{"id":4495,"date":"2022-04-20T23:36:48","date_gmt":"2022-04-21T03:36:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/edt431-531\/?p=4495"},"modified":"2022-04-20T23:36:48","modified_gmt":"2022-04-21T03:36:48","slug":"our-learners-are-already-resilient","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/exemplary-science-teaching\/2022\/04\/our-learners-are-already-resilient\/","title":{"rendered":"Our Learners are Already Resilient"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Trauma is, unfortunately, something extremely prevalent within our world, and especially in the lives of many of the amazing students that fill the seats in our classrooms. In her book, \u201cFostering Resilient Learners\u201d, author Kristin Souers discusses ways that teachers can support the students in their classroom that have experienced\/are experiencing trauma. This blog will cover some of what Souers dives into in her book, as well as what I think!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Framework<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the very beginning of her book, Souers records some \u201cfundamental truths\u201d that we must use as a framework to understand the rest of her book. They include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. \u201cTrauma is real.<\/li>
  2. Trauma is prevalent. In fact, it is likely much more common than we care to admit.<\/li>
  3. Trauma is toxic to the brain and can affect development and learning in a multitude of ways.<\/li>
  4. In our schools, we need to be prepared to support our students who have experienced trauma, even if we don\u2019t know exactly who they are.<\/li>
  5. Children are resilient, and within positive learning environments they can grow, learn, and succeed.\u201d (pages 10-11)<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    To add to this list of truths myself, I would like to elaborate on the fifth point that Souers made. She says that \u201cchildren are resilient\u201d- and, in my opinion, they are already resilient before they even step into our classrooms. I, as the teacher, am not making my students resilient or making them have more grit. They already bring those things. Imagine the resilience a student has who comes to school after seeing their dad abuse them mom. Imagine the grit that a Black student has who was just harassed by a police officer (Bettina Love, a professor at University of Georgia, has really amazing things to say about the grit that Black students have and you can read about it here<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    For many of our students, resilience and grit are baked into their way of life. Grit and resilience are not mine to give as a teacher, but rather are something my students have every day, simply by existing. #healingcenteredengagement<\/a> #teaching<\/a> @KristinKsouers<\/a><\/p>— Grace Karlock (@MissKarlockChem) April 21, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote>