Resiliency

There is an old saying which states that some people look at a partially filled glass of water and say "It's half empty", while others say "It's half full." Often with students who do not seem to have all the advantages of other students, we are inclined to focus on their "risk factors". A growing number of educators are taking the "half full" approach and are looking at the factors that relate to teen's successes. For example, Kimberly Gordon, Ph.D., is interested in finding out why some African-American students flourish, despite living in a low socio-economic environment . The factors that relate to their success are called "resiliency factors."

In a recent interview with Teacher Talk, Gordon defined resiliency as "...the ability to thrive, mature, and increase competence in the face of adverse circumstances or obstacles." Students who are resilient must draw upon all resources: biological, psychological, and environmental. Schools are a valuable environmental resource which can also affect the psychological resource.

How, then, can schools foster resiliency? Let us first look at the four methods for promoting resiliency:

Increase the student's self-esteem
Stop the negative chain of events
Provide an alternate route to success
Remove the stressor

The implementation of these methods can come from school administrators as well as teachers.

Teachers can also help students increase their self-esteem and develop a positive self-concept. Teachers can create opportunities for the student to become successful by:

helping the student set realistic and manageable goals
allowing enough time for the student to complete the task
furnishing the necessary resources
helping the student problem-solve difficult situations
starting classes on time
interacting with all the students - not just a select few
recognizing and understanding cultural differences among the students
using visual aids
offering "hands-on" experiences
offering ample praise
creating a trusting atmosphere in the classroom

How can a teacher recognize resilient qualities in a student? A resilient student may have the following characteristics:

good social skills
an internal locus of control
intelligent
androgynous behavior
independent

The presence of these qualities does not necessarily make one resilient. Also, the absence of these qualities does not prevent one from being resilient. Rather, it is the manifestation of competency that helps foster resiliency. In other words, teens need to experience success before they begin to realize that they can be successful. "Teachers are key to finding ways for all students to experience success!", says Dr. Gordon.

Both teachers and administrators can foster resiliency by creating a conflict-free environment, developing programs that support family involvement, allowing teachers to participate in the decision-making processes, supporting consistent disciplinary policies, and providing a well-maintained and nicely decorated building.