An Innovative Summit for Educators
2016 Summit focuses on the intersection of grit and imagination in the classroom
Over 150 educators and leading researchers from around the world gathered in Philadelphia in the summer of 2016 for the three-day Grit+Imagination: An Educator Summit, hosted by the Relay Graduate School of Education (Relay), Imagination Institute, and Character Lab, in honor of Dr. John M. Templeton, Jr. The Summit explored the juxtaposition of grit, defined as passion and perseverance for long-term goals, and imagination, an essential component of creativity, curiosity, and innovation. While imagination offers the foresight to see beyond “what is” to “what could be,” grit is what turns that vision into a reality.
The Summit offered a space for educators and researchers to learn from each other’s expertise. Leading scholars in both grit and imagination, including Angela Duckworth, Martin Seligman, Scott Barry Kaufman, and Susan Engel, suggested ways to apply cutting edge research to the classroom to cultivate grit and imagination in students. Educators then had the opportunity to develop classroom practices that can ignite character-based growth.
“Though grit and imagination are two important character traits for success, we often treat them as opposed to each other. However, many of the highest achievers find ways to incorporate both dreaming and doing into their work,” said Scott Barry Kaufman “Educators that combine the two can be an inspiration for students, setting them up for success in the classroom and beyond.”
Researchers also contributed to a series of videos and Big Think pieces, which have been released by Relay, Character Lab, and the Imagination Institute. We hope that these videos and think pieces will serve as a helpful resource for educators interested in character-based instruction. All materials can be found at the links below.
Martin Seligman
Martin Seligman Executive Director of the Imagination Institute; Director of the Positive Psychology Center; Zellerbach Family Professor of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania Dr. Martin Seligman is the Zellerbach Family Professor of Psychology and director...
Susan Engel
Susan Engel Senior Lecturer in Psychology; Founding Director of the Program in Teaching at Williams College Susan Engel is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology and Founding Director of the Program in Teaching at Williams College. Her research interests include the...
Angela Duckworth
Angela Duckworth Co-Founder of the Character Lab; Professor of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania Angela Duckworth is a professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania and a 2013 MacArthur fellow. She is also the founder and scienti c director of...
K. Anders Ericsson
K. Anders Ericsson Conradi Eminent Scholar and Professor of Psychology at Florida State University K. Anders Ericsson, PhD, is presently Conradi Eminent Scholar and Professor of Psychology at Florida State University. Currently he studies the measurement of expert...
Jane Gillham
Jane Gillham Associate Professor at Swarthmore College; Co-Director of the WSSD Positive Psychology Project; Co-Director of The Penn Resiliency Project Jane Gillham, PhD, is a psychologist, researcher, and educator. Dr. Gillham’s work focuses on the promotion of...
Mary Helen Immordino-Yang
Mary Helen Immordino-Yang Associate Professor of Education, Psychology, and Neuroscience at the University of Southern California https://www.imagination-institute.org/wp-admin/post-new.php#Mary Helen Immordino-Yang, EdD, is an Associate Professor of Education,...
Jane Golden
Jane Golden Founder and Executive Director of the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program Jane Golden is Executive Director of the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program, overseeing its growth from a small city agency to the nation’s largest mural program and a model for...
Scott Barry Kaufman
Scott Barry Kaufman Scientific Director of the Imagination Institute Scott Barry Kaufman is the Scientic Director of the Imagination Institute and a researcher and lecturer in the Positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania, where he investigates the...
Bob Mankoff
Bob Mankoff Cartoon & Humor Editor of Esquire In 1974, Bob Mankoff began creating original cartoons and submitting them to magazines around New York City. In 1977, he sold his rst cartoon to The New Yorker, and within three years he became a regular contributor to...
Robert Sternberg
Robert Sternberg Professor of Human Development in the College of Human Ecology at Cornell University Robert J. Sternberg is Professor of Human Development in the College of Human Ecology at Cornell University and Honorary Professor of Psychology at Heidelberg...