Teacher can support young children in developing resilience without becoming overly careless and self-opinionated. For example, it is possible to foster self-regulation abilities by promoting the use of techniques for calming down, for instance, deep breathing, the use of imagination, and finding appropriate distractions to cope with stress (Best Start Resource Centre, 2020). Other skills include understanding the concept of causes and consequences and using life experiences and analytical abilities to predict the outcomes of risky behaviors, such as interacting with an angry animal (Healthy Children Magazine, 2014).
Additionally, to achieve the specified goal, it is essential to teach the basics of self-care skills to children, including healthy lifestyles, accepting one’s emotions, and “realistic optimism” (Best Start Resource Centre, 2020, p. 17). By promoting the listed abilities, education professionals can teach children to mobilize their internal resources to withstand everyday challenges without developing unrealistic and illogical views of life.
Teachers should make sure to select strategies and approaches that provide benefits for learners and do not undermine their parents’ beliefs. Firstly, expressions and conversations that leave students with the thought that their parents have done something wrong should be avoided. For instance, the professional may find out that the child’s parents have taught him or her to see threats everywhere.
In this case, explaining the difference between pessimistic, optimistic, and realistic attitudes to life to the student is more productive than criticizing the child’s parents. Secondly, strengthening parent-teacher partnerships and promoting parent education is a viable strategy to prevent conflicts (Couchenour & Chrisman, 2013). By using credible pedagogical research and their own knowledge, teachers can inform parents about the harmful consequences of imposing one’s fears on children, thus promoting positive change. Moreover, partnerships and parent engagement enable the opportunity to learn more about families’ views on upbringing children, which helps to remain respectful.
References
Best Start Resource Centre. (2020). Building resilience in young children: Booklet for parents of children from birth to six years. Author.
Couchenour, D., & Chrisman, K. (2013). Families, schools, and communities: Together for young children (5th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Healthy Children Magazine. (2014). Building resilience in children. Web.