DOING IT RESILIENTLY

MODULE 1: INTRODUCTION

1.1 UNDERSTANDING TEACHER RESILIENCE

KEY LEARNINGS Understand resilience and why it is important in school contexts Understand underlying theoretical frameworks that support teacher resilience Recognise the importance of identifying and utilising support Understand the enabling and constraining factors that influence teacher resilience

ENGAGINGWhat does

the wordRESILIENCE mean to you?

Pick an image/quote, draw/diagram something in pencil or colour, write something . . .

“the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or significant sources of stress — such as family and relationship problems, serious health problems or workplace and financial stressors.” (American Psychological Association, 2014)

“In the context of exposure to significant adversity, whether psychological, environmental, or both, resilience is both the capacity of individuals to navigate their way to health-sustaining resources, including

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opportunities to experience feelings of well-being, and a condition of the individual’s family, community and culture to provide these health resources and experiences in culturally meaningful ways.” (Ungar, 2008, p. 225).

A rich question: What would it take for you to have a good day in school? Draw or diagram or cartoon ‘the good day in school . . .’

How does this picture of the ‘good day’ link to your concept of resilience?

EXPLORINGYour Experience in Schools

Resilience is a term that’s used a lot in schools with kids. How’s it used and why? What experiences of resilience have you had as a teacher? (with yourself or kids?) Why might resilience be important for you to develop (as a teacher)?

Some Misconceptions It’s an individual quality people either do or don’t possess within themselves It’s only needed by people who live and work in extremely adverse situations It’s fixed and does not change over time or in different contexts It’s the sole responsibility of individuals

Can you think of a time or experience that connects to one of the four aspects of resilience in your experience?

THEORY IN OVERVIEW

There are a variety of theoretical perspectives relevant to the broad area of teacher attrition, retention and resilience. These include:

Teacher Motivation: Teacher motivation is a multi-faceted concept that centres on understanding what drives individual behaviours in the workplace. The concept of motivation encompasses three key elements: “(1) what energizes human behaviour, (2) what directs or channels such behaviour, and (3) how this behaviour is maintained or sustained” (Steers, Porter, & Bigley, 1996, p. 8). In essence, motivation enhances understandings of “why people decide to do something, how long they are willing to sustain the activity and how hard they are going to pursue it” (Dornyei, 2001a, p. 8).

Teacher Identity: Teacher identity is integral to, yet distinct from, the concept of resilience. An individual’s identity faces constant change and transformation, particularly when individuals encompass more than one identity (Hall, 1992). As Hall (1992) states: “we are confronted by a bewildering, fleeting multiplicity of possible identities, any one of which we could identify with – at least temporarily” (p. 277). Researchers often refer to two types of interconnecting teacher identities, personal (life experiences, which influence individual perceptions about the past, present and future) and professional (the entrepreneurial and the activist- Sachs, 2001). Johnson et al. (2010) identify three conditions that facilitate the active construction of teacher identity, thereby enhancing resilience. These conditions include:

- an understanding of the discursive nature of personal and professional identities;- being reflexive and engaging in self-reflection; and - enabling the development of a strong sense of agency, efficacy and self-worth

(Johnson et al., 2010, p. 4).

Teacher identity is “socially and culturally produced in context which is one of the reasons why a supportive school culture is so important” (Johnson et al., 2010, p. 4). Therefore, teachers need to draw on their personal beliefs about teaching, in conjunction with their social resources in order to remain engaged in the profession and develop resilience (Pearce & Morrison, 2011).

Teachers’ professional life stages: Life-stage or life-course theory has roots in developmental theory and focuses on understanding developmental processes across the life span (Elder, 1995). One of the most extensive studies relating to the professional life-stages of teachers is the ‘Variations in the Work and Lives of Teachers and their Effects on Pupils’ (VITAE) conducted in the United Kingdom. The VITAE

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project focused on identifying factors, within six professional life phases (see Table below), that increased or decreased teacher commitment, motivation and effectiveness over time.

Characteristics of Stage

Commitment, Motivation and Effectiveness

Key Findings: Grouped differences within Stages

Increased Decreased

Stag

e 1

0-3

year

s Developing efficacy in the classroom

High Commitment

School and leadership support

Poor student behaviour

Developing a sense of efficacy (60%)

Reduced sense of efficacy (40%)

Stag

e 2

4-7

year

s

Identity and efficacy in the classroom

Emerging identities

Increased confidence about effectiveness, assuming additional responsibilities

Difficulty managing workload

Sustaining strong sense of identity, self-efficacy and effectiveness (49%)

Sustaining identity, efficacy and effectiveness (31%)

Identity, efficacy and effectiveness at risk (20%)

Stag

e 3

8-15

ye

ars

Managing role and identity

Tensions about work transitions

Making decisions about career progression

Managing changes in role and identify

Sustained commitment (76%) Detachment and loss of

motivation (24%)

Stag

e 4

16-2

3 ye

ars

Work-life tensions Challenges to

motivation and commitment

Career advancement, good student results

Demands outside of school, difficulty managing workload, lack of school support, difficult student behaviour

Increased motivation and commitment (52%)

Sustained motivation, commitment and effectiveness (34%)

Decreased motivation, commitment and effectiveness (14%)

Stag

e 5

24-3

0 ye

ars

Challenges to maintain motivation

External policies and initiatives, declining student behaviour

Sustaining strong sense of motivation and commitment (54%)

Holding on but losing motivation (46%)

Stag

e 6

31+

ye

ars

Positive student-teacher relationships, student progress

Government policy,health issues, difficult student behaviour

Maintaining commitment (64%) ‘Tired or trapped’ (36%)

(Adapted from Day, 2008, p. 247-249)

Teacher Commitment: Teacher commitment is another multi-dimensional concept linked to understanding why teachers persist and remain in the teaching profession. According to Kanter (1972), a committed person is:

loyal and involved; he [sic] has a sense of belonging, a feeling that the group is an extension of himself and he is an extension of the group. Through commitment, person and group are inextricably linked (p. 66).

Teacher commitment is a key element to understanding the work, the lives, and the effectiveness of teachers (Day, 2008). This enduring commitment is evident in passion; investment of ‘extra’ time; a focus on the student; maintaining professional knowledge; transmitting knowledge and/or values; and engagement with the school community (Crosswell, 2006, p. 111-112). In other words, sustaining these various dimensions of commitment means to “be resilient” (Day, 2008, p. 255).

Whilst there are clear distinctions between these concepts and theoretical perspectives, they encompass important connections to broader understandings of teacher resilience.

A CASE STORY

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YOUR STORY: USING TEXT AND/OR ARTCharacteristics of a RESILIENT TEACHER

Using analogue drawing, think about yourself when you’re at your most resilient: what does this look like, feel like, sound like? (Y chart for preparation or as visual scaffold). You might choose a particular incident or moment that you remember, or a more general picture, representative of several moments.

Using narrative, tell the story of a moment when either you have been resilient or when you’ve seen another teacher be resilient. Try to describe the details to give a rich and vivid picture of this event.

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Have a look at the BRiTE model below. Do you think you might be better at being resilient in some of the dimensions and not so good in others? Express (through drawing, story etc.) your resilience skills in one or more of these areas (pick skills you’re good at and/or needing development!)

Characteristics of a resilient teacher IN CONTEXT How does the environment in which you live and work help you be resilient as a teacher? Might you

add some extra elements to the contextual ring?

Pick a contextual element that is working well as a resilience resource for you and express in words or images how this helps you respond well to difficult times

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WHAT THE RESEARCH SAYS (Papatraianou, 2012)PERSONAL CONTEXT

Teacher resilience is enabled when: Teacher resilience is constrained when:

Teachers engage in self-care activities, including:- Exercise/personal time- Attending social gatherings with friends

Teachers maintain social connections with family and friends, which also includes:- Access to professional assistance and advice/debrief

space

Teachers participate in online social networking sites to:- Maintain social connections/reduce feelings of stress- Share professional advice/develop database of

resources

Teachers employ discretionary practices online to:- Ensure that a boundary between school and home is

maintained

Teachers do not participate in self-care activities, due to:- High workload- Wanting to feel prepared in the classroom

Relationships with family and friends are unsupportive, when:- Family members do not provide the space for teachers to

debrief

The use of the internet is problematic when teachers:- Must manage student friend requests- Maintain a boundary between school and home- Waste time searching for professional resources

SCHOOL CONTEXTTeacher resilience is enabled when: Teacher resilience is constrained when:

Schools provide orientation to casual teachers, which includes:- Introductions to other staff members

Teachers are provided with info-rich school orientation e.g.:- Timetabling/policies information- Initiating informal connections with staff

Teachers self-select mentors with whom:- They have positive interpersonal relationships

Release time is readily available to:- Engage in professional learning

Professional development is accessible and includes:- Weekly meetings with school leaders to seek support

Schools embrace a collaborative school culture, which then facilitates:- Feelings of trust and positive communication among

staff- Opportunities for seeking support

School leaders:- Conduct informal visits to classrooms/provide

acknowledgement- Encourage interactions in the staffroom

Supportive colleagues provide:- Informal guidance/ space to debrief- Access to professional and contextual knowledge

Student behaviour is managed though:- Positive reinforcement/positive relationships- Receiving support for very disruptive students

Teachers experience the outcomes of student successes, including:- A sense of pride and accomplishment/ making a

difference

Teachers successfully navigate work and life interactions by:- Making conscious decisions to not work at home/being

organised

The physical wellbeing of teachers is fostered by:

Teachers are not involved in induction activities e.g.- School orientation/mentoring

Casual teachers are not orientated to new schools and are confronted with:- Poor signage- Lack of communication with administrative staff

Mentoring practices are underdeveloped as a result of the:- Procedural allocation of mentors

Release time processes are deficient if:- Teachers utilise this time unproductively/not given advice

School cultures implicitly value:- Hierarchical segregations between staff and casuals

School leaders:- Fail to provide assistance to casual teachers in relation to

behaviour management- Do not provide feedback or affirmation

Students display disruptive behaviour including:- Continuing low-level disruption- Physical/verbal abuse- Inappropriately using technology in the classroom

Teachers experience ineffective pre-service preparation which leads to:- A lack of behaviour management skills a casual teacher

Teachers struggle to implement engaging pedagogies due to:- External assessment standards

Emotional work of teachers is intensified when:- Teachers are confronted with the difficult life-events of

students

High workloads affect personal lives, heightened when:- Accountability measures are enforced

Teachers face physical sickness, and is aggravated when:- Country locations lack medical resources

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- Participating in self-care activities

SYSTEMIC CONTEXTTeacher resilience is enabled when: Teacher resilience is constrained when:

Departmental workshops provide practical ideas which can:- Increase their skills base/feelings of competence

Dedicated departmental consultants provide support, by:- Providing advice and guidance

Guidance is provided by external agencies, e.g:- Resources and information on learning difficulties/add.

needs

Teachers face difficulty acquiring employment, which leads to:- Job insecurity and uncertainty

THE BIG PICTURE

Bouncing back and BOUNCING FORWARD ?

“teacher resilience is not primarily associated with the capacity to ‘bounce back’ or recover from highly traumatic experiences and events but, rather, the capacity to maintain equilibrium and a sense of commitment and agency in the everyday worlds in which teachers teach” (Gu and Day, 2011, p. 5).

How does this quote link to what you’ve explored so far about what resilience is and what your experiences of resilience have been?

Where next? How might you develop one of the ideas here in relation to your own resilience/teaching goals?

STRATEGIESSimilar to Student resilience?

Teachers talk about building children’s resilience: https://youtu.be/ote4O3XTZUU Which ideas are valuable for you as a teacher?

1: be positive2: do team activities3: have a go4: mistakes are ok5: life isn’t fair6: model it

Models to Develop Resilience Social Emotional Learning: self-regulation communication, relationships Cognitive Behavioural: links between thoughts, feelings, actions Positive Psychology: range of strategies to promote positive emotions Mindfulness: meditation to reduce effects of stressors

Links back to “What the Research Says” section.

SCENARIO

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Choose a short scenario to read. Think about the following: What kind of strategies could you employ if you found yourself in one of the following situations?

1. Impact of stress on teaching:“When you are under high stress situations, you do lapse back to other things that you’ve seen. I can even catch myself saying things that my mum used to say to me when I was being a pain in the butt as a child. And you just think, ‘Why did I say that for? That was just a really stupid thing to say!’ But, you find yourself going back to those things, but if you don't have another way of doing things, you go straight back to the ways that you were treated as a student or as a child, or things you’ve seen other adults do” – Rosalie, Early Career Teacher

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2. Physical Impacts of teaching “It’s more draining than I thought it would be, and I don’t know that I am suited to it, because of the amount that you have to give because I have a family. I think that if I didn’t have a family, I would find this very rewarding, but because I'm doing it for all of these other children and then I'm coming home and doing it, I am finding that it’s a conflict of interest. I can’t always give as much to my daughter as I would perhaps could if I wasn’t doing this job”– Ruth, Early Career Teacher

3. Securing Employment“I don't really like that about our job how, especially like towards the end of the year where everyone has got the pressure of trying to get another job again and you have worked so hard and then so many people that don't end up getting their job. It’s not like a normal job where you have your job and stay there until you’re not doing the right thing. I'm 24 and I want to buy a house one day, but I can’t until I’ve got a steady income. You don't get paid in the holidays. I just can’t get anywhere. What got me through not quitting? When I was about to quit, I got turned down from so many jobs […] It was…rejection is hard to take. There is just so many rejections you can you take before you think wow I must be the worst teacher ever, I mustn’t be able to teach at all! But then I picked up a 5-week contract in the classroom that sort of made me feel, oh yep. But when those 5 weeks were over- what do I do now? But then that snowballed into more work. Sometimes it’s just timing. But I have a very supportive family and partner so now I’m fine because I eventually got a longer contract that turned permanent. But I had to wait! Patience!” – Sandra, Early Career Teacher

TAKE HOME MESSAGE

What is the one most significant thing you’ve come across in the session today?

Additional Resources and Websites

MindMatters: developing resilience in schools: https://youtu.be/gWAtdDYdURI MindMatters: https://www.mindmatters.edu.au/ KidsMatters: http://www.kidsmatter.edu.au/ Beyond Blue: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/ Billy Ocean: When the going gets tough . . . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIxUKbV0UEM

References

https://www.brite.edu.au/

http://www.redbubble.com/people/beanoutback/collections/234320-lego

Johnson, Down, Le Cornu, Peters, Sullivan, Pearce & Hunter (2012). Early Career Teachers: Stories of Resilience. Australian Research Council, University of South Australia: Adelaide.

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