'Weaving a Web of Resiliency'

Students will explore definitions and examples of resiliency.

The following introductory activity can be completed in a sharing circle that addresses the following:

1. Students are asked if they have heard of the word 'resiliency'. What does it mean to them?
2. The teacher shares a story that demonstrates resiliency in their personal life (e.g., an event or time when they themselves struggled but were able to overcome).
3. Teachers share with students a few definitions of resiliency, for example:

“Indigenous concepts of resilience can be understood as arising out of the ability to be flexible and having a vision about how to succeed” (Hansen & Antsanen, 2016).

“A resilient person works through challenges by using personal resources, strengths, and other positive capacities of psychological capital like hope, optimism, and self-efficacy” (Pennock, 2019).

   4. Teachers provide time for students to connect their definitions of resiliency with the teacher’s personal story. The definitions can be displayed on chart paper or a smart board to solidify connections and understanding of resiliency.

The introductory activity asks students to listen to their instructor's story of a personal challenge they overcame and to explore definitions of resiliency, which connects to spiritual and intellectual learners. 

The purpose of this activity is to provide students an opportunity to explore examples of resiliency in their own lives and from the experiences of loved ones (family member, close friend, etc.).

1. Instructors distribute one construction paper and “Reminder of Resiliency” handout per student. 

2. Using the handout, students will:

• describe a time they or a loved one experienced a challenge in their life that they overcame
• reflect and identify three different ways they or their loved one were able to overcome the challenge
• identify one key word or phrase that describes their resiliency from their stories.

3. The stories will be posted on a bulletin board or a wall in the class. Instructors are to ask students to choose stories that they are comfortable sharing with the class in written form. 

4. Each student transfers their story into a print version to be glued onto the construction paper. Fold construction paper in half. On the inside of the folded construction paper students glue their story on the top half and their three ways of overcoming the challenge on the bottom half. On the outside of the folded construction paper, they write their key word or phrase with a marker. This is now a “Reminder of Resiliency”.

5. Once the reminder is created, students find a space on the designated wall or bulletin board to display their Reminder of Resiliency. Reminders can be sporadically spread out, while ensuring space for the whole class. The first student will tack a piece of twine to a corner of their Reminder, and the next student will post their Reminder and connect the twine to theirs. This process continues until all Reminders have been posted and connected. Once the final Reminder has been displayed, the wall or bulletin board should resemble a web. 

The 'Reminder of Resiliency' activity connects with different learners through incorporating individual, group, written, verbal, and visual components. The interconnectedness within the classroom addresses all four different ways of learning. 

Students further explore resiliency characteristics by viewing videos of Knowledge Holders' perspectives on mino-bimaadziwin (living a good life).

1. Instructors share a video(s) included in this lesson plan, "Oshkaatisak Kikinohamaakewin' (see the 'Materials' section in this Activity).  These videos include Knowledge Holders from northwestern Ontario sharing their perspectives on mino-bimaadiziwn (living a good life). Instructors should view the videos prior to sharing in class to determine what videos and/or sections are best for their classroom discussion. For example, in the video titled Knowledge Keeper discusses Indigenous Education, Laura Calmwind describes the concept of gifts that live within Indigenous youth. This is an example of a connection to the 'Reminder of Resiliency' activity. 

2. Instructors can close the lesson with a sharing circle. Students can discuss what they learned, including any closing thoughts about the 'Reminder of Resiliency' activity or the messages in the video(s). 

This activity engages learners in physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual ways.