Turning It Around for All Youth: From Risk to Resilience

Abstract:
This uplifting article discusses the value of shifting away from a risk-based approach that views children and families in terms of deficits. Instead, a resilience approach begins with positive beliefs about all students--specifically, that all individuals have the capacity to transform and change. The article identifies three factors that enable teachers and schools to transform lives: caring relationships, positive and high expectations, and opportunities to participate and contribute. Strategies for building resilience include school-level approaches (such as teacher support and staff development), school-community collaborations, and classroom approaches (teaching to students’ strengths, teaching students that they have innate resilience, providing growth opportunities, and self-assessing). The article highlights the importance of educators’ working from their own innate resilience, thus strengthening the message that will be delivered to students. The article is research based and will be helpful to a wide variety of educators.

Author(s): Bernard, Bonnie

Publication: ERIC/CUE Digest, Number 126


Date Published: 1/1/1997

Pages: 3

Location Code: 6324