.

But when you get a couple of minutes on your PC,

Google Dashrath Manjhi.

Because a man CAN move mountains.

Success is a ladder.

And only a few of us will find it.

And even less of us will have the strength to climb it.

Afraid of the prospect of spending your whole life climbing.

But just remember, no matter what route you take,

It is always up to you to decide it.

Don’t let your success define you.

Let your success be defining.

Have you seen that picture on Facebook of that guy that is mining?

Why give up when you’re so close to the diamond?

People that change the world,

Do not let the world change them.

Because there are two types of people in this world;

Those who are amazed

And those who are amazing.

So which one are you?