Handout

Promoting Resiliency

To promote resiliency in children, teachers can:

• Communicate positive regard for the child despite occasional behavioral lapses
• Communicate respect for the child
• Listen to the child, and honor the child's perspective
• Realistically acknowledge the child’s accomplishments (do not patronize)
• Capitalize on the child’s interests, promoting activities that give the child a chance to shine
• Model that life is do-able
• Demonstrate self-control
• Demonstrate positive coping skills
• Teach responsible behavior and responsibility for one’s own behavior versus blaming others
• Teach cooperation (not competition)