Do we promote resilience or dependence?
Dec 20th, 2008 by Don Ledingham
Modulus of Resilience, Ur, can be calculated using the following formula:
,
where σ is yield stress, E is Young’s modulus, and ε is strain
Resilience - re·sil·ience (ri zil′yəns, -ē əns)
noun
- the quality of being resilient; esp.,
- the ability to bounce or spring back into shape, position, etc.
- the ability to recover strength, spirits, good humor, etc. quickly; buoyancy
According to the OECD report on Trends in Education one of the major challenges facing people in the future will be the challenges presented by being less securely attached to world of work and jobs.
In my review of the implications of such a trend I identified a key question which has major relevance for the kind of education we currently provide, the question was:
2. How well do schools do in preparing young people to cope with, even thrive in, uncertainty?
Such a question leads me back to the uncomfortable question about whether or not we are helping children to be resilient?
At the risk of sounding too much my age I think there has been a dramatic change in the level of resilience we expect from children. Perhaps thirty years ago we did not have enough consideration about the feelings and concerns of young people but there appears to have been swing to the other extreme where parents often feel that any disturbance to the smooth trajectory of their child will have negative and irreversible consequences.
When I reflect upon my own schooling I think I can safely say that most of my “challenging” educational experiences had a positive impact on my development. I’m not saying that I enjoyed them or gained any pleasure from them at the time - but they have certainly helped to shape the person I am today and I’m certainly the better for it.
Yet there exists an understandable tendency amongst some parents to protect their child from any experience which “might” be perceived to be upsetting and against the wishes of their child.
It’s tough one but I think we need to begin to engage with parents about the impact of the “cotton wool” environment which only serves to stifle, and leaves children unprepared for the uncertain environment they are going to experience when they leave the nest.
I’m not suggesting here that we become any less caring than we currently are but that within a culture of unconditional positive regard, where we seek to promote a sense of belonging - we recognise that resilience is a natural human trait, that children are much more robust than we might think, and that we should not protect them to the exent that they never experience “challenging” circumstances which don’t necessarily meet with their approval or delight.
And in case you were wondering - no I haven’t been reading the Sunday Times!
Example from real practice:
I remember a couple of years ago giving P5 children the option of presenting the learning about Vikings they had done at home, to the class in any way they chose.
I stressed that not only was the medium completely their choice - a picture, model, talk, drama, (and I did get all of these and more!) but also this homework was optional - they could do it or not, as they and their parents agreed.
A concerned mother came in to see me saying that her son would not do anything, despite her cajoling.
Fine I said.
But no, she said. I want you to tell him he MUST produce something. I know that when the others all present their work, he’ll feel bad and disappointed with himself because he won’t have anything to show.
And? I said. Perhaps this will be a powerful learning experience for him, maybe not so much about Vikings, but much more usefully about himself.
She wasn’t happy, but so it proved to be.
In the event, the presentations took place over several days, and by the last day Jimmy did have a Viking shield to show, proudly cobbled together in the nick of time by him and his Mum.
If I had put any kind of compulsion on Jimmy, as his mother wanted, what an opportunity would have been lost.
Funny this should be your topic this week Don! I have been thinking about this as well and how many of our teenagers seem to have less of this quality than they use to. I remember being told never to give up and to this day keep on going even when times get tough.
I have a friend in Learning Support in Glasgow and I remember her discussing this with me as she had been on a course where the theme had been teaching resilence to youngsters. She did point out though that many children today have to be tough as their home circumstances can be extremely difficult.
Maybe we should all remember this over the festive period where some children may not have a happy Christmas.
Hi
The following report might be of interest
http://publications.everychildmatters.gov.uk/eOrderingDownload/00784-2008BKT-EN.pdf
It outlines the approach being taken in England but also summarises the evidence base around ‘resilience’ and mental health improvement for children and young people.
It confirms your arguement that negative even traumatic experiences are not neccesarily damaging in the long term, rather it is the balance of riskand resilience factors that appears to be significant for mental health / emotional well being. For example a child with a good self esteem and access to positive and supportive relationships with adults is much less likely to suffer on-going negative consequences of a traumatic or difficult experience than a child who does not enjoy such factors.
The risk factors for poor mental health in children were listed as folows
In the child -
Specific learning difficulties
Communication difficulties
Specific developmental delay
Genetic influence
Difficult temperament
Physical illness
Academic failure
Low self-esteem
In the family-
Overt parental conflict
Family breakdown
Inconsistent or unclear discipline
Hostile or rejecting relationships
Failure to adapt to a child’s changing needs
Physical, sexual or emotional abuse
Parental psychiatric illness
Parental criminality, alcoholism, substance
misuse or personality disorder
Death and loss – including loss of friendship
In the community -
Socio-economic disadvantage
Homelessness
Disaster
Discrimination
Other significant life events
A similiar list of resilience factors is also given along with a review of approaches to promoting goo emothional and mental health in schools.
Steven Wray
Dorothy/Liz - thanks for the examples.
Steven - thanks for the very helpful link
I have been pondering this recently when I invite parents to provide information to teachers on the following years class list formation process. I wrote that teachers do not hold all the information about a child and there are sometimes factors in the family or community [as Steven indicates above] which need to be considered.
Yes sure I get the cotton wool approach by some saying that unless he is in the same class as …….. he will be devastated… sometimes with the other parent saying the opposite.
However the exercise does bring forward for some children factors that ought to be considered for those at risk students…..
Mind you the helicoptering parents have tested my processes and patience at times and would benefit from reading abour resilience hence my post: http://mwalker.com.au/?p=366
Thanks