Date of Award

2016

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Education

Abstract

In the United States today, educational opportunity is not equally distributed. Statistical data show a persistent educational achievement gap that disproportionately affects students of color or with a low socioeconomic status. There have been countless efforts to reform this inequality within the American school system; however, many efforts have ignored underlying issues regarding power structures and may instead be rooted in the biased beliefs of dominant culture. Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) Public Charter Schools, in particular, emphasize seven character strengths that are intended to promote success for their students and bring them to and through college. Such traits may provide valuable insights on the intersection of education and on structural issues such as culture, power and race. This thesis explores the intersection of the character strength grit as proposed by Angela Duckworth and how it intersects with equity. The hope is that through the use of teacher interviews and classroom observations, readers can better understand how teachers understand the racial or socioeconomic implications of teaching grit in their classrooms.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.

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