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A “can do” child is one who approaches tasks proactively and is confident in his or her ability to succeed. A “can do” child possesses perseverance, resilience, and innovation.
A “can do” child builds a better sand castle after the first collapses, writes spelling errors correctly until they are mastered and takes self-initiative to turn an empty tissue box into a treasure chest on a long car trip.
Ask 100 parents what they want for their kids, and you might receive 50 different answers but all with the same focus: to maximize their potential, be happy, succeed (not fail), make a difference in the world and be safe.
I am, by most standards, one of the craziest of parents. I pay inordinate government taxes but send my kids to private school, which I also pay for. Since the school does not provide busing in my area, I drive my children back and forth while we watch our neighbors relax and chat at their bus stops.
I work two jobs to accomplish this financially, so we don’t take vacations, but we do visit friends. We also spend the summer gardening and running a veggie stand at the top of the driveway to kick back. Why? Because I want my children to be “can do.”
And studies are proving what many parents, educators, and psychologists intuitively know. Before talent and IQ, the number one leading indicator of success in school is GRIT, perseverance and passion.
We all know folks who are extraordinarily bright and skilled but accomplish little. Conversely, it’s easy to name go-getters with boundless enthusiasm despite a dearth of resources. “Can do” folks have passion, strength, and focus. Their purposeful actions support and challenge them.
For the last 11 years Angela Lee Ducksworth has been studying GRIT at the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to a statistically proven significance of “can do” for success and achievement, the idea of how GRIT can be accessed, ignited and fostered in a child is being explored.
I believe that Maria Montessori had similar ideas regarding children, learning, and achievement over 100 years ago and her findings led to a curriculum which has proven effective in time-honored fashion.
Montessori utilizes a hands-on, discovery-driven model of education in which children become fully engaged in their work and apply themselves passionately. A child’s purposeful practice is encouraged within long stretches of uninterrupted time. The classroom is an environment of inquiry. Classmates and teachers are learning peers. Everyone is involved in the process of acquiring knowledge.
This is why I urge you to personally experience a Montessori classroom. Contact Hudson Country Montessori School at (914) 636-6202 and arrange a visit. They’d love to show you around!
