Grit Curriculum Lesson: The Perseverance Walk Video Lecture | Understanding Social and Emotional Learning (SEL): Better Life - Personal Skills

>>Student: During your life
so far, what has been one
of the biggest goals you've set
and you were able to achieve?
>>Man: Well, when I was high school
age, I thought that it would be--
>>Amy: You're going to need to
pick somebody, could be a relative,
could be somebody in school.
It could be a neighbor who
has shown grit and your job is
to interview that person.
And then you're gonna
come back and we're going
to create the perseverance walk.
You're gonna take us on the journey
of that person who showed grit.
So here's my perseverance
walk for Jay.
It has the goal setting part and it
has the things that got in the way,
and then it has the part about, "I
reached my goal, and what is my life
like now because I was
able to attain that goal?"
So Jay Lyon joined the New
London Fire Department at 18.
He loved being a volunteer
and helping out his community.
When he went to college, his dad
told him, "Now is the time to think
about doing what you
really want to do."
So what's his dad asking him to do?
Set that goal, good.
So what I drew on here was this desk.
Notice that he's got a paper here
that says D plus on it, not so hot.
But he's also thinking,
"I really, really,
really wanna be a firefighter."
So I'm gonna move him over.
That winter he applied
and was accepted
in technical school for fire science.
He loved what he was studying and
he earned a three point four GPA.
Better-- way better, okay,
but still had some struggles.
So I'm gonna march him
along and now where is he?
He's at the firehouse, right.
Earning his degree took perseverance.
Becoming a full time
firefighter took grit.
It took four years
before he was asked
to be the New London's
first full time firefighter.
So he reached his goal of
becoming a full time firefighter,
so that's a far off goal.
But now think about what
his life is like now.
He loves what he does.
Does that tie back in to what I
was talking about this morning,
about goals, and you
setting your goals?
>>Student: Yeah.
>>Amy: He got to set his goal.
It's so important, you guys,
that you set your goals.
Hopefully, you'll take these lessons
and this will become a part of you
and then you can use
it later on, right?