{"id":2334,"date":"2021-10-16T06:30:59","date_gmt":"2021-10-16T11:30:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/?p=2334"},"modified":"2023-04-29T20:12:13","modified_gmt":"2023-04-30T01:12:13","slug":"fostering-grit-through-charlotte-masons-practice-of-habit-training","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2021\/10\/16\/fostering-grit-through-charlotte-masons-practice-of-habit-training\/","title":{"rendered":"Fostering Grit Through Charlotte Mason’s Practice of Habit Training"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We write and speak often at Educational Renaissance<\/a> about the importance of cultivating good habits (you can listen to our podcast on habit training here<\/a>). Habits are, as Charlotte Mason put it, the railways of the good life (Home Education<\/em>, p. 101). A person with good habits experiences a life of ease, while a person missing such habits often finds life burdensome and difficult.  By \u201cease\u201d I don\u2019t mean easy<\/em>, of course. I mean smooth, orderly, peaceful, and effective. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, the habit of timeliness is indispensable for a life of ease. Imagine how difficult life is for the person who struggles with timeliness. He is constantly behind–missing meetings here, chasing deadlines there–and feels the constant pressure to keep up and keep calm despite the ever-present burden of the clock. On the contrary, imagine the person who has mastered timeliness. He is able to go about his day with an exceptional disposition of nonchalance. He effortlessly moves from task to task, allowing his habit of timeliness to pave the way for peaceful relationships and productive outcomes to emerge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charlotte Mason<\/a> famously taught that the most effortful aspect of being a teacher is not the teaching itself. It is the habit training that goes on behind the scenes. If teachers equip students with good habits, then the lessons, provided they are of the right sort, will take care of themselves (Towards a Philosophy of Education<\/em>, p. 99). Students will gain a newfound ability to focus<\/a>, concentrate, follow instructions, and engage the ideas of the lesson with an exceptional degree of independence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More recently, modern research has confirmed the fascinating neuroscience<\/a> behind the formation of good habits. It has also confirmed that the formation of habits geared toward strengthening the will are the most reliable indicator for achievement. Modern researchers have given a name for this special bundle of will-power habits: Grit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, I will explore how teachers can help foster grit in their students in the classroom through guidance from Charlotte Mason on habit training. The concept that comes closest to grit for the British educator is perfect, or thorough, execution. Perfect execution is the act of completing a task as well as one can within a reasonable amount of time. Cultivating this habit takes strategy and effort to be sure, but the reward is worth it. Over time, children develop habits of perseverance, responsibility, and care for one\u2019s work, all leading to a unique strength of will: grit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[Download Patrick’s free eBook on Habit Training here.<\/a>] <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

What is Perfect Execution?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Have you ever wondered why some children write with remarkably elegant penmanship and others rush? Or why some children complete fitness exercises with perfect form all the way to completion while others struggle? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

While it is tempting to attribute these feats to natural talent or even gender differences, the truth is that both tasks were carried to completion through habits of perfect execution. By \u201cperfect\u201d I do not mean literally perfect, but the repeated act of aiming for perfection through giving a thorough effort each and every time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For children who complete tasks with thoroughness, two factors are at play: First, they care about their work. They have come to believe that the tasks they execute to some extent matter<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Second, they work with a resolved commitment to do their best. They do not settle for half-measures or shortcuts. They have the perseverance and fortitude to carry out a task to completion. This willpower did not appear over night. It came as the result of deliberate practice<\/a> and usually, but not necessarily, the encouragement of a supportive mentor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Training the Habit of Perfect Execution<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We tend to assume students will grow more proficient in a task over time simply through repetition. After all, we are told, practice makes perfect. What we fail to realize is that imperfect practice yields precisely that: imperfection. Admiring the German and French schools of her day, Charlotte Mason observes, \u201c…if children get the habit<\/em> of turning out imperfect work, the men and women will undoubtedly keep that habit up\u201d (Home Education<\/em>, p. 159).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To train the habit of perfect execution, Charlotte Mason taught that parents and teachers should hold high yet realistic expectations of children as they work. She writes, \u201cNo work should be given to a child that he cannot execute perfectly<\/em>, and then perfection should be required from him as a matter of course\u201d (Home Education<\/em>, p. 159). The key to growing in perfect execution is to prioritize quality over quantity, and to expect and support the highest quality the child is capable of each and every time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to teaching penmanship, for example, it is tempting to think that a great quantity of practice is the surest way to learn to form letters. But Charlotte Mason cautions that it not so much how many letters are written, but the quality of the letters:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, he is set to do a copy of strokes, and is allowed to show a slateful at all sorts of slopes and all sorts of intervals; his moral sense is vitiated, his eye<\/em> is injured. Set him six strokes to copy; let him, not bring a slateful, but six perfect strokes, at regular distances and at regular slopes. If he produces a faulty pair, get him to point out the fault, and persevere until he has produced his task; if he does not do it to-day, let him go on to-morrow and the next day, and when the six perfect strokes appear, let it be an occasion of triumph.<\/p>Home Education<\/em>, p. 160<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

In the quotation above, Mason is clear to emphasize that perseverance and perfect execution matter most in habit formation. Likewise with other activities, teachers should always expect the child to give her very best: \u201cSo with the little tasks of painting, drawing, or construction he sets himself\u2013\u2013let everything he does be well done<\/em>. An unsteady house of cards is a thing to be ashamed of. Closely connected with this habit of ‘perfect work’ is that of finishing whatever is taken in hand. The child should rarely be allowed to set his hand to a new undertaking until the last is finished\u201d (Home Education<\/em>, p. 160).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So often in our modern world we feel the pressure to be efficient and useful. In a block of time, we would rather perform ten tasks poorly than one task exceptionally. But here we see the secret for setting up children for long-term flourishing. The solution is not to pile on hours of homework each night after a full day of school. It is not to assign endless loads of busy work to keep students occupied. It is to assist students in approaching each and every task with the discipline to do their very best. This is how we as educators train the habit of perfect execution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Power of Grit<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In her New York Times bestseller Grit<\/a><\/em> (Scribner, 2016), psychologist Angela Duckworth shares her findings on the power of grit to drive achievement. She defines grit as the unique combination of passion and perseverance, determination and direction (8). People with grit are resilient and hardworking, propelled by some deeply held belief. They are convinced that whatever they are doggedly pursuing matters<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Central to Duckworth\u2019s research findings is the notion that in examining cases of achievement we tend to be distracted by talent. That is, when we encounter a person who has achieved great things, we often chalk it up to raw ability. While there is certainly something to be said for God-given strengths and abilities, too often we let  natural ability overshadow the dedicated work ethic an achiever cultivated to get there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To reconcile natural talent and the power of grit, Duckworth argues that \u201ceffort counts twice\u201d (35). Rather than drawing a direct line from talent to achievement, the psychologist suggests there is more to the equation. For achievement to occur there are two instances of calculus. First, the achiever invests effort into his or her natural talent to develop a particular skill. Then, the achiever builds on that skill through more<\/em> effort to reach the level of exceptional achievement. Effort counts twice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

M<\/strong>ore Important than Grit<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It is important to note here that grit in and of itself is not equivalent to character<\/a> in the moral sense. It is possible to have a lot of grit, and therefore to be a high achiever, but to be a very bad person. In Duckworth\u2019s own social science parlance she distinguishes between strengths of will, heart, and mind (273). Strength of will, or willpower, includes attributes like self-control, delayed gratification, grit, and the growth mindset. Strength of heart includes what we would classically describe as moral virtues: gratitude, honesty, empathy, and kindness. And strength of mind includes curiosity and creative thinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In a 2018 interview<\/a> with the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Duckworth acknowledges that strength of heart does not lead to the same levels of achievement as strength of will, but it is more important. She admits that she would rather her own daughters be good<\/em> before they are great<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is an important word for classical educators, including Charlotte Mason followers. All this talk about perfect execution, grit, and achievement can quickly get our minds churning about how we harness this power for, say, elevating standardized test results. We would do well to remember, as Duckworth does in her own secular way, that \u201cwhile man looks at the outward appearance, God looks at the heart\u201d (1 Samuel 16:7). At the end of the day, more than achievement, we will be judged not by what we accomplished, but how we lived.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fostering Grit Through Habit Training<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

So how do we help our students become more gritty, not for the sake of worldly achievement, but for true human flourishing? A great place to start is by cultivating the habit of perfect execution in the classroom. Commit to having your students only work on tasks they can complete with excellence and then hold them to it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Briefly, here are three steps for cultivating this habit:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Clarify your expectations. <\/li>
  2. Cast vision for the worthiness of the work. <\/li>
  3. Support them throughout.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    By clarifying your expectations<\/strong>, you are making it unmistakably clear what your students are to do and how they are to do it. They should have a good sense of \u201cthe final product\u201d so they know what to aim for. And they should understand that process and format matters: the “how” is just as important as the “what.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    When you cast vision for the worthiness of the work<\/strong>, you are giving your students a picture of why this work matters. This is what Charlotte Mason would call “sowing the idea.” If they are working on a map of Asia, for example, you could emphasize the beauty and variety we observe across the globe. Highlight some unique cultural artifacts from the region to help them form a concrete relationship with it. In order for the habit of perfect execution to take, student care is a necessary precondition. High teacher expectations without student ownership and care devolves into micro-management all too quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Once they begin their work, teachers must support students throughout<\/strong> the assignment. There is a reason why the habit of perfect execution is so rare. It is hard work! As humans, our wills often fail us and we take the path of least resistance. We need wise and supportive mentors around us to hold us to the standard we set out to meet. This is the indispensable work of the teacher, and as Charlotte Mason warned, it takes the most effort!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    As classical educators, we seek to form humans holistically as virtuous young men and women. We believe that school is not reserved exclusively for the cognitive domain, but that there is work to be done in the moral and spiritual domains as well. Through helping students develop the habit of perfect execution, we are helping students forge wills of perseverance and grit. As we do so let us keep our motivations in check. It is not ultimately to propel our students to chase after worldly achievement or to elevate their will-power over others. It is to help them grow as workers in the field, reaping the harvest the Lord has prepared for His people, as we wait for His return. Habits of perfect execution and grit, I believe, can only aid them in this worthiest of work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    [Downlo<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"\"<\/a>
    [Download Patrick’s free eBook on Habit Training here.<\/a>] <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    We write and speak often at Educational Renaissance about the importance of cultivating good habits (you can listen to our podcast on habit training here). Habits are, as Charlotte Mason put it, the railways of the good life (Home Education, p. 101). A person with good habits experiences a life of ease, while a person […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2336,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[294],"tags":[70,138,11,417,5,407,150,504,485,155,6,171],"class_list":["post-2334","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-charlotte-mason","tag-attention","tag-character","tag-charlotte-mason","tag-child-development","tag-deliberate-practice","tag-grit","tag-habit-training","tag-human-formation","tag-neuroscience","tag-trivium","tag-virtue","tag-writing"],"yoast_head":"\nFostering 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Atchison","author_link":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/author\/kolbyatchison\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"We write and speak often at Educational Renaissance about the importance of cultivating good habits (you can listen to our podcast on habit training here). Habits are, as Charlotte Mason put it, the railways of the good life (Home Education, p. 101). A person with good habits experiences a life of ease, while a person…","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pa7K1D-BE","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":967,"url":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2020\/03\/07\/charlotte-mason-and-the-liberal-arts-tradition-part-2-educating-the-whole-person\/","url_meta":{"origin":2334,"position":0},"title":"Charlotte Mason and the Liberal Arts Tradition, Part 2: Educating the Whole Person","author":"Kolby Atchison","date":"March 7, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"What has Charlotte Mason to do with classical education? In my first blog in this series, I began exploring this question through a close reading of Kevin Clark and Ravi Jain\u2019s The Liberal Arts Tradition: A Philosophy of Christian Classical Education. In this book, Clark and Jain offer a paradigm\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Charlotte Mason"","block_context":{"text":"Charlotte Mason","link":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/category\/charlotte-mason\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Parthenon-.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Parthenon-.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Parthenon-.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Parthenon-.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3288,"url":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2022\/09\/17\/education-is-a-discipline-virtue-formation-in-the-classroom\/","url_meta":{"origin":2334,"position":1},"title":"“Education is a Discipline\u201d: Virtue Formation in the Classroom","author":"Kolby Atchison","date":"September 17, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"\u201c'Education is an atmosphere, a discipline, a life'\u2013\u2013is perhaps the most complete and adequate definition of education we possess. It is a great thing to have said it; and our wiser posterity may see in that 'profound and exquisite remark' the fruition of a lifetime of critical effort (Charlotte Mason,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Charlotte Mason"","block_context":{"text":"Charlotte Mason","link":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/category\/charlotte-mason\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Virtues.jpeg?fit=1024%2C305&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Virtues.jpeg?fit=1024%2C305&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Virtues.jpeg?fit=1024%2C305&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Virtues.jpeg?fit=1024%2C305&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4146,"url":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2024\/01\/13\/goal-setting-and-habits-starting-the-new-year-smarter\/","url_meta":{"origin":2334,"position":2},"title":"Goal Setting and Habits: Starting the New Year SMARTer","author":"Patrick Egan","date":"January 13, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"It is the start of 2024 and I return once more to the topic of habits. There is an ancient tradition associating habits with virtues. It was Aristotle, for instance, who wrote that \u201cmoral virtue comes about as a result of habit\u201d (Nichomachean Ethics 2:1 or 1103a15-b25, trans. W. D.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Charlotte Mason"","block_context":{"text":"Charlotte Mason","link":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/category\/charlotte-mason\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/pexels-run-ffwpu-10168171-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/pexels-run-ffwpu-10168171-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/pexels-run-ffwpu-10168171-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/pexels-run-ffwpu-10168171-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/pexels-run-ffwpu-10168171-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1236,"url":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2020\/05\/16\/habit-training-during-online-distance-learning\/","url_meta":{"origin":2334,"position":3},"title":"Habit Training during Online Distance Learning","author":"Patrick Egan","date":"May 16, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Everything changed a couple months ago when school went online. At-home learning has caused every school to attempt schooling in new and creative ways. We can also get creative about habit training during online distance learning. I shared my new eBook on habit training in the classroom about a month\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Charlotte Mason"","block_context":{"text":"Charlotte Mason","link":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/category\/charlotte-mason\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/remotelyworking_750x348-2.jpg?fit=615%2C409&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/remotelyworking_750x348-2.jpg?fit=615%2C409&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/remotelyworking_750x348-2.jpg?fit=615%2C409&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2080,"url":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2021\/05\/29\/moral-virtue-and-the-intellectual-virtue-of-artistry-or-craftsmanship\/","url_meta":{"origin":2334,"position":4},"title":"Moral Virtue and the Intellectual Virtue of Artistry or Craftsmanship","author":"Jason Barney","date":"May 29, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"It might seem strange after the paradigm delineated above to focus our attention back on intellectual virtues alone, just after arguing for the holistic Christian purpose of education: the cultivation of moral, intellectual and spiritual virtues. But it is impossible to do everything in a single series or book. 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