About My Podcast: Mind Matters
I am the host of Mind Matters, a podcast where we dig into the psychology behind the way we teach and learn . As a Special Education teacher, I team up with my co-host Webb, a retired History teacher and Army veteran, to bridge the gap between my world of diverse learning and his world of military discipline .
In this episode, I dive into the book Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance because I believe our culture is too obsessed with natural talent . I argue that the real secret to success is "grit," which is having passion and perseverance for long-term goals . I share a specific formula showing that effort actually counts twice: once when building a skill, and again when applying that skill to achieve something . I see this every day in my classroom, where my students with learning differences often outperform their peers simply because they apply that double effort .
I also connect these ideas to "Mastery Grading," which I compare to military marksmanship: I don't believe in letting a student fail once and quit; I believe they should get back on the range and practice until they hit the target . Finally, I recommend the "Hard Thing Rule," which challenges you to commit to a difficult task and never quit just because you are having a bad day . I truly believe that while talent is great, effort is the "great equalizer" that allows anyone to succeed .
