Since the end of winter break, I’ve been awash in news stories of the “chaotic” reopening, or non-reopening of schools. Of the stress teachers, students, and administrators are feeling. Of staffing shortages, decline in student learning, rising depression and anxiety. While there is no easy “silver-lining” to the toll the pandemic is taking on schools, I do find some comfort in what the brain research shows us on resiliency. Fumiko Hoeft, a neuroscientist who/ studies dyslexia and resiliency, highlights key factors that promote resilience:

• Growth mindset

• Determination

• Optimism

• Sense of control

A “sense of control” might seem laughable in these times where seemingly everything is wildly beyond our control, but when it comes to learning and striving for students, it is all about encouraging students to reach beyond their comfort zone. It is up to us to help our students realize they can accept a challenge, and fail, and most importantly that the failure is transient. This ability to face obstacles with determination and optimism will set our students up for future success. The element of “control” is that all of us, including our students, can change with effort; that is in our control. Our capabilities and capacities aren’t fixed; that is the gift of a growth mindset. 

 Much of Hoeft’s research focuses on the power of mentorship. In a program that pairs mentors with middle school students with dyslexia and/or ADHD, Hoeft found that over the course of a year, mentored students saw an increase in growth mindset, self-esteem, ability to regulate their emotions, and a sharp decline in rates of depression, compared with students who were not mentored. What a powerful testament to how we are responsible for each other; how we must hold each other up and provide the support we all need to continue to take risks, fail, and grow. 

To learn more about mentoring for students who learn differently, click here

To read research about resilience in children with reading disabilities, click here