English 101 "Grit"
If Grit Is All You Need to Succeed, Then Who Needs Support,
Resources and Mentoring?
If “Grit”, as defined as a measure of perseverance and the way to achieve a long term goal to succeed in college, then who needs family support and resources? Angela Duckworth’s theory of ‘Grit’ is based on an area of psychology research that determines how to be successful in college. Duckworth’s theory argues that having ‘Grit’ or perseverance is the main force that will pull students through to complete college. While I believe Duckworth’s theory to be useful and that having “Grit” can be key to one’s success in college completion, I do believe that it is the backbone to many other traits and outside influences important to succeed in college. In the case of Donna Beegle’s Story, I think that Duckworth’s theory would be only somewhat useful to understand her success. In the article, “An Insider’s Perspective: The Donna Beegle Story,” Beegle tells her experience of overcoming extreme poverty and beating all odds and achieving a doctorate. During her road to success, Beegle had many outside influences that were the key to those achievements. She reached out to a Community Action Agency that really opened the doors for her and started a rippling effect towards key resources and influential people.
First and foremost, the biggest stepping stone for her was when the agency connected her to the WIT (Women in Transition) program. Beegle states, “With an enormous amount of support from the WIT program staff and my family, I entered the community college to work on a two-year degree.”(246) In addition to the WIT program, Beegle states, “The one thing that kept me from giving up was the “Section 8” public housing certificate from the Portland Housing Authority given to me by the WIT program.” (246) Beegle’s statement proves one of my points, that if it was not for that resource, she would have not have been “gritty” enough to continue her education. For people like Beegle, a GED
Resources and Mentoring?
If “Grit”, as defined as a measure of perseverance and the way to achieve a long term goal to succeed in college, then who needs family support and resources? Angela Duckworth’s theory of ‘Grit’ is based on an area of psychology research that determines how to be successful in college. Duckworth’s theory argues that having ‘Grit’ or perseverance is the main force that will pull students through to complete college. While I believe Duckworth’s theory to be useful and that having “Grit” can be key to one’s success in college completion, I do believe that it is the backbone to many other traits and outside influences important to succeed in college. In the case of Donna Beegle’s Story, I think that Duckworth’s theory would be only somewhat useful to understand her success. In the article, “An Insider’s Perspective: The Donna Beegle Story,” Beegle tells her experience of overcoming extreme poverty and beating all odds and achieving a doctorate. During her road to success, Beegle had many outside influences that were the key to those achievements. She reached out to a Community Action Agency that really opened the doors for her and started a rippling effect towards key resources and influential people.
First and foremost, the biggest stepping stone for her was when the agency connected her to the WIT (Women in Transition) program. Beegle states, “With an enormous amount of support from the WIT program staff and my family, I entered the community college to work on a two-year degree.”(246) In addition to the WIT program, Beegle states, “The one thing that kept me from giving up was the “Section 8” public housing certificate from the Portland Housing Authority given to me by the WIT program.” (246) Beegle’s statement proves one of my points, that if it was not for that resource, she would have not have been “gritty” enough to continue her education. For people like Beegle, a GED
Cited: Beegle, Donna. "An Insider 's Perspective: The Donna Beegle Story." Crossroads: Integrated Reading and Writing. Ed. Pam Dusenberry and Julie O 'Donnell Moore. New York: Prentice Hall, 2011. 241-253. Print. Hanford, Emily, "Angela Duckworth and the Research on 'Grit. '" American Public Radio. Fall 2012. Web. 14 Sept. 2012.