Resilience, Stress, and School

- Inspired by: Gordon Neufeld

 Cultivating Resilience In Our

Students. . .
Play is where the emotion
comes out and takes care of
us.

Re
ss
lne

s
tfu
yfu

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Optimal 
Pla

ss
Functioning  When children find play
they find rest.
Without play, emotion takes
over us.  Feeling

Feeling is the feedback to emotions. 

When the brain has no option it will

cut back on those feelings.

It is important that our

children feel their  EMOTIONS.
      

School Day -> End -> Get Feeling Back!

Is There Room To Feel At School?

Separation
From Adult
Attachment Peer Stress
Relationships
 Why Do Children Go To School?
**The friends they have at school!**
Why Is Peer Relationship The #1
Source of Stress?
Children get their sense of place from their peers, and not from the adult
figures in their lives (ex. teachers, parents, and elders)

School Day -> End ->  No

      Rest
        and No Feeling
f o r
o o k e i r
l t h The
d r e n
c e i n
o c i a l CLOUSURE f
hi l n
C epta With e , o ng s u r all eelin
c . .. u t t i the g o
ac ers n iss 't ge ng tim f be
pe dia a aren feeli to CHA e  cr ing "
e
m en t o ord t s f f " e r NGE eate on"
s et u d
" s h u
d i n
T
Pursuit s 
h
t yn e e E S
e R
t h

Separation
Alarm Frustration
CHANGE
CAUTION
Our children are feeling frustration
far too often.  Children are in
performance mode 24/7, and they
aren't functioning optimally. This
creates a stress response which
makes the child feel 
STUCK

Performance suffers
when facing separation More equipped to
in the context of function or perform in
wounding wounding environments

What is lost?
Loss of Feeling Loss of Empathy More Wounding
 The Pivotal Turning Point to Resilience Involves
Feelings Of Sadness

Resilience Requires Relational Support

Relationship is where you It is important to build a
feel  SAFE student/teacher relationship
in the classroom

Schools can provide  PLAY

        in their
classrooms to help restore
feeling in students.  

What Needs To Happen At Home?

 3 Mode
Environment:
Work, Rest, and Play

Rest and Relief

Sufficient freedom and Feelings of safety
space for  true play

Ability to feel emotion 

Beginning Expressive
and end

Every Child Needs 1 Adult

Who Makes Them Belong
 What A Child Needs To Bring To School:

A sense of
curiosity

A willing to learn
A willing to learn from mistakes
from dissonance

This is a teachable child

A N  
To Learn More: YOU
CAN

Read
YOU C  

Wa t c h

Ted Talk: Hold On to Your

Relationships Kids: By Gordon
Matter Neufeld

- By: Shayla Ruchotzke