Educator/Developer

Resilience encourages using positive-coping skills to manage stress in an optimal way. These positive-coping skills are considered protective factors because our intent is to take a personal challenge and create a more positive and less stressful outcome. Protective factors include recommendations of the World Health Organization (Suicide, 2014) for suicide prevention. Our objectives, therefore, are to develop social support systems, positive-coping skills for resilience, self-esteem, self-efficacy (believing you are capable of reaching a goal), and problem solving skills. An entirely educational approach is used for learning resilience using the theme of the "Hero's Journey." Hero's Journey ImageCommon to many epic stories is the hero who, facing a challenge, goes on an adventure, is victorious, and returns as a transformed person. Some examples are Luke in Star Wars and Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. The Hero's Journey encourages us to recognize the importance of teamwork through a social support system. Similarly, our learning uses Problem Based Learning (PBL) applying the positive-coping skills to create less stressful outcomes to our real life challenges. We title these skills Belief, Persistence, Strength, Trust, and Adaptability for our learning. Each positive-coping skill has three exercises, "Tell your story" to build on prior success, "Collaborate" to build problem solving skills, and "Own it" to build self-efficacy and self-esteem. These exercises are repeated for each skill to reinforce learning objectives and again encourage social support as an effective means for dealing with personal challenges. This instruction evolved from a university program lending itself to group learning and can be used with most audiences to include organizations, educational settings, and families. Refer to the Resilience Workbook PDF an Educators Multiuse Handbook for Resilience for a more in depth explanation to the learning and exercise rationale.

The following "Comprehensive" and "Fast-track" methods for learning resilence have consistently demonstrated statistically significant gains from pretest to posttest using a general resilience test (RSES) in adult groups of over ten individuals. Should you prefer printable resources, the following learning is also provided in the Resilience Exercises. Each exercise is organized into two double-sided pages allowing for easy use in group settings. Resilience Exercises PDF » Information and resources for evaluating your instruction, identifying curricular confusion, or even finding an at-risk learner, can be found in Diagnostics and Evaluation. Finally, this learning need not occur all at once. Rather, the learning can be broken into smaller segments, for example, working on just one skill per session. If you intend to facilitate this as a group exercise, then reading the first section of the workbook will greatly aid you as the facilitator.

Comprehensive--All Skills

1. Pretest

Optional general resilience test prior to learning and again sometime after the learning to measure personal change. The Response to Stressful Experiences Scale is for adults and available through GSA. RSES PDF »

2. Background

Brief two minute overview, for adults, of why we need to be resilient and how we can become resilient.

Resilience: Why and How, Part 1 of 3. Video »

3. Learning

This Comprehensive option applies all five positive coping skills. Work with another person, using the videos and the first section of the workbook, on the skill exercises for each of the five skills (3 to 4 hours).

Resilience: Why and How, Part 2 of 3. Brief video on learning the Belief skill and developing a social support system. (4 minutes) Video »

Belief flashcard. Skill exercises. More »

Persistence flashcard. Skill exercises. More »

Strength flashcard. Skill exercises. More »

Resilience: Why and How, Part 3 of 3. Brief video on learning the Trust skill with mention of the Persistence, Strength, and Adaptability skills. (4 minutes) Video »

Trust flashcard. Skill exercises. More »

Adaptability flashcard. Skill exercises. More »

Resilience Workbook. The first section of the workbook provides for a more in depth look at all skills and exercises. Workbook PDF »

4. Posttest

The same general resilience test may be a used sometime after learning to measure personal change.

5. Supplements

You can add to the learning using the Resilience App and the STEM Approach to Resilience exercise.

Fast-track--Two Skills

1. Pretest

Optional general resilience test prior to learning and again sometime after the learning to measure personal change. The Response to Stressful Experiences Scale is for adults and available through GSA. RSES PDF »

2. Background

Brief two minute overview, for adults, of why we need to be resilient and how we can become resilient.

Resilience: Why and How, Part 1 of 3. Video »

3. Learning

This Fast-track option applies two skills, Belief and Trust, and then briefly examines the Strength skill. Work with another person, using the videos and first section of the workbook, on the Belief and Trust exercises. Watch each video for an overview and then use the workbook for more depth of information. (1 to 2 hours)

Resilience: Why and How, Part 2 of 3. Brief video on learning the Belief skill and developing a social support system. (4 minutes) Video »

Belief flashcard. Skill exercises. More »

Resilience: Why and How, Part 3 of 3. Brief video on learning the Trust skill with mention of the Persistence, Strength, and Adaptability skills. (4 minutes) Video »

Trust flashcard. Skill exercises. More »

Resilience Workbook. The first section of the workbook provides for a more in depth look at all skills and exercises. Workbook PDF »

4. Posttest

The same general resilience test may be used sometime after learning to measure personal change. What has the testing shown you about your resilience?

5. Supplements

You can add to the learning using the Resilience App and the STEM Approach to Resilience exercise.

The preceding Learning to be Resilient should be explored before this optional STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) exercise examining the Internet of Things (IoT). This exercise has been tested down to middle school levels. Technology has quickly and dramatically changed the way we work, socialize, and communicate. Discover how technology gives us insight on developing a social support system to deal with our challenges while learning about the Internet of Things (IoT) using visual programming (Node-RED). Because of its educational focus, this exercise uses the low-cost Raspberry Pi computer. If you do not have a Raspberry Pi computer available, you can still complete all of the exercises using either a Macintosh or Windows computer -- see how to install Node-RED below.

Raspberry Pi OS

1. Resilience Prep

Complete a Resilience Learning module, such as the Fast-track--Two Skills.

2. STEM Learning

STEM, Resilience, and Raspberry Pi Setup, Part 1 of 3. Discover the positive coping resilience skills we use while doing a Raspberry Pi setup. And, discover how a technology system gives us insight on how to develop a social support system to deal with our challenges. Video »

STEM, Resilience, MQTT, and Node-RED, Part 2 of 3. Video »

STEM, Resilience, Node-RED, and Internet of Things, Part 3 of 3. Video »

Resilience Workbook. The second section of the workbook provides for a more in depth look at these STEM exercises. Workbook PDF »

Mac OS

1. Resilience Prep

Complete a Resilience Learning module, such as the Fast-track--Two Skills.

2. Install Node-RED on Mac OS

Brief, simple Node-RED install for Mac OS for those not using a Raspberry Pi. Video »

3. STEM Learning

STEM, Resilience, and Raspberry Pi Setup, Part 1 of 3. Though you are not using a Raspberry Pi, view this video to discover the positive coping resilience skills we use while setting up a computer. And, discover how a technology system gives us insight on how to develop a social support system to deal with our challenges. Video »

STEM, Resilience, MQTT, and Node-RED, Part 2 of 3. Video »

STEM, Resilience, Node-RED, and Internet of Things, Part 3 of 3. Video »

Resilience Workbook. The second section of the workbook provides for a more in depth look at these STEM exercises. Workbook PDF »

Windows OS

1. Resilience Prep

Complete a Resilience Learning module, such as the Fast-track--Two Skills.

2. Install Node-RED on Windows OS

Brief, simple Node-RED install for Windows 10 for those not using a Raspberry Pi. Video »

3. STEM Learning

STEM, Resilience, and Raspberry Pi Setup, Part 1 of 3. Though you are not using a Raspberry Pi, view this video to discover the positive coping resilience skills we use while setting up a computer. And, discover how a technology system gives us insight on how to develop a social support system to deal with our challenges. Video »

STEM, Resilience, MQTT, and Node-RED, Part 2 of 3. Video »

STEM, Resilience, Node-RED, and Internet of Things, Part 3 of 3. Video »

Resilience Workbook. The second section of the workbook provides for a more in depth look at these STEM exercises. Workbook PDF »

Resilience Supplements

Resilience App

Hero's Journey LogoA simple web-based application that parallels the five positive-coping skills, journals your learning, and further allows you to create your own resilience skills. The app permits exploration of a personal challenge using any or all of the skills. All data is stored locally on your computer or device. Should you want a printable version, the app has been translated to hardcopy in the workbook. More »

Download Resilience Application. Download the entire app and run it on your own device. Download, unzip, start your browser and Open the index.html file in the FiveSkillApp folder to run this on your browser. The application has been constructed as simple HTML and Javascript pages to permit easy editing and modification should you wish to alter this app for your instruction. Resilience App zip »

Gamification Resources

Gamified learning is an educational process of building in game elements to make learning more motivating and interesting. Our goal is to encourage social interaction and support using positive coping skills that foster resilience. More »

Resources for Teachers

  • Suggestions to Teachers for Adapting Resilience Resources. You are the specialists for your learners and the following goals and objectives are intended to aid you in adjustment of the materials. Adapting Resilience Resources PDF »
  • Intended for teachers as a basic resource for student created videos and storytelling -- starting point to create your own works. Brief minute-long stick-figure animations of five resilience skills. Encourages reinterpretation of the resilience skills. Sequence is Learning to be Resilient, Belief, Persistence, Strength, Trust, and Adaptability. Videos »

National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN)

NCTSN.org is a resource for the public, professionals, and others who care about children and are concerned about child traumatic stress. Link »

American Psychological Association (APA)

Brief resilience guide, for parents and teachers, with focus on children. Link »

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