How to Build a More Resilient Classroom - Student Research Foundation

Teachers and educators, how are you doing psychologically as year 2022 begins?

It’s a difficult period. As one teacher we know recently observed, “I was ready to be all done with the pandemic. I was ready for December 2021 to be the end of an extremely difficult period. I was expecting the mood in my classroom to suddenly become sunny and bright. I thought we would all breathe a collective sign of relief. But no, we just have to take a deep breath, find some new psychological sources of strength, and keep dealing with all kinds of difficulties. Enough already.”

Have you heard people make similar observations as year 2022 is about to start? Of course you have. And chances are you are saying similar things too.

Advice from the Harvard Center on the Developing Child

How can we build resilience and keep moving forward?

We recently found a very helpful article that the Harvard Center on the Developing Child posted online. It’s entitled “How to Help Families and Staff Build Resilience During the Covid-19 Outbreak.”

We think you will want to read this article – the advice it offers is simple, actionable and practical. Here are the central pieces of advice it offers on building resilience – advice that seems just right for students and their families today.

First, “Unload the Negative Side”

“We can lighten the load on the negative side of the resilience scale by reducing sources of stress for families and program staff,” the article advises.

One example is helping families meet basic needs, like food, health care, child care, and internet access.

Second, “Load Up the Positive Side”

That can mean building “responsive relationships” with the families you are in contact with. It means you don’t simply check in on families; you listen and respond by taking action.

“Back-and-forth `serve and return’ interactions are simple and free, and you can do them during ordinary moments throughout the day,” the authors note.

Third, “Move the Fulcrum”

We especially like this concept. The authors explain that it means making it easier to tilt the scale toward positive outcomes by strengthening core skills and capabilities.

Wishing You and Your Students Every Success in the New Year!

We know that Omicron has thrown a big and discouraging setback on our road to recovery. But we believe that better times really do lie ahead.

Wishing you every success in the new educational year and beyond.

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