Director of Northern Virginia Tutoring Service Publishes Article on "Grit"

Falls Church, VA, April 27, 2014 --(PR.com)-- Dr. Ralph G. Perrino, Owner and Director of Northern Virginia Tutoring Service, located in Fairfax County, Virginia, has published “ ‘Grit’: The Missing Ingredient in the Education of America’s Youth.” This article, and others he has published, can be found at http://www.nvtutoring.com/articles.php.

There is much "buzz" in education circles today about the issue of "grit." Grit is the current catch phrase for drive, determination, perseverance, curiosity, self-control, and resilience in students. Much of the discussion centers on the idea that traditional methods of measuring classroom success – I.Q. testing, grades, GPA, and other quantitative measures – may not tell the entire story. The "cognitive hypothesis" has been questioned and an alternative, the "non-cognitive hypothesis" is in vogue. Dr. Perrino examines the evolution of this thinking and speculates on the reasons why some students, in spite of insurmountable obstacles, seem to overcome barriers to be successful in school. He hypothesizes that it is the agents of socialization – primarily the family – that are key to examining the issue of "grit" in students.

Dr. Perrino has taught Sociology, Political Science, and Business Management at Northern Virginia Community College since 1984 where he has been a vocal advocate of the community college as an alternative to expensive colleges and universities. He has previously written “The American Community College: A Continuing Gateway to Opportunity” and “Community College: An Option Not to Be Ignored in College Planning.”