FROM THE HEAD OF SENIOR SCHOOL
Resilience
In light of many of the significant events
the world has witnessed in 2020. I am sure
our students have been confronted and
challenged, not only in relation to current
events, but also in relation to what they feel
the future may hold. Now, more than ever,
being resilient and able to quickly adapt is
essential to our wellbeing.
Research has established that for our
young people to thrive and emerge from
challenging experiences with a positive sense
of themselves and the future, they need to
be resilient. Children who are resilient are
Children who are resilient are better able
to face disappointment, learn from failure,
cope with loss, and adapt to change.
better able to face disappointment, learn
from failure, cope with loss, and adapt to
change. We recognise resilience in children
when we observe their determination, grit,
and perseverance to tackle problems and
cope with the emotional challenges of school
and life.
No matter how hard we may try, life is
not perfect. Every day is not sunny, our
relationships with others are not always
smooth, and there are days where life is
just downright challenging. However, it is
how we react to these less-than-perfect
situations that provide opportunities for
personal growth and development.
Our students spend a significant portion
of their time at school, which provides a
valuable context through which to examine
resilience, and actions we can take to
develop this trait further in our students.
A relevant example for some of our
students may be their first day back at
school after examinations. They may
receive their first examination result and
experience disappointment at the result
due to misinterpreting a question or
misunderstanding an instruction. This may
lead to anxiety and negative thinking,
spiralling downward until the student is
extremely anxious and stressed.
So, how can we help our students to avoid
this pattern?
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