Resilience

1
Resilience
Frieman, B. (2001) What Teachers Need to Know
about Children Children at Risk. McGraw Hill
(Chapter 2 key ideas)
2

• Personal Characteristics of Resilient Children
• What are the qualities that allow children to be
  resilient to lifes
• Stresses?
• Are problem solvers
• Can gain the positive attention of others
• Have an optimistic view of life
• Feel independent
• Seek novel experiences
• Approach life from a proactive perspective
• Feel they can control their environment
• Have a sense of humor
• Are able to empathize with others
• Have effective problem solving skills and coping
  strategies
• (Frieman,p. 11)

3

• Family Characteristics of Resilient Children
• What family qualities will promote resilience?
• Parents who are competent, loving and patient,
• A good relationship with at least one parental
  figure
• An array of alternative caretakers who step in
  when the parent is absent
• Little separation from the primary caretaker
  during the first year of life,
• A network of friends
• (Frieman p.11)
• And others who step up to mentor and guide
• Teachers, counselors, coaches, clergy, mental
  health workers and neighbors.

4

• Promoting Resilience
• Role Models
• We teach by what we do.
• What do you do when you mess up?
• Helping Behavior
• What does Helping Behavior Look Like?
• Trustworthy, dependable, consistent yourself
  even if you slip up.
• Attuned to your own feelings.
• Warmth, care and respect towards children
• Encourage them to be independent
• Take on perspective of child
• Accept students with all that they bring
• Positive Classroom
• What does a classroom that promotes resilience
  look like?
• Expectations for learning- push to work at
  highest potential
• Psychologically safe atmosphere-team work- seek
  help, collaborate

5

• Problem Solving
• Problem Solving is a Learned Skill
• How can we intervene and teach problem solving?
• Help students remember previous successful
  experience problem solving
• Look at alternative solutions with advantages and
  disadvantages
• If choice does not work-try another alternative
• Books to teach problem solving
• Draw, write, talk about alternatives characters
  face in solving their problems
• Mutual Story telling. Teacher starts a story with
  a problem- children make up alternative endings-
  an ending where the children are powerful and
  solve the problem