Quiz: What kind of resilient teacher are you?

By Sahar Bahrami

Do you want to find out what kind of resilient teacher you are? Put it to the test and find out for yourself! As we’re well aware multiple answers might apply to you. Select the answer that has applied to you most often or would probably apply to you if the situation would occur.

1. You suddenly get a new task assigned at the school you work or do an internship at. This is a difficult task and you do not yet possess the skills to finish it. What do you do?
   1. You have a positive mind-set. If you do not yet possess the skills you need, you are going to find out what you need to do in order to finish this task. You might even decide you’re not going to the task at all. However, you remain positive and optimistic.
   2. You ask co-workers for advice on what to do. You have no trouble taking their advice. Even when they tell you to decline doing the task at all.
   3. You see this as an opportunity to learn. So what if you do not yet possess the skills? You are going to make sure you will acquire them and finish this task.
   4. You’re making an overview of everything that needs to happen to finish this task. You plan ahead. You ask for help for the parts you can’t do by yourself.
2. This describes my strategy for dealing with stress
   1. Be positive and have fun
   2. Ask for help
   3. Manage your time and set goals and priorities
   4. Be mindful and self-aware
3. My support network consists of:
   1. Colleagues and peers. You believe in the power of teamwork and that when everyone works together, everyone can benefit. A good relationship with your colleagues and peers can get you a long way.
   2. Mentors at school or lecturers from university. You use your mentoring sessions to discuss what you’re struggling with. You set up some goals that your mentor or lecturer can help you with.
   3. You gain a lot of support from the community at school. Not only from your colleagues, but also from the relationship you have with your students and their parents. When you enter the school, you feel at home.
   4. Professional networks – for example groups on social media. A social media group can help you connect with and learn from experts in the field easily.
4. Your resilience (as a teacher) is being supported by:
   1. Classroom situation and your students
   2. Friends and family
   3. Parents/school community and other graduates
   4. Staff members at school and mentors
5. What makes a resilient teacher?
   1. A resilient teacher is someone who can cope with stress and hard experiences and continue teaching effectively.
   2. A resilient teacher needs to have a great support network (other teachers, collegiate support person, etc.) to discuss issues, problems, concerns and stresses.
   3. A resilient teacher views their teaching as a work-in-process, always changing for the better.
   4. A resilient teacher can deal with a problem, try to solve it and move forward, learning from it.
6. It’s your first week at a new school, what is the most likely thing you might do?
   1. Call one of your parents every night and debrief (and possibly cry).
   2. Join a social media group on Facebook and share your story. You would like to hear how other people experienced their first weeks.
   3. You make an effort to get to know your colleagues.
   4. You try to get involved in other aspects of the school community, for example join a committee.
7. This is my best teacher trait:
   1. I have a sense of humor
   2. I am a great communicator
   3. I like a challenge
   4. I am flexible

The caring teacher Mostly 1’s	The social teacher Mostly 2’s	The motivated teacher Mostly 3’s	The problem-solving teacher Mostly 4’s
You not only care about the wellbeing of your co-workers and students, but also about your own. This is one of your greatest asset. You believe that your own well-being influences your work and your interactions at school. You are great with coping with stress. You don’t stress before there’s actually something to stress about. Even then you have no trouble being positive and optimistic.	You have no trouble asking for help. Friends and family are there for you. Advice from people around you is appreciated dearly. At work you focus on building relationships with your with your colleagues and students alike. Your consider your ability to ask for help when you need it as a strength and not as a weakness.	Whenever things aren’t going the way you like them to go, you are motivated to improve the situation, whether this relates to your classroom situation or your relationship with your co-workers. Even when times are tough you are confident that you are able to turn things around. People around you would describe you as a person who is persistent and improvement focused.	Whenever there’s a bump in the road you have no trouble adapting to the new situation. People come to you for advice, because to them your advise is valuable. They know that you are good at helping them solve their problems. Your desk and planner is really organized. This helps you get a clear overview of what you’ve already achieved and what needs some extra attention.

A resilient teacher doesn’t actually consist of just one of these four categories, but is most often a combination of (elements of) all of those. Do you want to learn more about how to become a resilient teacher? Head to brite.edu.au for more information!

Mansfield, C. F., Beltman, S., Broadley, T., & Weatherby-Fell, N. (2016b). Building resilience in teacher education: An evidenced informed framework. Teaching and Teacher Education, 54, 77–87. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2015.11.016.

https://www.brite.edu.au/Media/Default/PDFs/Wellbeing-and-self-care-Final.pdf