Motivation and Resilience Lorraine Hirst

What is resilience?  Often termed as ‘bounce-back’, resilience is the ‘grit’ we have to keep going when we face adversity or stress.  A simple model of resilience is known as ABC (Adversity, Beliefs and Consequences).  We can have internal and external resilience.  There are many protective factors for resilience and there are risk factors that can hinder resilience.

More about Resilience Co-founder and Program Director of the Center for Learning Connections, Dr. Cal Crow identified several additional attributes that are common in resilient people:  Resilient people have a positive image of the future. That is, they maintain a positive outlook, and envision brighter days ahead.  Resilient people have solid goals, and a desire to achieve those goals.  Resilient people are empathetic and compassionate, however, they don't waste time worrying what others think of them. They maintain healthy relationships, but don't bow to peer pressure.  Resilient people do not think of themselves as victims - they focus their time and energy on changing the things that they have control over.

‘The bamboo that bends is stronger than the oak that resists.’ ‘The bamboo that bends is stronger than the oak that resists.’ - Japanese proverb - Japanese proverb

Risk and Resilience Factors (Buchannan 1999) Factors in the personFactors in the familyFactors in the school/ community Wider world Risk Genetic factors Emotional/behavioral problems Temperament Impulsiveness Physical illness or impairment Mental disability Risk Family Adversities Poverty Mental illness in parent(s) Alcoholism Criminality Conflict between parents Lax/inconsistent discipline Punitive/authoritarian parenting Risk Poor reading/ low school attainment/ achievement in school Bullying in school Disadvantaged community/ neighbourhood Crime Racial tension/ harassment Experience of public care Risk Economic recession Unemployment Housing shortage Family change Family breakdown Long working hours/ job insecurity Protective Biological resilience Good Health and development Good problem solving skills/ high IQ Protective Good relationship with parents Supportive grandparents Lack of domestic tensions Family involvement in activities Being brought up by birth family Protective Supportive community School with good rates of achievement, good ethos, lack of bullying Opportunities for involvement and achievement Protective Inclusive policies

Protective Factors – School Age Individual factors:Family factors:Wider community factors: · Female · Sense of competence and self- efficacy · Internal locus of control · Empathy with others · Problem-solving skills · Communication skills · Sociable · Independent · Reflective, not impulsive · Ability to concentrate on schoolwork · Autonomy (girls) · Emotional expressiveness (boys) · Sense of humour · Hobbies · Willingness and capacity to plan · Close bond with at least one person · Nurturance and trust · Lack of separations · Lack of parental mental health or addiction problems · Required helpfulness · Encouragement for autonomy (girls) · Encouragement for expression of feelings (boys) · Close grandparents · Sibling attachment · Four or fewer children · Sufficient financial and material resources associated with resilience · Neighbour and other non-kin support · Peer contact · Good school experiences · Positive adult role models School Age – Resilience Factors (Daniel and Wassell, 2002)

Protective Factors - Adolescents Individual factors:Family factors:Wider community factors: · Male · Responsibility · Empathy with others · Internal locus of control · Social maturity · Positive self-concept · Achievement orientation · Gentleness, nurturance · Social perceptiveness · Preference for structure · A set of values · Intelligence · Willingness and capacity to plan · A close bond with at least one person · Nurturance and trust · Lack of separations · Lack of parental mental health or addiction problems · Required helpfulness · Encouragement of autonomy (girls) · Encouragement of expression of feelings (boys) · Close grandparents · Family harmony · Sibling attachment · Four or fewer children · Sufficient financial and material resources · Neighbour and other non- kin support · Peer contact · Good school experiences · Positive adult role models Adolescent – Resilience Factors – (Daniel and Wassell, 2002)

What is motivation?  Definition: ‘Motivation is defined as the process that initiates, guides and maintains goal-oriented behaviors. Motivation is what causes us to act, whether it is getting a glass of water to reduce thirst or reading a book to gain knowledge. It involves the biological, emotional, social and cognitive forces that activate behavior.’ – Kendra Cherry, About.com  True motivation comes from an inner voice and not from an external source (intrinsic motivation)  Sometimes children will become ‘compliant’ to please an adult or to bow to peer pressure, this is extrinsic motivation and works some of the time  So, how do we nuture this intrinsic motivation?

Carol Dweck – Growth Mindset Lack of motivation may come from a fixed mindset:  Proving, mistakes are bad, effort adverse, comparative/ competitive, inaccurate self-image Growth mindset: The notion that ability is expandable:  Improving  Adventurous learning  Failure/ mistakes are useful  Effort is pleasurable  Resilient - determined

What motivates us? These traditional things create Motivation 1:  Rewards/ incentives (Extrinsic motivation)- for simple straight- forward tasks. N.B. when task requires conceptual or creative thinking rewards, including money, do not work so well.  Punishment (Away from an undesired behaviour) - traditional These create Motivation 2 (Intrinsic motivation):  Self-direction/ autonomy  Mastery – we do things for fun and so we get better at them  Purpose – doing things that have meaning or that help others (Daniel Pink, ‘Drive’)

Ideas for encouraging motivation As mentors:  Praise the effort, not the end result (See ‘How not to Talk to Kids) Help children and young people to:  View failure as learning  Keep a focus on what you can control, not what you cannot control (locus of control)  Be curious and adventurous  Set goals  Positive self-image and self-esteem  Self-efficacy (what am I good at/ enjoy)

Way2be.me Approach The overall Way2be.me objectives for children are to:   Know yourself and your strengths (valuing yourself and your qualities)   Recognize and manage your emotions   Set and achieve positive goals   Know how to get and give support   Establish and maintain positive relationships   Handle interpersonal situations well   Make decisions based on resourceful and flexible thinking   To be able to manage risks   Have a positive image of my future self These all support motivation…

Whatever!!  We’re often told by teachers that, ‘it’s all about the attitude.’ What about the teachers attitude?  How we react to children and young people will affect how they in turn react.  Ego States – Parent, Adult, Child (aiming to be nurturing and structuring)  Transactions with children – injunctions and permissions (Refer to Factsheet 1)

Emotional Coaching 1. Listen, note the emotion that child is expressing 2. Acknowledge the child’s feelings – Name that emotion 3. Show support (I would love to solve this for you) 4. Invite them come up with their own solutions

Notice and reframe thinking traps If I don’t do my homework, I’ll get detention, then I’ll do badly in the exams and then I’ll never get a job It’s my my fault It’s all her/ his/ their fault They don’t like me She should be happy now but she’s still upset It’s always the same, they never let me go out

Resources     Paula C Dirkes, ‘Mentor Me!’   Carol Dweck, ‘Growth Mindset’   Bill Lucas, ‘New Kinds of Smart’   Daniel Pink, ‘Drive’  

Reinforcing the “natural (positive) social bonds between young and old, between siblings, between friends that give meaning to one’s life and a reason for commitment and caring. To neglect these bonds is to risk the survival of a culture” - Werner and Smith, Werner and Smith, 1982 Final thought