Tough, Paul. How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character. Boston: Houghton, Miffline, Harcourt, 2012.
What makes the difference between students who succeed and those who drop out of school? What accounts for the achievement gap between students growing up in poverty and those growing up in middle or upper income families? This extremely readable book is a distillation of journalist Paul Tough’s research on these two questions. Neuroscientists who are studying brain development offer evidence that prolonged stress has profoundly damaging and long-lasting effects on the pre-frontal cortext, the part of the brain responsible for “executive functions”–decision-making, persistence, delayed gratification, resilience, and a host of other qualities often thought of as “character traits.” Studies have shown that trying to teach these qualities in the same way cognitive skills are taught is not effective. Tough offers examples of teachers and programs that are taking a different approach–not talking to students about these qualities, but immersing and supporting students in experiences that call upon these qualities for success. Although the book focuses primarily on under-achieving students experiencing stress in impoverished neighborhoods, the information is relevant to any educator who is committed to helping children achieve their full potential. In the final chapter, Tough moves from a focus on exemplary teachers and programs to the broader issue of public policy and school reform initiatives. He offers several compelling insights into the reasons we often find it uncomfortable to talk about the influence of family on children’s success or failure.