ABSTRACT

Resilience and perseverance often are needed in a time of adversity or change. Schools are safe environments that can promote a culture of resilience. The faculty and staff will learn resiliency traits and experience success with resilience when one as a leader model and teach those traits. Besides family, schools are the place where children feel most safe and can develop relationships that will foster resilience. Christina Parker, Executive Director of Georgia Association on Young Children (GAYC) shares her thoughts on resiliency and perseverance and the importance it plays in leadership roles and in life in general. Resilience Training International (RTI) founder Glenn Schiraldi explains that resilience is defined as those strengths of mind and character, both innate and developed, which enable us to adapt well to adversity. Rachael Robertson, Antarctic Expedition Leader, leadership expert, author, speaker, and mentor, states that she believes the two most important traits in a leader are self-awareness and resilience.