{"id":21306,"date":"2020-08-06T14:28:08","date_gmt":"2020-08-06T18:28:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/starr-commonwealth-new.local\/?p=21306"},"modified":"2020-08-06T14:28:08","modified_gmt":"2020-08-06T18:28:08","slug":"promoting-resilience-as-children-return-to-school","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starr.org\/2020\/promoting-resilience-as-children-return-to-school\/","title":{"rendered":"Promoting Resilience as Children Return to School"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Resilience provides hope, an essential experience for not just students but all of the adults working with them. We may not be able to take away toxic stress and trauma a child has experienced during COVID-19 or will continue to experience in their homes or communities post-pandemic, but we can create new experiences of resilience. Being trauma-informed means we take a child\u2019s past and current adverse experience into consideration. Post-disruption recovery will require that educators are always looking for new opportunities and experiences to provide to students which will either uncover their hidden resilience or cultivate characteristics of resilience to positively shift their view of self, others and the environment.<\/p>\n

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Resilience is the ability to achieve positive <\/b><\/font>outcomes \u2013 mentally, emotionally, socially and <\/b><\/font>spiritually \u2013 despite adversity<\/b><\/font><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Resilience research points to many characteristics that will protect children when they experience adversity. For example, psychological and emotional attributes and opportunities associated with resilience in children include: above average verbal skills, cognitive and problem solving opportunities and abilities, positive self-esteem, ability to self-regulate behavior, positive expectations about the future, familial and social supports (Loitre, Martin & Linares, 2005; Rice & Groves, 2005). However, there are four main factors we see repeatedly, in almost every article written about childhood resilience;<\/p>\n

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  1. Supportive adult-child relationships,<\/font><\/li>\n
  2. Sense of self-efficacy and perceived sense of control,<\/font><\/li>\n
  3. Adaptive skills and self-regulatory capacities,<\/font><\/li>\n
  4. Sources of faith, hope, and cultural traditions that provide meaning and a sense of value in life.<\/font><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    These four main factors align with the Circle of Courage\u00ae model of resilience<\/a>. The following is a look at protective factors that may prevent COVID-19 from being a traumatic experience for children despite exposure to the challenges brought upon by the pandemic.<\/p>\n

    Belonging, Connections, and Support<\/h3>\n