Resilience
Resilience is defined as the ability to bounce back from adversity. It is a necessary skill for coping with the ups and downs of life and one of the key ingredients of success. A number of things impact on a person’s resilience, including their previous experiences, their sense of self, the coping strategies they have developed over time and their mindset.
Students need to be taught that failure can be a precursor to success and is a necessary component of learning. The only way to succeed with tasks, assignments and exams, in physical activities such as sport, and in life in general is through perseverance and persistence, and by embracing and learning from failure. This is a growth mindset and a key aspect of developing resilience.
A mindset is the sum of the various beliefs people hold about themselves. These self-perceptions determine their behaviour, outlook and mental attitude. For example, people may believe that they are either ‘intelligent’ or ‘unintelligent’. Developing a growth mindset is essential in building students’ personal and social capabilities, including self-awareness and self-management.
Resilience is directly related to wellbeing; it is about having the ability to cope with and adapt to new situations. Being resilient and positive, with a sense of wellbeing, enables a person to approach other people and situations with confidence and optimism. This mindset is especially important for students given the enormous changes and challenges they face throughout adolescence.
By helping students to develop the skills to build resilience and a growth mindset, we can minimise the effects of negative, stressful situations. These skills allow students to face challenges, learn from them, and develop ways to live a happy and healthy life.
This resource includes classroom activities for developing resilience. The activities have been designed to help students explore and develop a growth mindset and to understand how they can bounce back from adversity. It includes Wellbeing Fives and links to articles that can be shared with the whole school community.
Classroom resources
Designed to be engaging and relevant to your students
Wellbeing Fives
Energise, refocus and develop wellbeing in your students in 5 minutes
Resources for parents and carers
Share with parents and carers to support a whole school approach to student wellbeing.
Resources for students
Engaging and reliable content for young people to support their wellbeing.