A CONTEXTUALIZING POSITION

“They (persistent people) handle major difficulties better than most people because they know how to gain strength from adversity. When hit by major setbacks they don’t complain about life being unfair. Like cats, they manage to land on their feet and often end up stronger and better than before.” (Siebert, A., n.d)

Respecting other people’s rights to emotions

Emotional resilience

Showing that you have the confidence to get through anything

“I have self control”

Loving life/ Living life to it’s fullest

Independent problem solving

Everyone can work together to help each other Not letting situations get the better of you

Coping with life’s knocks

Expressing yourself appropriately

Resilience. Resilience in being prepared for bad things so that they do not hurt you as much when they happen, or so that you can get back up quickly. Some synonyms for resilience are: rebound, springiness, vitality, adaptability, adjustability, flexibility, pliability, stamina, patience…

All these words can be used to describe resilient people. People who rebound keep going when something knocks them down, and not only that, but make situation turn out well (Siebert, A., n.d). Someone who has the springiness, and confidence needed to think of multiple ideas and try different things without being heart broken when they don't work out perfectly. People with vitality are healthy, they are full of life and are able to keep going if things pull them down. Adaptable people deal with situations of change and difference really easily and don't let that upset them, the same goes for adjustable, flexible, and pliable people. People with stamina keep going when things get tough, and patient people will persevere through tough times and not give up.

Resilience is coping with the changing world and environment that we live in- there is no ’set job description’ for anything any more, and people need to have resilience to be able to cope with the plethora of changes that happen in life. A child demonstrating emotional resilience is able to calm down within 10 minutes of being extremely upset without needing immediate adult-initiated support or guidance, and they are able to control their behaviour (You Can Do It Program, p212). Resilience is such a vital skill because it's not just relevant when 'big' things hurt you, it is a valuable in coping with EVERYDAY life, and its knocks and turns.

Particularly with children and young people resilience is important because it carves and shapes who they will be in the future, and builds in the strategies for coping for the rest of their lives. Childhood and adolescence are some of, if not the more variable times of ones life. It is full of constant changes and adaptations, and all people alike need to have the tools and strategies to come out on top.

At Chancellor State Primary College, in the Prep, the You Can Do It Program is used. This program develops Confidence, Persistence, Friendliness, Resilience and Organisation in children. It is available throughout the entire school. The school also has a “High 5” program, where the students, when faced with an issue with another student, they should 1. Speak nicely, 2. Speak firmly, 3. Ignore them, 4. Walk Away, 5. Tell the teacher. This program is very well known with every student in the school and is displayed in every classroom and taught specifically in the lower classes.