Building the Resilient School

Overcome the effects of poverty in the 21st century by embracing an innovative new vision of public schooling. With the guidance of this practical, research-driven resource, you will discover a model for building resilient schools that helps students work through their emotional and mental health needs, connect with caring adults, and find purpose for their lives.

Use this resource to embrace the whole child and address students’ social-emotional needs:

• Study the widespread poverty that currently exists in the United States.
• Understand the ways poverty traumatizes students, impedes their mental development, and damages and interferes with their ability to learn.
• Become familiar with secondary trauma and the ways educators can be traumatized by the compassion fatigue of working in communities that experience high rates of poverty.
• Learn how the effects of poverty can be mitigated through the development of resiliency in students, which can lead to decreased absenteeism and increased learning.
• Explore the four cornerstones of resilient schools.
• Discover the importance of resilient schools in overcoming the effects of poverty and supporting students and students’ families who are experiencing poverty.

Contents:
Acknowledgments
Table of Contents
About the Authors
Introduction—Poverty: Our Greatest Challenge
Part I—Understanding Poverty
Chapter 1—Poverty: On the Outskirts of Hope
Chapter 2—An Invisible Barrier: The Impacts of Poverty on Teaching and Learning
Chapter 3—An Unanticipated Challenge: The Detrimental Impacts of Poverty on School Staff
Part II—Introducing the Resilient School
Chapter 4—The Research: Resilient Students and Resilient Schools
Chapter 5—Pillar 1: Addressing Students’ Academic and Cognitive Needs
Chapter 6—Pillar 2: Addressing Students’ Social-Emotional Needs
Chapter 7—Pillar 3: Meeting the Human Needs of Students and Families
Chapter 8—Pillar 4: Considering the Relational and Professional Needs of Staff
Chapter 9—Conclusion: A Personal Note and a Vision for Resilient Schools
Appendix
References and Resources
Index