True Grit: Developing Resilience in Students, by Stephanie Jernigan, Librarian at West Elementary

Most likely somewhere in your past you had a teacher who believed in you, encouraged you, or mentored you.  That teacher may have completely changed your life but definitely made a difference for you. 

On the flip side, we’ve all had students who were in desperate need of an adult who would make a difference for them.  They are the students, who when faced with the slightest bit of challenge or difficulty, give up without really trying to overcome the obstacles.  They lack grit, also known as resilience.  What exactly is it?  Resilience is the human capacity to face, overcome and ultimately be strengthened by life’s adversities and challenges.  Having grit means that a student:

• Can bounce back
• Is resourceful
• Is aware of his/her strengths
• Has the ability to reach out to others
• Manages his/her emotions
• Develops problem-solving skills

Often students come to school having dealt with outside forces that tear at their resilience.  Others may feel family or internal pressure to perform and excel.  Research shows that when internal and environmental protective factors are strengthened in students, resilience develops.  The great thing about school is that for students who struggle with resilience, school in general and each of our classrooms specifically can become a haven.  We can’t always change the outside forces that present challenges for students, but we can certainly all be potential agents of protective factors.  It’s really more about how we teach than what we teach.

So, what can we do to build grit in our students?

 

• Develop caring relationships with our students as role models and mentors
• Show respect and human dignity to all of our students
• Create an environment with structure and clear and fair boundaries
• Keep students accountable for their behavior
• Have high expectations for students
• Notice and encourage positive internal traits that we see in our students
• Give students opportunities to participate
• Acknowledge that life comes with challenges that can be overcome
• Include stories of overcoming adversity in lessons
• Initiate class discussions about what trying is or what effort looks and feels like
• Help students recognize and change negative self-talk
• Let students ask for help

In other words, building community within our classroom develops resilience.  As you face your students this year, see the good in them, care about them, and hold them responsible.  Who knows?  You might just be the teacher they remember forever as the one who changed their lives.