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Resiliency
Historically, the focus has been on medical
and psychological pathologies and
deficiencies rather than strengths.
At-Risk - new term to describe the decrease
in quality education and increase of students
in jeopardy. (A Nation at Risk, 1983)
We were looking at what’s wrong . . .
Rather than what’s right
Resiliency
The shift has moved from identifying the
To identifying the
Resiliency
So what does resiliency
mean?
Resiliency
So what does resiliency mean?
•Capacity for successful adaptation
despite challenging or threatening
situations
•An inherent characteristic that exists in
some degree in all of us
•Resilience is itself normative
Resiliency
So what does resiliency mean?
•Person’s ability to remain steady or to
bounce back in spite of adversity.
•Resilient person draws on strengths,
internally and environmental,
to overcome challenges.
Resiliency
External Factors: Risk or
Protective
Family
Environment Harm or Nurture?
Community
The
Child
School
Other people
Resiliency
What are the risk factors?
Chronic
Poverty
Suicide
Neglect
Depression
Abuse
Parental
Psychopathologies
Non-English
Speaking
Disruptive
Behaviors
others
Resiliency
RISK FACTORS
Cumulative effect - more adversities lead
to more dysfunction and vulnerabilities.
Predispose a child to negative
developmental outcomes
Labels children
AT-RISK - what words come to mind?
Resiliency
What minimizes risk factors?
Protective factors - supports and
opportunities that buffer the effects
of risk factors.
Resiliency
“Buffers [protective factors]
make a more profound impact
on the life course of children
who grow up under adverse
conditions than do specific risk
factors or stressful life events.
They appear to transcend
ethnic, social class,
geographical, and historical
boundaries.”
Werner & Smith, 1992
Resiliency
External Factors
Communit
y
Family
The
Child
Other
people
Schoo
l
Internal Personality Traits
Resiliency
Internal Factors: Personal
Strengths
Social Competence Problem Solving
Responsiveness
Planning
Communication
Flexibility
Empathy
Caring
Resourcefulness
Compassion
Altruism
Forgiveness
Fostering Resiliency in Kids
Benard (1991)
Autonomy
Positive Identity
Internal Locus
of control
Self-efficacy
Mastery
Critical Thinking Adaptive
Distancing
Insight
Resistance
Self-Awareness
Humor
Sense of
purpose
Goal Directed
Achievement
Motivation
Educational
Aspirations
Creativity
Special Interests
Optimism
Hope
Faith
Spirituality
Sense of Meaning
Resiliency
SEL - Social and Emotional Learning
Works to develop core competences:
Self-awareness
Social awareness
Self-management
Relationship skills
Responsible decision-making
Resiliency
Other traits of a “resilient person”
•Easy temperament or disposition
•Likable, friendly, sociable
•True to self, resist pressure to do negative things
•Competence - being good at something
•Other characteristics describe a resilient person?
Resiliency
Search Institute
40
Developmental Assets: building blocks of
healthy development.
External
Assets: Positive, structured growth
environments (e.g,, support, empowerment,
boundaries, expectations, constructive use of
time)
Internal
Assets: commitment to learning,
positive values, social competencies, positive
identity
http://www.search-institute.org
Resiliency
So how do we build these
internal protective assets in
students?
We begin by applying the
resiliency approach to both
individual students and to the
school environment as a
whole.
Resiliency
Resiliency
Keys for building resiliency in the
environment
Caring and Support
High Expectations
Opportunities for Meaningful Participation
What is the home, school and community attitude?
Resiliency
Keys to reducing risk factors in the
environment:
Teach “Life Skills”
Set clear, consistent boundaries
Increased prosocial bonding
Resiliency
•Change our mindset - focus on the child’s strengths
•Focus on what the child is doing right
• What went right for you today?
• You had difficulty getting to school, but you made it! That
shows determination!
•Acknowledge and name the effective behavior.
Verbally saying it can add to a child’s self-image and
increase self-efficacy.
Resiliency
The core of resiliency is relationship.
Get to know your students, be persistent, laugh
with them. Let them get to know you.
A caring adult can make a huge difference in a
child’s life.
The resiliency approach benefits all.