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Motivating the At-Risk Learner through G.R.I.T.!
India White • May 26, 2023
Motivating the At-Risk Learner through G.R.I.T.!
Motivating the At-Risk Learner through G.R.I.T.!
As a teacher, you may encounter students who are at risk of falling behind in math. These students may lack motivation and struggle to keep up with the curriculum. However, with the right approach, you can help these students develop grit and succeed in math. As we approach this task, it is beneficial to take the acronym for G.R.I.T., Great Resilience in Time, with you as a reminder for you and your learners! Here are five tips for motivating at-risk students through grit in the math classroom.
1. Teach the Growth Mindset
According to Carol Dweck, a leading researcher in motivation and achievement, students who have a growth mindset
are more likely to persevere through challenges and develop grit. Further, in their research article titled, “The Origins of Children's Growth and Fixed Mindsets: New Research and a New Proposal”, Haimovitz and Dweck (2017) discovered that “Students with an incremental theory believe that abilities are malleable and can be increased by effort. These students are more inclined to perceive achievement situations as opportunities to grow and expand one's own competencies”. Students need the opportunity to grow in grit through an increase of effort on various tasks, and in their metacognitive process during mathematical discourse.
Dweck has spoken about how a growth mindset is the belief that intelligence and abilities can be developed through hard work and dedication. As a teacher, you can help your students develop a growth mindset by praising their effort and persistence, rather than their innate abilities. Encourage your students to embrace challenges and view mistakes as opportunities for growth.
2. Set Realistic Goals
Setting realistic goals can help students develop grit by giving them a clear target to work towards. However, it's important to make sure that the goals are achievable and not too overwhelming. Dr. Angela Duckworth, a researcher on grit,
suggests that students should set "stretch goals" that are challenging but still within reach. Encourage your students to set specific, measurable goals for their math performance and track their progress towards those goals.
3. Provide Feedback and Support
Feedback and support are essential for helping at-risk students develop grit. Provide your students with regular feedback on their progress and offer support when they encounter challenges. Encourage your students to seek help when they need it and provide resources such as tutoring or extra practice materials. When doing this, at-risk students will be convinced that not all hope is lost. Providing feedback is imperative to provide students with a supportive environment
that fosters growth and development.
4. Emphasize Effort and Persistence
Emphasizing effort and persistence can help students develop grit by reinforcing the idea that success comes from hard work and dedication. Encourage your students to put in the effort and persist through challenges, even when they feel discouraged. Dr. Duckworth suggests that teachers can help students develop grit by modeling grit themselves and emphasizing the importance of effort and persistence in achieving success.
5. Celebrate Successes
Celebrating successes can help students develop grit by reinforcing the idea that hard work and dedication pay off. When your students achieve their goals or make progress towards them, celebrate their successes and acknowledge their efforts.
Encourage your students to reflect on their successes and use them as motivation to continue working towards their goals. UMass Global mention in their findings that celebrating successes for at-risk learners can be filtered through 3 categories: 1) establishing relationships, 2) incorporating a democratic classroom model, and 3) Consider the tenets of the enabling component model. When these strategies are implemented with fidelity, students will begin to unmask and take a risk during vulerable stages of learning, and will be convinced that their efforts and progress are relevant for their lives, and the success to come.
Conclusion
Students who are on the verge of not finishing school due to various hardships need a fair chance at the opportunity of academic success. Implementing various strategies and supports for these learners can change their trajectory of hopelessness into one that is surrounded by college and career readiness. As educators and leaders teach growth mindset to students, help students set realistic goals, provide timely feedback and support, emphasize effort and persistence, and celebrate the successes of these students, their chances of persisting through setbacks and succeeding as an academic scholar are inevitable. Hence, give your at-risk students a shot today. Help them thrive and make their academic success a reality as you motivate them through G.R.I.T.!
Get your copy of the G.R.I.T. Workbook for Students today!
Join us on the Let's Get Gritty Podcast with Dr. India White. On this show, we will repeat a show from the Grit and Equity talks Podcast with Dr. India White, where we walk through the recently released NAEP data from the National Report Card and speak about moving the needle forward. Listen on Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/india-white3 #grit #equity #naep #drindiawhite #nctm #ncsm #bwxme #math #teachers #students
🌟 Just wrapped up an incredible G.R.I.T. Training session with the amazing leaders from Imagine Schools! 💪✨ We took a deep dive into the G.R.I.T. framework, and I can't wait to see the results unfold! 🚀🙌 #drindiawhite #grit #imagineschools #tedx #nctm #ncsm #bwxme 🎉 (I don’t own music copyright
Check out my Feb. 2025 Newsletter!
Thankful for Partnership and Recognition: A Shoutout to Dr. Matthew Joseph and X-Factor EDU Network I am incredibly thankful to partner with Dr. Matthew Joseph and the amazing leadership of the X-Factor EDU Network! It is truly an honor to collaborate with such a visionary leader who is dedicated to amplifying voices in education and creating spaces for impactful conversations. This month, I was deeply grateful to be mentioned in Dr. Joseph’s newsletter during Black History Month. His recognition means so much, not just for me, but for the work we are all doing to inspire and empower educators and students alike. You can check out the newsletter here: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/drmxj_stongertogether-activity-7291502796753809408-0zX3?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAmqD2wBkz8Qc7EA0bvwxWyMJH2HykCUA-Y But beyond the shoutout, I’m even more excited about the opportunities ahead—including the chance to have a podcast on Dr. Joseph’s platform! Partnering with X-Factor EDU Network opens doors to share insights, engage in meaningful discussions, and continue championing grit, resilience, and equity in education. Thank you, Dr. Matthew Joseph, for your support, encouragement, and belief in this mission. Looking forward to what’s to come! 🚀 #StrongerTogether #GRIT #XFactorEDU #BlackHistoryMonth #EducationalLeadership #Thankful
Fired Up for FDLA/FAMTE Keynote: Let’s Build Grit Together! I’m beyond excited to take the stage as the keynote speaker at the FDLA/FAMTE Conference tomorrow! 🎤🔥 We’ll be diving deep into the power of G.R.I.T.—Great Resilience in Time—and how it transforms both educators and students. This opportunity means so much, and I’m grateful to everyone who has supported this journey. Grit isn’t just a concept; it’s a movement. It’s about growth mindset, resilience, self-efficacy, and time management, and it’s what drives success in the classroom and beyond. Let’s empower educators and students across the nation to push past obstacles and embrace productive struggle. Who’s ready to get gritty? 💪🏾 #Grit #DrIndiaWhite #TEDx #FDLA #FAMTE #Education #GrowthMindset
Had an Amazing Time at the Imagine Summit! I had a fantastic time speaking at the Imagine Summit on G.R.I.T.! 🙌🏽 We engaged in powerful breakout sessions, had meaningful discussions about NAEP data, and explored strategies to build **growth mindset, resilience, self-efficacy, and time management** in education. Thank you to everyone who participated and brought such great energy to the conversations! Let’s continue working together to bridge gaps and empower students through grit and perseverance. 💪🏽 #GRIT #ImagineSummit #Resilience #Education #GrowthMindset #EquityInEducation #drindiawhite
Building Grit in Teachers at the Imagine Leadership Summit I am beyond excited to be speaking at the Imagine Leadership Summit today, sharing insights on how we can build grit in teachers and empower them to foster resilience, self-efficacy, and growth in their students. 🌟 This summit is an incredible opportunity to collaborate with principals and education leaders who are committed to supporting and strengthening teachers. When we invest in teacher grit, we build stronger, more effective classrooms where students develop the perseverance to tackle challenges and achieve success. A huge thank you to the Imagine Summit leaders for this amazing opportunity! It’s an honor to be among such an outstanding lineup of speakers, including the incredible Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr. Join our sessions today and take GRIT with you—because when teachers grow in resilience, our students thrive! #GRIT #Teachers #Principals #DrIndiaWhite #NCTM #NCSM #ImagineSummit 😊
🌟 What an incredible time at the ICTM conference in Indiana! The lineup was amazing, and the energy was contagious! 🎉 Since I missed the snow back in Florida, I embraced it fully here and made my very first snow angel! ❄️ So grateful for the fun and gritty spirit of the ICTM rockstars! Huge thanks to Angela and every rockstar for this fantastic opportunity! 💙 #drindiawhite #grit #ictm25 #math #teachers #students #indiana #nctm #ncsm
✨ Today’s Grit training at Stockton Unified was absolutely amazing! We had a fantastic time connecting with friends and meeting some incredible rockstars in California. 🌟 I can’t wait to see how gritty Stockton becomes! Huge thanks to Andrew and the tribe for the opportunity to train your amazing leaders. Let’s all take grit with us as we move forward! 💪 #Grit #Leadership #StocktonUnified #drindiawhite #tedx #nctm #ncsm #nabse
🎊Super excited about this opportunity! Looking forward to connecting with these amazing leaders! 🥰🥳🎉 Please register below and let’s connect so we can bridge the achievement gap together! hashtag#drindiawhite hashtag#ncsm hashtag#grit hashtag#math hashtag#teachers