Club Month! How to Build Grit in Kids

Reading? Writing? Math?

Nicole, what’s really the most important thing for my child or student to learn?

My answer?

None of the Above.

Yes, I love math and it is certainly fundamental to your child’s education. But there is one skill that they’ll need above any academic subject. Kids today absolutely must learn to have GRIT. Yes, grit. Building grit in your kid is and will be vital to success. And the good news? Saxon math is a great tool for teaching it.

So, what does grit in kids look like and how can your child get it? 

GRIT DEFINED. Simply put, grit just good old perseverance.

How to explain that to a child? Well, we grow grit and show grit when we want to quit, but keep working. Is there a delay in the process or reward? You keep working? Is there difficulty you didn’t anticipate? You keep working! It’s a hard skill to learn, but even the youngest children can begin to flex their grit muscles as they encounter difficult tasks.

Grit, perseverance, determination–whatever you call it– is a prime trait employers are looking for. I bet as a teacher or parent, you’re looking for it, too. 

DEVELOPING GRIT IN KIDS WITH SAXON AND NICOLE THE MATH LADY.

So, how does Saxon help develop grit? Well, math in itself is a prime opportunity to help teach kids to persevere. The memorization of math facts is a challenge, learning new concepts is a challenge, and working through complicated processes is a challenge. The spiral method works partly because those challenges come in fits and spurts, so to speak, as the kids re-encounter concepts over time.

But not every kid has the natural desire to keep plugging along. Sure, there’s a lot to be said for an organic feeling of accomplishment, but perseverance is something you generally have to foster. 

That’s where my clubs come in. As a long-time educator, I know that incentives work. The size of the incentive rarely matters–even a small reward can light a fire under a child that makes a huge difference in their effort. So let’s leverage that for success in math and to develop grit!

Sometimes all it takes are a few bragging rights and/or maybe being a little bragged on to keep them going. That’s why Club Month is always an important one here at Nicole the Math Lady. It’s a special time where I put out a call to get more kids working just a little harder at their math. In exchange, they get a feeling of accomplishment, and if you submit them to me, a little shoutout from me to all my subscribers!

There’s something for everyone within the scope of our clubs, and this year- drum roll please– an entirely new club to join!

NICOLE THE MATH LADY CLUBS. Here’s what your kids might choose to aspire to this month:

The All-Right Club is for students who get 100% (all problems correct on the first try) on either a practice set or a test. Students who accomplish this goal will be featured on Nicole’s weekly Wall of Fame Video. To be inducted into the club, please send us the information listed here.

The 30-5 Club is for students who complete every problem of five mixed practice sets in a row. (They do not need to score 100% on the practice set. They just need to have no skipped problems.) Students who accomplish this goal will be featured on Nicole’s weekly Wall of Fame Video. To be inducted into the club, please send us the information listed here.

The Math Facts Masters Club is our brand new club. This one is for students who have completed either the Drill Team Addition/Subtraction program or the Multiplication/Division program. They have successfully “stood and delivered” their math facts in the “Show ‘Em What You Know” sessions for the respective program. To be inducted into the club, please send us the information listed here.

Club Month is a GREAT time to challenge your kid to take their math to the next level. Whether it’s doing more daily practice than ever before, being diligent to get every problem correct, or mastering their math facts, knuckling down for one of these goals will help them persevere when they want to quit. And with each attempt, that grit you want to see will grow!

Can’t wait to see your student in the club!

Talk to you soon,

Nicole the Math Lady