A whole-school approach to developing resilience: Resources and suggestions for New Zealand schools

Abstract

In learning and life, there will always be challenges, requiring resilience to overcome, adapt, and persist in the face of adversity. Resilience is a key aspect of mental health and lifelong learning, reflected in the vision, key competencies, and health-related elements of the New Zealand Curriculum (Ministry of Education, 2007). Working on the understanding that schools can and should help learners to develop resilience, this article shares a recent inquiry undertaken by a full primary school in New Zealand (NZ), as part of a Teacher-Led Innovation Fund (TLIF) project. The inquiry approach and main findings are outlined, along with resources, and suggestions for schools striving to build a shared understanding of resilience among teachers, students, and parents. Our inquiry attests to the power of a whole school approach to the learning of resilience, underpinned by relational connections, the language of resilience and cross-curricula integration, as well as informal learning.