Model Resilience
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Demonstrate persistence, positive thinking, and healthy emotional regulation in your own actions.
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Students learn by watching adults respond calmly and thoughtfully to challenges.
Provide Positive Role Models
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Share examples of people who handle challenges well, including older students, mentors, or community members.
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Highlight stories of perseverance to show students that setbacks can be overcome.
Allow Safe Disappointments
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Let students experience manageable setbacks and mistakes, like incorrect answers or imperfect projects.
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Guide them to problem-solve and try again rather than immediately fixing the situation.
Encourage Self-Compassion
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Teach students to be kind to themselves when they make mistakes or face failures.
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Praise effort and growth, not just outcomes, to help them bounce back.
Focus on the Positive
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Encourage students to notice successes and progress alongside challenges.
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Try brief “positive reflection” activities, like sharing one thing that went well each day.
Highlight Students’ Resilience
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Remind students of past successes when they face difficulties.
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For example: “Remember how nervous you were presenting last week? Look at how confidently you did it today!”
Be Patient
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Resilience develops over time.
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Give students space to experience challenges and practice coping, offering support without removing all discomfort.
Source: Adapted from the American Academy of Pediatrics, “Resilience Guide for Parents and Teachers” (2012)