Some children enter school with the odds stacked heavily against them. These children might have significant neurological problems, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, generalized anxiety, depression, learning disabilities or autistic spectrum disorder. Other children might live in poverty, be victims of violence, or have a caregiver with substance abuse problems. Their problems render these children dangerously vulnerable, like a tiny chick that falls out of its nest.
To protect themselves, children with serious barriers often they act defensively, offensively or both. We can understand why these children have trouble reaching adulthood intact. What baffles us is why some of these children grow up to lead productive lives. What makes them so resilient? What do they have that others don’t?
Years of research in resiliency has shed some answers. People who succumb to their adverse circumstances believe that:
- their problems are pervasive; they don’t see any part of their lives as being good
- their problems will remain with them forever; there is no hope for a better life
- their problems are their fault.
On the other hand, people who beat the odds believe, at least to some extent, that:
- their problems don’t affect all areas of their lives; good things also happen
- their problems are temporary; their lives will get better
- they did not cause every problem they have; their misfortunes are often not their fault and they are not inherently bad.
Building resiliency is particularly essential to the success of children with academic barriers. Resiliency gives give them the courage they need to get up and go on, to solve problems, to succeed despite their barriers. Resiliency is the foundation of a good educational plan or map.
The next blog explains the general strategies for fostering resiliency among your children, either at home or in school.
Ignite Achievement Academy specializes in working with students, from grades three through twelve, with learning barriers. Our methods and materials are based on decades of educational research that tell us how to maximize student learning. These methods have been further subjected to rigorous in-house testing and are continuously improved and updated. The result is a strong educational program where every student shows progress. To learn more, ask questions or schedule a visit, call us at 704-542-6471 or use the contact form on our website. We look forward to hearing from you.