We all experience difficult times, but it is how we deal with them that tells us how resilient we are and helps us cope with challenges in the future. Resilience varies greatly from person to person. Just because one child breezes through a challenge doesn’t mean another will.

Reading books about overcoming challenges to your students will let them see characters in difficult situations and using different strategies to push through them. They are great discussion starters for you to use to bring up the benefits of being resilient, including:

• managing emotions appropriately
• asking for help when needed
• using judgement to change tack in difficult situations
• having a positive mindset
• expressing ideas and opinions confidently
• reflecting on their behaviour and strengths
• listening attentively and following instructions
• working cooperatively, sharing and taking turns
• understanding why they feel frustrated.