City College of San Francisco Grit and Self Control Discussion

Tittle: Grit and Self Control – What Are They and Do They Make a Difference?

Purpose: What are some of the elements of success? And how do we define success, anyway? Is success available to all, despite income, ethnicity or nationality? We will begin looking at David Levin and Dominic Randolph’s theory which argues that success is available to all who are willing to develop certain character qualities.

Prompt: Argue for, against, or “maybe, if” (under what conditions): Grit and self-control are necessary for achieving success in learning and in life.

Vital Statistics:

• The paper is to be at least four pages
• The paper must include a thesis and topic sentences that support it
• Body paragraph development will include information from texts

Textbooks:

• Pages 1-138a of Becoming by Michelle Obama
• Dweck’s “Brainology”
• Chapters one and two of How Children Succeed by Paul Tough