Teaching sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

15 minutes

Explore: Understanding resilience

30 minutes

Discover: Building resilience

20 minutes

Thrive: Applying resilience strategies

Explore: Understanding resilience

Step 1

Split the class into 4 groups and use the following explanation to introduce the game ‘21’.

Explain that they will work as a group to count to 21 without speaking or using non-verbal cues.
They will have no time to strategise before beginning.
If 2 or more people say the same number, they will need to begin again from 1.
Let students know they will have 5 minutes to attempt to complete this challenge.

When students are adequately frustrated or close to completion, pause the activity to discuss it as a class.

Use the following questions to prompt discussion:

How did you feel throughout the activity?
What obstacles got in the way?
How did you handle these obstacles?
What was the most frustrating part of the activity?
Would your group change their approach if you could do this again? Why?

Step 2

Introduce the concept of resilience:

Resilience is the ability to withstand and overcome adversity. Sometimes it’s framed as having the ability to ‘bounce back.’ However, it’s important to note that a person will not ‘bounce back’ to the same state, as they are likely to have developed new thoughts, experiences and skills as a result of the challenges they faced.
Having resilience is essential for mental and physical health and well-being.
Resilience is a learned ability and one that we can intentionally build.

Step 3

Ask students to pair up and discuss what they think resilience looks like, then ask some pairs to share their answers with the class.

Examples:

Relying on strengths to overcome problems.
Asking for support when needed.
Having specific strategies to use when difficulties arise.
Learning from mistakes and trying again.
Focusing on what you have, not what you don’t have.

Step 4

Invite students to think about a time they’ve demonstrated resilience. If appropriate, share your own example to encourage openness. Provide students an opportunity to share their answers with a partner, then invite a few students to share with the class if they feel comfortable to do so.

Teacher note: Let students become frustrated throughout the counting activity; this will form an important part of the debrief.

Discover: Building resilience

Step 1

This step looks at mindfulness as a resilience strategy.

Watch the video:

How to manage stress and build resilience with mindfulness (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMGvuS_csRk) then discuss the key concepts as a class.

Use the following questions to prompt discussion:

What do you already know about mindfulness?
Do you practise this in your day-to-day life?
Mindfulness isn’t just breathing exercises; what else could mindfulness look like?
How does mindfulness assist in building resilience?

Provide the following explanation to assist their thinking:

Mindfulness brings us to the present moment, helping us calm down and reconnect with ourselves. It's a way to deal with overwhelm, anxiety and overthinking. Practising mindfulness is a strategy that can be used to build resilience.

Step 2

This step looks at help-seeking as a resilience strategy.

Ask students to identify up to 3 people they regularly turn to for support, then facilitate a class discussion about how help-seeking can build resilience.

Use the following questions to prompt discussion:

Who do you go to in times of need?
Why do you go to this person?
Are there other people you could consider going to for support?
How does help-seeking build resilience?

Ask students to consider where else they could access support outside of people they know and discuss answers as a class.

Examples:

Headspace
Kids Helpline

Provide the following explanation to assist their thinking:

Support networks can provide emotional, social and practical support to help us cope with stress and build resilience. Support can come from various sources, including family members, friends, teachers, mentors, coaches and counsellors.

Step 3

This steps looks at self-expression as a resilience strategy.

Ask students to pair up and share what they know about self-expression. Encourage some pairs to share their answers with the class.

Examples:

Being able to express what you’re feeling.
Letting people know how you feel.
Being yourself.

Next, ask them to identify ways they like to express themselves. You may like to share your own example if appropriate.

Examples:

Writing
Art
Music
Fashion
Talking to a friend

Provide the following explanation to assist their thinking:

Self-expression allows individuals to express emotions, thoughts and experiences in a healthy and constructive way, which can contribute to a sense of belonging, validation and support. If emotions are not expressed in a healthy way, they can lead to feelings of overwhelm or hopelessness.

Step 4

This step looks at exercise as a resilience strategy.

Ask students to find a space in the room where they can stand and view the screen. Play the video Just Dance and encourage participation by leading the way.

Once the video has ended, have students consider how exercise can help build resilience and facilitate a class discussion to share ideas.

Provide the following explanation to assist their thinking:

Exercise is a powerful resilience strategy. Exercise positively impacts our physical and mental health; it can help us cope with stress, improve our mood and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. Incorporating exercise as part of our routine enhances our resilience to move through life's challenges.

Step 5

This step looks at mindset as a resilience strategy.

Introduce the concept of a growth mindset:

A growth mindset is a belief that one’s abilities and qualities can be developed through effort and perseverance.
When we have a growth mindset, challenges and failures are viewed as opportunities to learn and grow rather than as indicators of limitations or shortcomings.

Watch the video:

Growth Mindset vs Fixed Mindset, then ask students to consider the last time they adopted a growth mindset.

Use the following questions to prompt discussion:

What does having a growth mindset look like to you?
Can you think of examples of people who regularly adopt a growth mindset?
Why is a growth mindset important?
How can it help build resilience?

Provide the following explanation to assist their thinking:

A growth mindset cultivates resilience through adopting a new attitude to setbacks and challenges, increasing our ability to bounce back.

Thrive: Applying resilience strategies

Step 1

Ask students to form pairs and distribute the Resilience Strategies worksheet. Before they begin, explain that they can draw upon the strategies discussed and any others they may know.

The ‘student choice’ section of the worksheet can be determined individually or as a group. If time permits, facilitate a group brainstorm to identify scenarios students are likely to face during their transition to adulthood, then vote on which 2 are most applicable.

Step 2

Invite students to share and compare their responses as a class to wrap up the activity.

Use the following questions to prompt discussion:

How did you choose which strategy would work for each scenario?
Have you tried applying these strategies before?
Which resilience strategy would you like to work on building?
Where in your life will you apply these strategies?

Teacher note: Once students have worked through all the scenarios, have them create a range of new ones that the whole class can utilise.

Skills: Resilience Strategies

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