Day 95- Mrs. Crosby- Special Education Teacher

Today, a group of 15 Hood School staff participated in a final book group meeting on How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character by Paul Tough.  In the chapter "How to Build Character," Tough describes the work of Martin Seligman, a professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, and one of his frequent collaborators, Christopher Peterson of the University of Michigan.  Seligman and Peterson are known as scholars in the field of positive psychology, and they bring this outlook to their work on character traits.  Tough writes, "For many of us, character refers to something innate and unchanging, a core set of attributes that define one's very essence. Seligman and Peterson defined character in a different way: a set of abilities or strengths that are very much changeable-entirely malleable, in fact.  They are skills you can learn; they are skills you can practice; and they are skills you can teach."  As an educator and a parent of young children, I learned that the decisions we make and the feedback we provide during small, everyday moments with our children are essential in helping to build their performance character.  We have the opportunity to help children learn to turn small failures or challenges into positive learning opportunities that motivate them to persevere and improve their own abilities.