#124 - Notes on Grit, Reading and Bookstores
Education Coffee is a 2xWeekly Newsletter on People, Ideas and Culture.
In each edition of this newsletter, I share five inspiring web resources that I have curated after hours of research to ensure that you have the best education coffee in your inbox. In upcoming editions, I will focus on sharing insights, notes and realizations that I gather from people, ideas, books, films and podcasts.
1. Learning from People
Angela Duckworth is the Rosa Lee and Egbert Chang Professor at the University of Pennsylvania and faculty co-director of the Penn-Wharton Behavior Change for Good Initiative. Her research on grit has helped shape my thinking about learning. You can learn more about her research by following the links in the notes and citations.
Angela Duckworth’s research on grit focuses on the idea that perseverance and passion for long-term goals are key predictors of success, more so than talent or intelligence. Grit is characterized by sustained effort and resilience, even in the face of challenges and failures. Duckworth discovered that people with grit maintain their focus and determination over time, which leads to higher achievement.
Grit is a combination of passion and perseverance: It’s about maintaining focus on long-term goals despite obstacles and setbacks.
More important than talent: Duckworth’s research shows that grit is a better predictor of success than innate abilities like intelligence.
Key to achievement: People with grit tend to achieve higher levels of success in various fields, such as education, business, and sports.
Grit can be developed: Through practice, goal setting, and learning from failure, individuals can enhance their levels of grit.
Consistency over time: Grit involves sustained effort over time, with a long-term commitment to a specific goal.
2. Learning from Ideas and Questions
Speaking is already in our genes. But reading is not. Until about 100 years ago most people didn't do it all. When we read fiction especially, we create new pathways in our brain. In this TEDx Talk, Rita Carter describes how reading 30 pages of fiction every night, gets the pathways thicker and thicker. Our brain needs a workout just like our body. She shares research from neuroscience about how reading daily is like a mental workout.
3. Learning from Books, Websites and Blog
Stephen King is the master of this genre. He writes excellent prose. ‘Holly’ (2023) is a good detective horror thriller with a dark twist. Keeps you engaged till the end. You feel like you are getting closer to a crucial insight about the case with every chapter. We move between 10 -12 years of the characters lives through this book. Also love how distinctly King describes his characters. I have a mental image of each one of them at the end of the book. Lots of trigger warnings in the book. Would love to read other books in this series. Read more about this book on Goodreads.
4. Learning from Films, Videos and Shows
And, Towards Happy Valleys (2023) by Sreemoyee Singh is love letter to Iranian cinema from an outsider that learned the language and got to drive in a car around Iran with Jafar Panahi. Shows you how artists continue to fight for free expression in a society that limits their voices. Also looks at how framework set by the politicians in power at the federal level can impact lives of so many people on the ground in smaller cities and rural villages.
5. Learning from Podcasts and Music
On Episode 56 of #LearningStories we chat with Tanmayee Thakur on Days at the Book Garden Bookshop. Tanmayee is the owner of Book Garden, a bookshop and reading room in Vile Parle, Mumbai. She is a screenwriter by training and worked as a writer before opening this haven for readers. Her grandfather instilled the love for reading deep within her. She grew up in Vile Parle and wanted to give back to the community by creating this reading room and curated bookstore.
She named the store Book Garden because she wanted her customers to feel like they were coming to a garden to pick books that were like flowers. In this episode, she talks about the early days of the bookshop, managing daily finances, creating content, curating books, speaking to customers and finding space for herself in this world. You can find Tanu and Book Garden on Instagram @book_garden_
Thank you for reading this edition of #EducationCoffee. I look forward to writing weekly editions of this newsletter this year. I hope to continue to share resources that will add value to your life. You can also review the archive of Education Coffee for free at this link (100+ newsletters here). You can email your thoughts, feedback or recommendations to abhishekashokshetty@gmail.com. I love connecting with other writers and learners on the Internet.
Abhishek