By Leon Zuna
Resiliency is a concept we should all remember when playing such an important role in our students’ lives. As years go by the need to foster other skills than just the academic ones has grown crucial. The social side of education also needs our attention. When teaching young children we are helping them grow older and mature. Our ultimate educational goal should be to be part of a process that helps them interact effectively with society by the time they are out of our hands.
Resiliency is the ability to adapt well despite adversity, overcome obstacles and develop hope for their future. Research has shown this is not something you have or lack. We are all born with an innate capacity for resilience, by which we are able to develop social competence, problem-solving skills, critical consciousness, autonomy, and a sense of purpose. It is a personality trait that can be learned and fostered.
It is in school where the basic human needs for support, respect and belonging are met and where reciprocal caring and participatory relationships should become solid bases for an effective learning process.
What does it take to be resilient? The following list of personal resiliency builders will help understand the concept and evaluate which ones you have already been fostering in your teaching as well as the ones to be reinforced.
Leon is an Academic Consultant for Cambridge University Press. He is a Psychologist and a Teacher of English as a second language. Leon has worked training teachers, coordinating institutions and lecturing in South America, Africa and India.
By analyzing these personal resiliency builders we realize they can all be learned and practised in our own classrooms and schools to help young children achieve success in and beyond the classroom. Needless to say, there are many ways for this to be done but some suggestions might enlighten the process:
Resiliency is a concept we should all remember when playing such an important role in our students’ lives. As years go by the need to foster other skills than just the academic ones has grown crucial. The social side of education also needs our attention. When teaching young children we are helping them grow older and mature. Our ultimate educational goal should be to be part of a process that helps them interact effectively with society by the time they are out of our hands.
Resiliency is the ability to adapt well despite adversity, overcome obstacles and develop hope for their future. Research has shown this is not something you have or lack. We are all born with an innate capacity for resilience, by which we are able to develop social competence, problem-solving skills, critical consciousness, autonomy, and a sense of purpose. It is a personality trait that can be learned and fostered.
It is in school where the basic human needs for support, respect and belonging are met and where reciprocal caring and participatory relationships should become solid bases for an effective learning process.
What does it take to be resilient? The following list of personal resiliency builders will help understand the concept and evaluate which ones you have already been fostering in your teaching as well as the ones to be reinforced.
- Sociability
- Humor
- Inner direction
- Perceptiveness
- Independence
- Self-motivation
- Sense of competence
- Feelings of self worth
- Spirituality
- Creativity
- Perseverance
- Positive view of Personal future
Leon is an Academic Consultant for Cambridge University Press. He is a Psychologist and a Teacher of English as a second language. Leon has worked training teachers, coordinating institutions and lecturing in South America, Africa and India.
By analyzing these personal resiliency builders we realize they can all be learned and practised in our own classrooms and schools to help young children achieve success in and beyond the classroom. Needless to say, there are many ways for this to be done but some suggestions might enlighten the process:
- Teach Problem-solving skills instead of solving problems yourself
- Teach social Interaction skills
- Promote a sense of belonging
- See and believe in each child’s worth
- Help children asses their own work and set goals for themselves
- Help children develop standards for their work
- Give children opportunities to make choices
- Let children play an active role in setting rules for classroom life
- Accentuate cooperation rather than competition