Lawrence Union Free School District

  “Our greatest glory consists not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall”

                                                                                                ― Ralph Waldo Emerson

Parents and teachers can help students adapt to adversity, trauma and the challenges of everyday stressors by helping them build resiliency. The Resiliency Guide for Parents and Teachers, developed by the American Psychological Association, provides 10 tips for building resilience in children and teens.

For example, routines promote feelings of emotional and physical safety, and support resilience during the early years. In addition, a focus on self care, creating a positive self view and hopeful outlook, and providing social and individual opportunities for self discovery are a few ways to build resilience as children move from early childhood through adolescence. Finally, students who are both self-aware and socially aware will learn to manage stress, and demonstrate empathy towards others.

This article notes that the personal journey of resilience is unique to each child. With support and the right opportunities, children will develop confidence and feel safe turning to adult caregivers for guidance while gaining resiliency with each and every barrier faced. 

Visit the American Psychological Association’s website for the full article, including a Spanish language version.

We know that when children feel they are worthy and capable, they push forward with grit and determination. They are more resilient - more likely to overcome challenges and better cope with loss or disappointment. 

The article, Teaching Resilience in Schools and Fostering Resilient Learners from Positive Psychology, explains the impact of culture, and parental and social constructs on student’s resilience. Using a strength-based model and creating a supportive learning environment that fosters individuality while providing opportunities for skill building and problem solving, educators can promote resiliency in the classroom.

Apps are a great resource to help children process feelings, calm down to prepare for sleep, and focus their attention. Below are some examples of apps for young children. Additional apps can be found on our website.

The current pandemic has increased the likelihood that families are dealing with grief and loss. While challenging, this also presents an opportunity to cultivate resiliency and a culture of support for youth - helping them develop healthy coping strategies.

This tip sheet for caregivers, developed by The Community Technical Assistance Center of New York, provides guidance on how to support children through grief and loss, especially during these times. Death is a complicated topic; this resource provides age-appropriate guidance and practical strategies for how caregivers can respond.

Recent events, such as the Covid-19 pandemic and on-going concerns about social injustice can lead to compassion fatigue. Compassion Resilience helps to prevent compassion fatigue; it refers to the ability to maintain our physical, emotional and mental well-being while compassionately identifying and addressing the stressors and traumatic experiences of others.

The Wisconsin Initiative for Stigma Elimination (WISE) provides three separate toolkits to help facilitate compassion resilience: for schools, for health and human service organizations and for parents and caregivers.