Becoming a Resilient School Psychologist

Rhonda J. Armistead, NCSP

NASP President

2007-2008

Resilience…

andandChildrenChildren

andandSchool PsychologistsSchool Psychologists

Resilience

• What we know from the research• Why it is important for kids• The role of schools in building resilience• Risk factors for school psychologists• Protective factors for school psychologists• Career development stages• Career enrichment strategies

Resilience:

the ability to deal with lifethe ability to deal with life’s’s challenges in a positive and challenges in a positive and

productive manner…adapting to productive manner…adapting to adversity.adversity.

Resilient Mindset

Sources of Risk

DeprivationMaltreatment

Health issues

Neglect

ViolencePoverty

Mental health problems

Common elements in the research

Positive adult role models

Socialconnections

Committed & caringcommunity

Personalcharacteristics

Resilient classrooms*

* Doll, Zucker, & Brehm, 2004

Classroom routines and practices that strengthen academic efficacy

Classroom routines and practices that strengthen academic and behavioral self-determination

Academic Self-Determination

• personal goals for learning

• ability to identify and solve problems that might block achievement of goals

• Opportunities for practice, feedback, and direct instruction in goal setting, decision making, & problem solving

Behavioral Self-Control

• Essential behaviors include being responsive to teacher & lesson, staying engaged in academic tasks, interacting effectively with others, moving efficiently through transitions

• Classroom rules and group rewards

Relationships--a protective factor

• Emmy Werner’s research (1982, 1992)—children who overcame high-risk childhoods had a close bond with at least one caretaker, or had access to nurturing from other adults

Classroom routines and practices that strengthen relationships

Building Relationships

• Active listening

• Frequent student/teacher conversations

• Weekly classroom meetings

• Encouragement

• Fairness and nurturance

• Self-disclosure, teacher stories & experiences

Teacher-Student Relationships

• Most effective when warm, engaged, characterized by high demands & expectations, and provide structure & clear limits (Pianta, 1999).

• School dropouts repeatedly say the main reason they leave school is that no one there really cares about them.

Classroom routines and practices that strengthen peer relationships

Effective Peer-Relationships

• most effective when children support each other and know how to resolve conflicts

• students who are unliked in elementary school drop out of middle school at 5 times the rate of popular students

• having a friend in a class increases academic success

Classroom routines and practices that strengthen home-school relationships

•To belong and feel connected •To feel autonomous and have a sense of self-determination•To feel competent

School psychologists’ risk factors

excessive workload or number of caseshigh student-psychologist ratiosschool district policies & practicesinsufficient professional supervisionlack of opportunities for advancementlack of appreciationbeing a solo practitionerunidimensional practiceearly career status

Protective Factors

• Professional competence

• Professional self-determination

• Professional relatedness

• Professional connectedness

Career development stages

Advanced Student

Novice Professionals

Experienced Professionals

Senior Professionals

The advanced student:

• Self-focused• Rule-governed• Little attention to context of situations• See situations as bits of information• Evaluates information against own

experiences• Frequently has anxiety, frustration, confusion• But, hopeful and highly motivated

The novice professional:

• Mastering technical aspects, procedures, rules

• Increased consideration of context

• Needs help setting priorities, relevance of information starts to emerge

• Increased confidence

• Dependency-autonomy in conflict

The experienced professional

• Automaticity in skills• Balances skills w/empathy and understanding• Has developed schemata/ sees relationships• Makes decisions easily• Engages in planning, goal setting, considers

long-term effects• Very involved and engaged in situations

The senior professional

• Has paradigms, multiple schemes

• Integrates across domains of practice

• Feels at ease with complex, rapidly changing situations

• Makes decisions using qualitative distinctions

• Very skillful, involved, engaged,

Professional competence

Knowledge and skills

+

Effective management strategies

Career Enrichment

• Advanced Student

• Novice

• Experienced Professional

• Senior Professional

Career Development Stage

Professional Development

Professional Involvement

Available Resources

Advanced Student

•Attendance at state & national conferences

•Student membership

•Building a professional library

•Student membership•Co-present at conferences with faculty•Co-author publications with faculty•Student leadership opportunities

•University coursework•Mentoring by faculty & internship site supervisors•Association websites & print materials

Career Development Stage

Professional Development

Professional Involvement

Available Resources

Novice professional

•Develop personal CPD plan

•Acquire practice management & organizational skills

•Further refinement of skills

•Membership in professional associations•Active involvement in state associations•Self-study•Participation in peer support groups

•eCommunities•State & national conferences•Peer support•Mentoring by more experienced school psychologists•Supervision

Career Development Stage

Professional Development

Professional Involvement

Available Resources

Experienced professional

•Continuing education activities in accordance with CPD plan

•Development of specialty area(s)

•Maintenance of skills & acquisition of contemporary knowledge/skills

•Provide CPD activities for district or state colleagues

•Association leader-ship at state or national level•Presenting at conferences•Adjunct teaching•Supervision of practicum or internship students•Mentoring of colleagues•Advanced training or credentials (doctorate, ABPP)

•State/national associations•Peer networks•Supervision

Career Development Stage

Professional Development

Professional Involvement

Available Resources

Senior professional

•Expansion of specialty areas

•Maintenance of skills & acquisition of contemporary knowledge/skills

•Association leader-ship at state or national level•Teaching (full- or part-time)•Consulting•Mentoring•Writing and publishing

•State/national associations•Peer networks

How does a Resilient School Psychologist Cope?• Professional Competence

• Professional Self-Determination

• Professional Relationships

• Professional Connectedness

Building Professional Resilience

• Develop strong, supportive personal/ professional relationships

• Be a life-long learner

• Have professional goals & move towards these goals

• Contribute to and become connected to the school psychology community

Personal Resilience

Positive Cognitive Style– Positive self-talk, view of self– Keep events in perspective– Optimism

Healthy living– Enjoyable/ relaxing activities – Good exercise and sleep habits

– Healthy nutrition

Nurturing personal relationships

Building Resilience: Something we do for others--

Something we do for ourselves