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The uncertainty and constant changes have been one of the most stressful parts of this school year.
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Nearly every teacher I know has invested countless hours into setting up a system for one approach to learning, only to find out that everything\\u2019s going to be completely different the following day \\u2026 and then it\\u2019s all going to change again two weeks after that.
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Resilient pedagogy (as defined by Joshua Eyler) is \\u201ca combination of course design principles and teaching strategies that are as resistant to disruption and to change in the learning environment as possible.\\u201d
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The idea is that the essential qualities of your lesson plans will be in place, no matter what changes in the way you deliver instruction.
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A resilient approach to teaching requires us to SIMPLIFY and SCALE DOWN.
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You\\u2019re not going to be able to offer kids all the resources and options you wish you could \\u2026 and that\\u2019s not necessarily a bad thing.
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Everything in our world right now is limited and restricted to an extent. If you go to a restaurant, for example, there are limitations as to where you can sit and probably fewer choices on the menu.\\xa0
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It\\u2019s the same for your instruction: the menu of options is different, and simplified. Since we were trying to cram in way too much to our pre-pandemic instruction, resilient pedagogy returns us to what is essential and most important.

As you think about supporting your students during these final weeks of the school year, ask yourself,\\xa0What would this look like if it were easy?\\xa0

Then pick simple, flexible options that are going to reduce stress for you, your students, and their families.\\xa0
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I know that many of you are under immense pressure to hold to pre-pandemic expectations and learning standards. Many of your students are going to be taking standardized tests this year.
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Do what\\u2019s necessary to power through this \\u2026 but don\\u2019t devote a ton of time, energy, or attention to it.
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Check the boxes, dot the i\\u2019s, cross the t\\u2019s. But keep your gaze steadily focused on what matters most for your students.\\xa0
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No one gives 100% to everything they do, so stop pressuring yourself to uphold that standard. Figure out what\\u2019s worth the investment and pour your heart and soul into that, and give 75% or 50% or 25% to the other things.
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Think about what you\\u2019re doing that is really moving the needle for kids, and how you can get a return on your investment of time with future classes.
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What things have you done this school year that were really effective and that can probably be used next year?
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That\\u2019s\\xa0where you want to devote the majority of your time and energy.\\xa0
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Obviously next school year\\u2019s still a question mark for many of us, too \\u2026 but that\\u2019s where a resilient pedagogical approach really shines. Invest in lessons and activities that are context-independent (things that can work no matter what the teaching format is like in the future).\\xa0
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The stuff that\\u2019s just useful for now, or isn\\u2019t really doing much for kids?\\xa0
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Simplify it. Scale it down. Cut it out altogether if possible.\\xa0

Flexible resilience seems like a necessary survival tool for the foreseeable future. Let\\u2019s lean into that instead of resisting it.\\xa0

Because this is not a \\u201clost year of learning\\u201d as so many folks outside the profession like to call it.\\xa0
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Sure, many kids will have adverse effects on their mastery of content due to the pandemic. That\\u2019s true. But just because it\\u2019s true doesn\\u2019t mean it\\u2019s healthy or useful to dwell on it. You don\\u2019t have to choose that framing, or think and talk constantly about \\u201chow far behind\\u201d kids will be.\\xa0
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Because it\\u2019s also probably true that some of your students are actually doing better now than they would be in a traditional classroom during a typical school year.\\xa0
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Some of your kids may be struggling academically or socio-emotionally, but not necessarily both, and some are experiencing some truly wonderful benefits right now, too.\\xa0
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Many of your students are learning to develop critical thinking, tech proficiency, self-advocacy, time management, socio-emotional regulation, and other important life skills in ways that far surpass their abilities earlier this school year. Those skills will help them get back on track with any content-area loss \\u2026 this is probably also true, right?
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And it\\u2019s certainly true that you will not be the only teacher grappling with this problem next year. The entire country (and many other countries around the world) will be dealing with how to keep moving kids forward after the disruptions we\\u2019ve experienced.\\xa0
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So, this is not your problem alone to solve. It\\u2019s a bridge that all of us are going to have to cross when we get there.\\xa0
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Can you see how this is a better-feeling thought than, \\u201cHalf my class is failing and they\\u2019re never going to catch up?\\u201d\\xa0
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You can choose these better-feeling thoughts and then actively look for evidence of them throughout the day.\\xa0
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You can train yourself to focus on assets instead of deficits, or (as Dr. Byron McClure puts it), focus on what\\u2019s strong instead of what\\u2019s wrong.\\xa0

Be flexible. Be resilient. Support your students in doing the same. We\\u2019re going to power through this, together.

Sign up for the\\xa0Power Through series emails on this page here.