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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
The shift has moved from identifying the
To identifying the
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So what does resiliency So what does resiliency mean?mean?
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So what does resiliency So what does resiliency mean?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
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So what does resiliency So what does resiliency mean?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.
TheChild
Family
Community
School Other people
External Factors: Risk or External Factors: Risk or ProtectiveProtective
Environment Harm or Nurture?Environment Harm or Nurture?
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What are the risk What are the risk factors?factors?
Neglect
Parental Psychopathologies
Suicide
Disruptive Behaviors
Chronic Poverty
Abuse
Depression
others
Non-English Speaking
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RISK FACTORSRISK FACTORS
Cumulative effect - more adversities lead to more dysfunction and vulnerabilities.
Predispose a child to negative developmental outcomes
Labels childrenLabels children
AT-RISKAT-RISK - what words come to mind? - what words come to mind?
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What minimizes risk factors?What minimizes risk factors?
Protective factorsProtective factors - supports - supports and opportunities that buffer and opportunities that buffer
the effects of risk factors.the effects of risk factors.
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“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
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TheChild
Family
Community
School
Other people
External FactorsExternal Factors
Internal Personality Traits
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Internal Factors: Personal Internal Factors: Personal StrengthsStrengths
Social CompetenceProblem Solving AutonomySense of purpose
Responsiveness
Communication
EmpathyCaring
CompassionAltruismForgiveness
Positive IdentityInternal Locus of control
Self-efficacyMastery
Adaptive Distancing Resistance
Self-Awareness
HumorFostering Resiliency in KidsBenard (1991)
Goal DirectedAchievementMotivationEducational Aspirations
CreativitySpecial Interests
OptimismHope
Faith Spirituality
Sense of Meaning
Planning
Flexibility
Resourcefulness
Critical ThinkingInsight
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SEL - Social and Emotional Learning
Works to develop core competences:
Self-awarenessSelf-awarenessSocial awarenessSocial awarenessSelf-managementSelf-managementRelationship skillsRelationship skills
Responsible decision-makingResponsible decision-making
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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?
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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
Search Search InstituteInstitute
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So how do we build these So how do we build these internal protective assets internal protective assets
in students?in students?
We begin by applying the We begin by applying the resiliency approach to resiliency approach to
bothbothindividual students and to individual students and to the school environment the school environment
as a whole.as a whole.
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Caring and Support
High Expectations
Opportunities for Meaningful Participation
What is the home, school and community attitude?
Keys for building resiliency in the Keys for building resiliency in the environmentenvironment
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Teach “Life Skills”
Set clear, consistent boundaries
Increased prosocial bonding
Keys to reducing risk factors in the Keys to reducing risk factors in the environment:environment:
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•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.
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The resiliency approach benefits all.
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.
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