How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, And The Hidden Power Of Character (2012) - Plot & Excerpts
WOW! Paul Tough did such an amazing job exploring how poverty affects children, particularly in relation to stress, education, decision making and life outcomes. Effective initiatives to close or lessen the developmental and educational gaps are discussed in great detail, it would be amazing if such models could be implemented in similar program nation wide. The programs that have a proven track record for success aren't necessarily the ones that just throw money at programs aimed at impoverished children, but to actually assist them in developing character traits and behaviors, that they mostly likely aren't developing at home, that greatly increase their chances of having favorable outcomes. The value of effective parenting is highlighted as well, even if parents aren't able to remove bad housing, bad schools and low incomes, nurturing children in a way that allows them to appropriately respond to stress can lessen the effect that poverty has on other aspects of the child's life.This books also offers insightful criticisms of the ineffective and costly government programs that are currently in use. With over 7 million American children living in poverty, poverty needs to be viewed as a serious concern and addressed."No one has found a reliable way to help deeply disadvantaged children, in fact. Instead what we have is a disjointed ad hoc system of government agencies and programs that follow them haphazardly through their childhood and adolescence""Few of the agencies in this system are particularly run well or well staffed, and their efforts are rarely coordinated. The system as a whole is extremely expensive and wildly inefficient, and it has very low rates of success" I've read plenty of books on education but this proved to be one of the most interesting. It brought out very unorthodox ideas related to grit, persistence, and cultivating curiosity. The book not only provided theories on what works for children but provided examples on how these theories were put into test. Paul Tough presents a very convincing argument on why we need to think differently about education and success in America.
What do You think about How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, And The Hidden Power Of Character (2012)?
not a bad book to get you inspired for helping kids succeed.
—kangaa2020
Great on analysis of the problem, short on solutions.
—Vicki
