February 22, 2016 · 1:19 pm

English Language Learners and Resilience

There are a few students learning English as a second language in my practicum class. As a teacher candidate, it is important to consider how these students are resilient through learning and developing their English language skills. Padron, Waxman, Brown and Powers (2000) explore the relationship between classroom instruction and student resilience/non resilience for English Language Learners (ELL). The study concludes that student centered learning environments compared to teacher driven are often better for English language learners to be resilient. The hands on and experiential student centered learning approach allows students to engage in experience that is geared at supporting their resilience. In my practicum, I am going to use the student-centered instructional model in my teaching with all of my students. I think the root of this approach is inquiring what students want to learn and identifying the support they need along the way. For example these scholars argue the importance of putting equal emphasis on academic and social proficiencies. During practicum we will be doing a group inquiry project on Canadian Immigration. In my assessment, I will be focussing on how students collaborate together on the project and their problem solving skills. While this literature focuses on ELLs, I think it applies to all learners and building resilience.

 

Padron, Y. N., Waxman, H., Brown, A. P., & Powers, R. A. (2000). Improving classroom instruction and student learning for resilient and non-resilient English language learners. Center For Research on Education, Diversity and Excellence, 7, 1-4.

 

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· 11:43 am

When to start fostering resilience?

As I explore my inquiry further, I feel more prepared and inspired to start implementing resilience building strategies into my teaching and practicum. Through exploring literature and blogs there are many resources and strategies to foster resilience in the classroom. So, when should a teacher start implementing these strategies within the classroom? This question is critical to my inquiry because it sets the tone of how resilience will be built within the classroom. Bondy et al (2007) explain that teachers can and should begin creating a resilient classroom climate in their first introductions to the students on the first day of school. For example, teachers can create class expectations, create procedures that students go through when they need help and create an encouraging and positive tone. These scholars explain that the initial moments teachers meet their students is critical. As I approach the 10-week practicum, I will consider implementing what these scholars discuss right away. As a teacher candidate, I do not start the year off with students; however, I still think that Bondy et al theories apply. Throughout the 10 weeks I can build up a rapport with students and this can start at the beginning.

 

Bondy, E., Ross, D.D., Gallingane, C., & Hambacher, E. (2007). Creating environments of success and resilience: culturally responsive classroom management and more. Urban Education, 42, 326- 348.

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January 30, 2016 · 10:37 pm

Resources on developing resilience, grit, and growth mindset

http://www.edutopia.org/resilience-grit-resources

Edutopia is a well known blog that can cater to a variety of teacher related inquires and provides many resources for teachers to use. Through exploring this site, I found a blog that has compiled several resilience fostering resources for teachers to use in their classrooms. This blog uses a system of categories to explore various situations where students must be resilient. Thus, this blog is set up in such a fashion where it is accessible and comprehensive to a variety of teacher needs. Each sections provides a general overview and then a list of resources related to resilience. This blog contributes to my inquiry through providing specific strategies to support student resilience. This blog was created with both teachers and parents/guardians in mind, thus it supports resilience building both in and out of the classroom.

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· 2:38 am

Teacher’s (mis) understandings of resilience

Green, D., Oswald, M., & Spears, B. (2007). Teacher’s (mis) understandings of resilience. International Education Journal, 8, 133-144.

This article provides holistic perspectives of understanding student resilience. Green, Oswald and Spears (2007) discuss how the role of the teacher in fostering resilience is critical. In this article, these scholars address how many teachers have ‘misunderstanding’ of the construct of resiliency and what resilient students like in their classrooms. Through a qualitative research study, they conclude that teachers have difficulty differentiating between resilient and non-resilient students. This distinction is critical when attempting to foster a resilient classroom community. This article addresses the misunderstanding and provides ways teachers can engage in developing their understandings of resilience. For example, teachers can participate in professional development and seek the appropriate resources to support their students. This article articulates that the construct of resilience is complex and educators must have a full grasp on it before trying to implement it. Overall, the perspectives discussed in this article were helping to developing my inquiry and my overall understanding of resilience.

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January 29, 2016 · 5:07 am

Teacher (mis) understandings of resilience

I found the title of this article quite intriguing. As I continue to develop my inquiry project, I have found many scholarly articles on how teachers can foster resilience in the classroom. While these articles closely match and support my inquiry question, few to none discuss how teachers understand student resilience. This is a fundamental question to ask when exploring how one can foster an environment to support student resilience. Thus, Green, Oswald and Spears (2007) research on teacher understandings of resilience is an important perspective to consider.

These scholars conducted a qualitative study to measure teacher perceptions of student resiliency. Their results conclude the majority of teachers in their sample did not have a full grasp of the concept of resiliency. The teachers in the study were only able to give textbook definitions of “at risk” children and did not see resilience as a spectrum. While these teachers are passionate to support children and foster resiliency in the classroom there is a need for misunderstandings of resilience to be discussed. The article suggests that broadening knowledge of student resilience for teachers can be taken place through both professional development and university courses. This article encouraged me to reflect on my understanding of resilience and try to incorporate new perspectives into how I define resiliency. As a teacher candidate who will work towards fostering resilience in the classroom, I must have a broad perspectives and understandings of what resilience is and the diverse nature of what it looks like in students.

 

Green, D., Oswald, M., & Spears, B. (2007). Teacher’s (mis) understandings of resilience. International Education Journal, 8, 133-144.

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January 27, 2016 · 10:12 pm

Considering resilience in children and youth: fostering positive adaptation and competence in schools, families, and communities

Schonert- Reichl, K. A., & Le Rose, M. (2008). Considering resilience in children and youth: fostering positive adaptation and competence in schools, families, and communities. The Learning partnership, 1-17.

Schonert- Reichl and Le Rose use a case study to show how young children can thrive in the face of risk through the support of family, friends, communities and schools. Through tracing Nadia’s experiences with educational resilience despite living in low socioeconomic area with her mother who was addicted to drugs, many areas of interest arise. These scholars trace her narrative and show how environmental factors such as moving into a more stable living environment and receiving support at school can build resilient in children. Through looking at the factors that children need to be resilient, these scholars construct strategies to better support students through their struggles. Schonert-Reichl and Le Rose take a resiliency perspective that “focuses on promoting strengths rather than just reducing risk” (4). I found this article and perspective very realistic and student centred. Eliminating risk is not helpful or realistic to student development. Thus, through understanding how to support student resilience in the face of risk, community members, families and teachers will be able to facilitate an environment for resiliency to develop.

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January 24, 2016 · 7:47 pm

Building resilient students: three strategies for success

Davis, J. S. (2014). Building resilient students: three strategies for success. Educational Horizons, 92, 21-25.

This article provides three strategies to help support students to be resilient outside of the classroom. Davis provides insight into my inquiry that differs from other scholars. While he provides ways to support educational resiliency, his paper primarily focuses on how to foster resiliency for experiences students may face outside of the classroom. Davis explains that the relationship between educational resilience works hand in hand with overall life resiliency. Davis explains that teachers can build strong relationships with students and families, talk to students about who they are and embrace their narratives, and use “problem-based models of instruction” (24). Through using these strategies within the classroom, teachers can build up skills for students to carry with them through their lives. This article provides both a practical and meaningful resilience building strategies to in still in students. This article is particularly helpful to my inquiry because it shows how students are at the centre of building their own resilience, and all of the strategies emphasize the roles that both students and teachers play in fostering resilience.

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January 23, 2016 · 4:58 am

Summative Assessment and Resilience

Throughout my practicum, I have observed how assessment practices can both hinder and support resilience in students. Assessment is an important tool for both students and teachers. Assessment strategies and practices vary among different subjects and in different classrooms. Test taking, which is a form of summative assessment, is a common way to wrap up a unit. The process of taking the test and receiving it back can stir mixed feelings among students. If students do ‘poorly’ they can become frustrated and this can shut down both their emotional and academic progress. Thus, this influences how resilient students are moving forward after tests.

Downey (2008) explains that situations such as this reinforce the need for positive student-teacher rapport in the classroom. Through focusing on student “strengths to increase positive self-esteem” (57) teachers can support academic resilience within the classroom. Creating a warm and caring classroom climate is also important because students should feel comfortable when tests are sent back to them. When the classroom environment is supportive it eases student stress and frustration, which can help facilitate resiliency.

While scaffolding student resilience, teachers can adjust their assessment methods to meet the needs of their students. For example, setting up personal goals with students for the future. This allows students to be “personally responsible for their success” (59) and this can work hand in hand with summative assessment practices.

 

Downey, J.A. (2008). Recommendations for fostering educational resilience in the classroom, preventing school failure: alternative education for children and youth.Preventing School Failure, 53, 56-64.

 

 

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January 18, 2016 · 7:25 pm

Pupil resilience in the classroom

Cefai, C. (2004). Pupil resilience in the classroom. Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties, 9, 149-170.

This article discusses student resilience through a study conducted in Malta, Europe. This study is unique because it uses a teacher framework approach to understand student resilience. This approach is relevant to my inquiry because it assesses a tool (framework) that teachers can use within their classrooms. This framework is used to see how resilient students in your class are. The study concluded with the majority of the schools within the study being quite resilient, according to their framework. With this data, teachers can assess what areas their students need support to grow and become more resilient. Thus, this framework has the potential to formatively assess how teachers are promoting resilience within the classroom. While this study appears to be well constructed, it has a small sample size, which was taken from all European schools. Thus, this study does not represent all school contexts within the world. However, teachers can modify the framework to adjust to the needs of their country, community, and school.

 

 

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· 7:23 pm

Recommendations for fostering educational resilience in the classroom, preventing school failure: alternative education for children and youth

 

Downey, J.A. (2008). Recommendations for fostering educational resilience in the classroom, preventing school failure: alternative education for children and youth. Preventing School Failure, 53, 56-64.

This article outlines how young children who are “at risk” are put at a disadvantage compared to other children. At risk factors include, but are not limited to poverty, family dysfunction, racial discrimination and violence”. However, Downey suggests that kids can be quite resilient in school and over all in life through support systems. It is suggested that teachers play a large role in facilitating an environment and repertoire for students to be resilient. This sources effectively outlines, with examples of how teacher’s can foster resilience within the classroom. For example, teachers can set goals with the student instead of for the student. Downey suggests that this can help students make progress in their learning and be more resilient. The article also emphasizes that the recommendations are not only for “at risk” students but rather ways to foster resilience for all students. This article helps build my inquiry because it brings in several different support and intervention strategies for students. It addresses what can be done in the classroom, without relying on outside programs.

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