Philosophy :: Resiliency

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Resiliency, the capacity to resist, persist, withstand, overcome, rebound and recover from hardships and adversity, is fostered and developed by protective factors. Research has found that it is the quality, intensity and duration of protective factors in all areas of children's lives that determines the extent to which they will or will not become vulnerable to the risk factors to which they are exposed.

The recognition that some young people can survive and even thrive in the face of overwhelming odds has provided the paradigm shift from focusing on risks factors to focusing on resiliency and protective factors. An article by Kevin Bushweller in The American School Board Journal (May 1995) discusses case histories and summarizes key studies about resiliency, among them the following: Bernard, B. Fostering Resiliency in Kids: Protective Factors in the Family, School, and Community. Portland, OR: Western Center for Drug-Free Schools and Communities, 1991; Werner, E., and R. Smith. Overcoming the Odds: High-Risk Children from Birth to Adulthood. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1992; Wolin, S., and S. Wolin. The Resilient Self: How Survivors of Troubled Families Rise above Adversity, New York, NY: Random House, 1993.

The following tables were extracted from materials developed by Bonnie Bernard, Resiliency, Inc. and Peter Benson, Search Institute. Schools can assess the extent to which whether they are providing the protective factors, whether they are risk-focused or resiliency-focused and to what extent their students exhibit the characteristics of resiliency.

Caring and Support	High Expectations	Opportunities for Participation
Positive and encouraging school environment	The belief that all students can succeed	Including students in decisions that affect them
Fostering positive and supportive relationships among students	Provision of challenging instruction and resources for academic and social success	Open opportunity for all students in all areas of school involvement

Key Domains	Risk-Focused	Resiliency-Focused
RELATIONSHIPS	Hierarchical; blaming; and controlling	Caring, promoting positive expectations and participation
CURRICULUM	Fragmented; non-experiential; limited and lacking in multiple perspectives	Thematic, experiential, challenging, comprehensive and inclusive of multiple perspectives
INSTRUCTION	Accepts a narrow range of learning styles; builds from perceptions of student deficits; authoritarian.	Accepts a broad range of learning styles; builds from perceptions of student strengths and interests; participatory; facultative.
GROUPING	Tracked by perceptions of ability; promotes individual competition and a sense of alienation	Not tracked by perceptions of ability, promotes cooperation, shared responsibility and a sense of belonging
EVALUATION	Focuses on a limited range of intelligences; uses only standardized test; assumes only one correct answer	Focuses on multiple intelligences; uses authentic assessments; fosters self-reflection

Commitment to Learning	Positive Values	Social Competencies	Positive Identity
Motivated to do well in school	Places high value on helping other people	Knows how to plan ahead and make choices	Feels he/she has control over "things that might happen to me"
Actively engaged in learning; inquisitive	Places high value on promoting equality and reducing hunger and poverty	Has empathy, sensitivity and friendship skills	Has a positive self concept; likes him or herself
Cares about his or her school; shows willingness to contribute to positive school climate	Acts on convictions and stands up for his or her rights	Has knowledge of and comfort with people of different cultural, racial and ethnic backgrounds	Feels his/her life has a purpose; has goals and dreams
Seeks positive relationships with school personnel	Tells the truth when it is not easy	Can resist negative peer pressure and dangerous situations	Is optimistic about his/her personal future
Is willing to apply extra effort to master difficult task	Accepts and takes personal responsibility	Seeks to resolve conflict non-violently	Believes he/she makes a difference
Is willing to assist others in learning and participation	Places high value on abstinence from drug use and violence	Takes responsibility for his/her attitudes and behaviors	Believes she/she can make a contribution

Schools have the power to overcome incredible risk factors in the lives of their students including those for drug use and violence. However, schools are only one piece of the prevention equation. They must work in partnership with families and communities to create a network of safety for youth.