Helping Your Pupils to Be Resilient

For many children, school life is hard. They may have a learning difficulty or problems at home. They may feel left out or have trouble making friends. Other children may be stealing from them or bullying them. However, the good news is that children can form a protective understanding of themselves that can help them withstand life’s adversities. When they are able to see and draw on their own beliefs, skills and support systems in a positive way, they develop self-esteem and an optimistic outlook – the foundations of resilience.

Helping your pupils to be resilient clearly explains what reslience and self-esteem are and how they can foster a child’s emotional well-being. Focusing on the whole school environment, this book shows teachers how they can help develop resilience through support of their pupils’ understandings and the school’s prevention and intervention strategies.

This book suggests ways to organise the classroom, provides teaching strategies and pupil activities and gives notes on assessment and record-keeping. It is complemented by several pages of proformas, which can be copied or amended for use in the classroom.

Michele Murray has worked as a primary teacher, an educator and trainer in Drug and Health Education, and has also taught at Melbourne University in the subject area of Teaching and Learning and school supervision of student teachers. She currently works with disadvantaged families as a Learning for Life worker.

Kelli Simmons has extensive education and leadership experience. She has 20 years of extensive experience within primary schools and secondary schools, with 12 years teacher training management experience.

Jen works as a Clinical Psychotherapist in a private practice. She also currently provides Supervision and Reflective Practice to Counselling Managers of various support services. As an experienced educational consultant, Jen is able to draw from her studies, past classroom teaching and clinical practice. She has also worked as a trainer in drug education, and lectured at Melbourne University on Conflict Management and Positive Communication skills.

What is Resilience? What are the Benefits of Resilience? The Role of the Teacher. Organising the Classroom. Strategies and Activites. Frequently Asked Questions (and Trouble-Shooting). Tips for the Teacher. Assessment and Record Keeping. Proformas for the Classroom. Further Reading