Author: Dr. Sarah Learman, Teaching and Learning Consultant, Office of Curriculum and Instructional Support
After teaching in so many different modes and spaces these past few years, the time has come for us to go back to our face-to-face/on-campus classrooms again. But the word “back” doesn’t quite fit here, does it? “Back” implies that things will return to “normal” as they were before the pandemic, before remote instruction and hybrid learning monopolized our educational lexicon.
Recognizing the more visible differences between our past and what we’ll face in the fall is (hopefully) fairly straightforward. However, subtle distinctions present more of a challenge. From what “effective” teaching looks like now (which of our practices can we carry forward, which should we leave in the past?), the interactions we’ll have with our new(est) learners, to managing our expectations of them and addressing their expectations of us, how can we begin to prepare?
If not “back”, where? And how do we get there? Over our next 3 newsletters, we’ll discuss the discomfort we feel when we think about the upcoming fall semester. To ease us forward, we must acknowledge and empower our own resilience, confidently address the scattered responsibilities, mismatched expectations, and trending disengagement we’ve recently observed, and we’ll identify some practical steps for purposeful teaching preparation.
Things are different; we cannot stay stuck.
As next semester steadily approaches, many of us are experiencing feelings of trepidation surrounding our (continued) transition “back” into our classrooms. This instinctual unease and our caution toward teaching face to face again are bravely honest and important to acknowledge. These feelings are also rational; we know that our expectations, our instructional strategies, our approach to teaching, and our students’ approach to learning have all been forever changed. Deep down, we know there’s no going “back” to the way things were.
The persistent exhaustion and frustration that have accompanied the uncertainty, lack of control, and consistently complicated disruptions to our professional activities are overwhelming. Such prolonged exposure to intense stressors can cause us to get physically, cognitively, and emotionally stuck. But most often, we get stuck in frustration. Stuck in wishing things could go back to before, to simple and familiar. But we can’t stay there. The resistance we feel toward recognizing and facing all the differences in our teaching practice is natural, but they no longer serve us. When we stay in resistance, the need to disengage overwhelms us, and we stay stuck. To “unstick”, from this dreadful apprehension, we must remember that we are resilient. And as we allow our resilience to carry us forward, future classroom teaching will be a little less daunting, a bit more manageable, and filled with peaceful confidence.
Resilience requires acceptance.
The first element of resilience is acceptance. Radical acceptance doesn’t imply contentment; it doesn’t assume that things are “ok”, and doesn’t force us to be happy with things as they are. Instead, radical acceptance allows us to non-judgmentally acknowledge the truth of our situation, of our circumstances and our experiences as they are, not as what they used to be or what we wish they were. Acknowledging our feelings about the differences we are encountering in our teaching practice, and our inherent resistance to accept what is outside of our control allows us to move through the frustration, through the anger, through the pull toward disengagement and positions us for resilience.
“…we disengage to self-protect. When we disengage we are choosing certainty over curiosity, armor over vulnerability, and knowing over learning. And, yet, the hurt doesn’t go away simply because we choose not to acknowledge it. It festers. It grows. It finds other ways to be off-loaded. Ways that do not usually align with the people we want to be and lives we want to live.
When we choose not to run, not to disengage, but to walk into the cave—to wade into the brackish delta with courage and open hearts and minds—to find the wisdom in the stories of our falls. And then to fall again—and rise a bit stronger the next time” (Brown, 2018).
The promise of resilience isn’t “bouncing back”; it’s turning forward.
In the excerpt above, the phrase “rise a bit stronger the next time” alludes to the second key element of resilience: our ability to pick ourselves up after a fall or work through a difficult situation. Resilience, however, is so much more than that.
“…we are led to believe that resilience (for humans) is about “bouncing back” after stress—or returning to who or what we were before whatever hard rain hit us and soaked us to the bone. Elastic resilience would lead me to believe that once I dried off, I’d be the same me I was before the rain fell. You know, I’d go back to “normal.” BUT what’s done, cannot be undone” (Gillum , n.d.).
Resilience isn’t about going back to the way things were, and it’s not about rebounding. It’s not as simple as overcoming adversity or finding an alternate route when your exit is blocked. It isn’t about toughness, inner strength, or being resourceful enough to navigate life’s challenges. It certainly isn’t as hollow as being (perceived as) unaffected by difficult situations. Such limited understanding of resilience prevents us from experiencing the deep growth and authentic learning that accompany life’s challenges. Growth and learning are what make us better, healthier, happier humans and allow us to enter our next phase inspired and perhaps even motivated.
True resilience is about balance and growth. It requires acknowledgment and acceptance of the changes that life and circumstances outside of our control throw at us (but not necessarily liking them!). It’s about allowing our experiences to change us and inform what we do in the future. It means trusting in ourselves, in our abilities, and in our capacity to grow and learn. And as we trust ourselves and accept the differences and unpredictability that we’ll inevitably face, both in life and in our teaching, we’ll be more confident in where we are right now and where we are headed.
Resilience as a life raft: climb on.
In practice: resilience isn’t forcing ourselves to take the next step with our heads down and teeth clenched, continuing the obligatory trudge through the murk of our day-to-day. Instead, it can be helpful to view resilience as a raft upon which we can climb and rest. Once we’re aboard, we’ll be able to lift our heads, see where we’ve been and where we are going. We can remember that we are capable and can use the tools we already have to steer ourselves in whichever direction we choose. It’s important to note, in this analogy, our resilience raft doesn’t prevent us from getting wet. It doesn’t prevent waves from crashing and it doesn’t shield us from the elements that surprise us, destabilize our footing, and rock us to our core. Resilience, instead, gives us something to hold on to. A principle by which we can orient ourselves, a mindset that helps us move through the storm and come out on the other side. On the raft of resilience, we can watch ourselves grow into stronger, better versions of ourselves. And then, once we are out of that storm, we’re more ready for the next one.
Resiliency leads to optimistic realism; deprioritize what was and focus on what could be.
Resilience means recognizing that our students and our classroom teaching experiences will be different; it’s also about acknowledging that we are different. Exactly how we’re all different and how we’ll best navigate these differences is unique to each of us. Who you are now? Have your priorities changed? Has your cognitive capacity changed? Your patience? What has your teaching looked like throughout your career (as applicable): before Covid-19, at the peak of the pandemic, the early transitions back into teaching, and now. Resilience requires acknowledging all this and being inspired by it. It requires taking what you learn from the things that life throws at you, applying it to what you already know to be true about yourself, and using that to inform what you do next.
As we learn to harness the potential that accompanies a resilience mindset, we can recognize the need to be realistic. Realistic through radical acceptance of what’s different now, realistic in our approach to expectations (in allowing ourselves to step back and see where our expectations are and whether or not they align with our realities), and realistic in our approach to our teaching practices, our methods, and our materials. It is important to remind ourselves that resilience here doesn’t mean that we cannot continue some of what we used to do; nor does it mean that we should start from scratch and implement all new teaching practices. What it does mean, however, is that we must realistically recognize what’s worked in the past, keep what we found valuable, troubleshoot what is necessary, and release the rest. Release the extra, release the redundant, release the strategies and materials that aren’t serving you or your students anymore, and embrace what will.
American psychologist and author, Dr. Tara Brach, writes, “Resilience grows when we become intentional about bringing our best to difficult life seasons” (Brach, 2018). But we’d argue against the use of “our best” here. It places an unnecessary emphasis on our effort, implying a requirement to bring our perfect A-game to all of life’s difficult seasons in order to reap the benefits of resilience. Instead, we’ll leave you with this: “Resilience grows when we become intentional about bringing ourselves to difficult life seasons”. Then, once we’re upon the raft of resistance, we can float; and we can guide ourselves through and onward.
For more on this check out these articles: What Educators Need Now Is Resilience (HBP), and Resilience Is About How You Recharge, Not How You Endure (HBP); and see the references listed below for more resources and further reading suggestions.
Be sure to look for our next issue in this series “Falling Back Into Our Classrooms: Expectations are the Antidote”, where we’ll talk about expectations and how focusing on expectations can help you and your students transition “back” to in-person learning.
As always, the Office of Curriculum and Instructional Support is here to help. Explore our teaching and learning resources, our learning collection of on-demand materials, or contact our office for more.
References:
Alby, C. (2022, February 10). Reclaiming the joy of teaching: Faculty focus. Faculty Focus | Higher Ed Teaching & Learning. Retrieved June 27, 2022, from https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/philosophy-of-teaching/reclaiming-the-joy-of-teaching/
Achor , S., & Gielan , M. (2021, April 21). Resilience is about how you recharge, not how you endure. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved June 29, 2022, from https://hbr.org/2016/06/resilience-is-about-how-you-recharge-not-how-you-endure?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter_weekly&utm_campaign=ascend_not_activesubs&deliveryName=DM202076
Archer, E., Beetham, S., Bland, D., & Pollak, L. (2021, October 21). Still Feeling Socially Awkward on Campus? You’re Not Alone. Harvard Business Publishing Education. Retrieved June 27, 2022, from https://hbsp.harvard.edu/inspiring-minds/still-feeling-socially-awkward-on-campus-youre-not-alone?cid=email%7Cmarketo%7C2021-05-31-the-faculty-lounge%7C1424822%7Cfaculty-lounge-newsletter%7Cnewsletter-subscribers%7Cvarious%7Cmay2022&acctID=none&mkt_tok=ODU1LUFUWi0yOTQAAAGEuMA3_qD-UFM_FcmHZxJCGTZuK11O5yYN9ofZtvxcFwMELR7ekQultuCCZJPemT3elkUyg7HeJrk_eyksluHQ4Z1eqgkXSsq87zsoMsHq2A
Brach, T. (2018, January 29). Resilience grows when we become intentional about bringing our best to difficult life seasons [Tweet]. Twitter. https://twitter.com/TaraBrach/status/958011035507675136
Brown, B. (2018, May 4). In you must go: Harnessing the force by owning our stories. Brené Brown. Retrieved June 27, 2022, from https://brenebrown.com/articles/2018/05/04/in-you-must-go-harnessing-the-force-by-owning-our-stories/
Gillum, J. (n.d.). Resilience: My Takeaways from Brene Brown’s “Rising Strong”. HarmonyUU. Retrieved June 27, 2022, from https://harmonyuu.org/resilience-rising-strong/
Hernandex, E., Ajayi-Ore, L., Asensio, P. M., Lee, S., & Enany, N. E. (2022, May 25). What Motivates You to Teach—and Inspires You When You Need a Boost. Harvard Business Publishing Education. Retrieved June 27, 2022, from https://hbsp.harvard.edu/inspiring-minds/what-motivates-you-to-teach-and-inspires-you-when-you-need-a-boost?cid=email%7Cmarketo%7C2021-05-31-the-faculty-lounge%7C1424822%7Cfaculty-lounge-newsletter%7Cnewsletter-subscribers%7Cvarious%7Cmay2022&acctID=none&mkt_tok=ODU1LUFUWi0yOTQAAAGEuMA3_vhX7k_eqPSEXjfUyRXUAyqv79tpoG4oMAcNADOrpVng8XVQdd6I-WOHzxtOw2yycTWdQzcTfoJ6VEeySO3AoBmAi_MKTYIBeiE8cg
Higgins, F. P. (2021, November 18). What Educators Need Now Is Resilience. Harvard Business Publishing Education. Retrieved June 27, 2022, from https://hbsp.harvard.edu/inspiring-minds/what-educators-need-now-is-resilience?cid=email%7Cmarketo%7C2022-06-07-the-faculty-lounge%7C1424822%7Cfaculty-lounge-newsletter%7Csl-you%7Cvarious%7Cjun2022&acctID=none&mkt_tok=ODU1LUFUWi0yOTQAAAGE3M-stIjMNEbSxnsH_f9DnAc39ryJ0dttRb3KZp4jQznFbT-ClvQ00EQKc_hJarf_xc7LkMyNqXXXiDFuGX7sesruLoyNfXELhYJVQSTTDQ
Petrow, S. (2017, August 30). Resilience isn’t just being tough; it’s a skill you can develop. here’s how I did it. The Washington Post. Retrieved June 27, 2022, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/resilience-isnt-just-being-tough-its-a-skill-you-can-develop-heres-how-i-did-it/2017/08/29/9d077a1e-881f-11e7-a50f-e0d4e6ec070a_story.html
Weimer, M. (2022, February 9). Growth across a teaching career. The Teaching Professor. Retrieved June 27, 2022, from https://www.teachingprofessor.com/topics/for-those-who-teach/growth-across-a-teaching-career/
Weimer, M. (2022, May 10). What I love about learning. The Teaching Professor. Retrieved June 27, 2022, from https://www.teachingprofessor.com/topics/for-those-who-teach/what-i-love-about-learning/
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