My BRiTE Toolkit

Date: 15/04/20166:44AM
Module "B": Building resilience................................................................................................................ 2
Module "R": Relationships....................................................................................................................... 3
Module "i": Wellbeing............................................................................................................................... 5
Module "T": Taking initiative.................................................................................................................... 7
Module "E": Emotions............................................................................................................................ 11

Module "B": Building resilience

How do you define resilience?
Possessing the ability to move with difficult situations rather an dwelling on them
The way you cope with various challenges and adversities you face in everyday life.

How would you describe a resilient teacher?

Someone who is able to stay clam when confronted with various challenging situations
What do the experts say?
"the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or significant
sources of stress such as family and relationship problems, serious health problems or
workplace and financial stressors. (American Psychological Association, 2014)"
Little wisdoms
""When I encourage someone else, I see it as an investment in their resilience" - Steve
Karagiannis"
"The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall - Nelson
Mandela"

Module "R": Relationships

Maintaining support networks
First thoughts
Regular contact, honesty, listening, seeking out new information, seek advise
My thoughts on "I have friends I havent seen for weeks "
Call my Mum and Dad, they are the two most supportive people in my life, and my Dad was a
Teacher, so together they understand exactly how I am feeling and what I need, even if it is just a
brainstorm session about what I need to do next. Mum has always been great with helping me
verbalise my ideas.
New ideas
Regular contact with my support networks through text messages or face to face contact. Letting
people know through social media that I have been busy, but am always thinking about them.
Calling Mum and Dad, or best friends to chat about their lives
Tips
"If you have children of your own, ask others (friends/neighbours/family) to help out most people
are really glad to be able to help and therell be times when you can return the favour."
"Plan a fun event with your children for the next school holidays."
"Fit in a coffee / meal / run with your friend / partner over the weekend."
"Share effective teaching strategies and great lesson plans."
"Share resources and time saving tips to help each other out."
"Always check your privacy settings to ensure that you are not publicly accessible. Some things
might be best not shared with students, parents and colleagues."
"If starting a group in social media consider the use of closed groups. Participants will enter only by
invitation and no one else will be able to see the contents, discussions and posts inside the group.
Its a great and safe way to interact."
"When using social media, remember that time can really fly. While it can be a good form of
support, it can also be a time waster. Use your time wisely."
Quotes
"I can ring my friend anytime and discuss my silly problems without fearing that shes going to
judge me there are just some things you dont want to ask your school colleagues "
Little wisdoms
"You are not an island: Others have an important role to play too."

Building new relationships

First thoughts
Finding a common interest, like sport or TV show. Talk about what I need assistance with, hoping
someone has some good advise. Discuss places I've lived or visited to let people know a little but
more about me as a person.
My thoughts on "Put your best foot forward"
Seek help from a mentor, obtain relevant information about the community and school ethos. Start
building relationships with colleges and parents/carers. Read the local paper to find out more about
the community, including sports and recreation. Stay positive and enthusiastic, and take it one day at
a time. Building relationships take time. Tell the students / parents and carers a little bit about myself,
to find common interests. Maintain two-way communication. Share you feelings with a like-minded
college, brainstorm ideas and resources.
New ideas
Open and honest two-way communication with parents/carers and students, through weekly
comments book. Discussing and concerns with a like-minded college for advise. Maintain
professionalism at all times. Get involved in the community through sport

Tips
"Try not to get drawn into negativity find colleagues who have a positive approach to their work
and actively seek them out for conversation and company."
"Take the time to have conversations with a variety of people including school leaders, teaching
assistants, support staff and librarians."
"Identify a like-minded colleague at your workplace who you are comfortable talking to - and
remember to listen as well."
"Support may come in various ways. Look out for positive responses or feedback from your
students, other staff and parents."
"Sometimes new teachers can think they are the only teachers experiencing challenges. Seek out
others who are experiencing the same challenges as you and share strategies."
"Identify the social networks between staff and keep a neutral position in any potential disputes."
"When responding to feedback focus on the issue and how it can be improved. A problem solving
approach will help you manage feedback that might not be overly positive. An area for
improvement is an area for growth! Continual improvement is important for all teachers, no matter
how long they have been teaching."
"If you wish to try some approaches to teaching and learning that your students may not have
previously experienced, discuss this with your mentor teacher and seek advice about how the
students may respond. You may need to do some careful negotiation with your mentor teacher,
depending on their view. Be prepared to justify why your approach will be beneficial for student
learning."
"Where possible, ask your mentor to observe your teaching. Ask if you can observe your mentor in
his/her classroom this is a great way of learning! Are there opportunities for team teaching?"
"Your mentor should give you constructive feedback about your teaching. If you mentor observes
your teaching, you may like to ask for specific feedback such as lesson strengths and an area(s)
for improvement. Use the discussion after the lesson to brainstorm ideas for improvement note
these and try them out, sharing the results with your mentor in the next meeting."
"Be respectful
Respect everyone you work with, even those who are sometimes difficult to get along with.
Respect the expertise and experience of your colleagues."
"Be supportive
Help your colleagues where you can. This will make it easier for you to ask for their assistance
too."
"Be approachable
Let others get to know you on a personal level, rather than just as a colleague."
"Be professional
Be professional in your approach to your work and in your communication (verbal and written) with
colleagues. This is a good way of showing and generating respect."
"Be a team player
Show that youre a team player by volunteering to help out with school activities but choose those
that wont be overly time consuming especially when you are starting out. Taking notes at a
meeting for example, is a simple task that can be achieved in a short period of time."
"Be open-minded
There are many ways of working together and achieving success."
"Be positive
In order to get along with a variety of colleagues, be positive in your interactions with and about
them. Avoid talking negatively about colleagues and don't engage in workplace gossip."
"Quickly become familiar with school policies and procedures and follow these."
"Attend events run by the school, such as a family picnic. Take this opportunity to connect with
families and other staff."

Module "i": Wellbeing

Personal Wellbeing
First thoughts
Getting enough sleep, eating healthy, balancing work, study and children, going to the beach or for
a hike
My thoughts on "I am feeling so stressed out "
Take a step back for myself. Get out a pen and paper and write down the most important things that
need to be done straight away. Ask parents for help with the children so I can have to time out to get
the things that are a priority done straight away and off my mind. Once that is done go for a walk on
the beach with a friend and just chat about things other than work or study.
New ideas
Start with a healthy diet, including eating breakfast. Add regular exercise into my weekly routine.
Recognise the times when I am most stressed and work out a plan to manage this, either with help
from friends or parents.
Tips
"Prioritise if you are stressed about the amount of work you need to do, make a list of priorities
and attend to the top priorities first."
"Avoid unhealthy eating and drinking habits as these can put more stress on your body."
"Look after yourself physically through: A healthy diet
Start the day with a healthy breakfast and prepare nourishing snacks and meals for the school day.
Eat something nutritious at recess and lunch time and have an after school snack to avoid the predinner cravings.
Stay hydrated throughout the day to keep up your energy for the hard work of teaching.
Poor diet is not only linked to poor physical health but can also negatively affect mood - eating well
will positively contribute to your mood .
If you are teaching about food groups to your students take your own advice and be a positive role
model!
What to avoid? Relying on chocolate, coffee alcohol or other substances for relaxation or relief can
have unintended negative effects!
"
"Look after yourself physically through: Adequate sleep
Feeling tired will add to your stress so try some ways to make sure you get enough sleep check
out advice online or see your GP.
Lack of sleep can negatively impact on memory and performance and you wont want that to
happen while you are teaching!
Listen to some relaxing music, simple meditation or read to help you get in the sleep zone.
Avoid computer work or using mobile devices for at least an hour before you try to get to sleep.
Make your bedroom a device-free and work-free environment.
"
Little wisdoms
"It isnt stress that makes us fall its how we respond to stressful events Wayde Goodall"

Work-life balance
First thoughts
Once work is finished, switch off and concentrate on my family and friends, especially on
weekends. Get as much work done when my children or at school or asleep. Ensure I get plenty of
sleep
My thoughts on "All I seem to do is work "

Decide what is important and urgent and do that first. Seek help with time management skills or enlist
the help of a more experienced teacher for tips. Use any off class time to mark work, and / or work on
lesson plans. Fit as much as I can into the working week, to allow my time on weekends with family
and friends.
Tips
"Ask a friend or family member to remind you about work-life balance by inviting you out when you
seem to be consumed by work."
"Remember there are always more tasks to do when youre a teacher, but you need to be rested
and well to perform at your best in the classroom."
"Decide what is important and urgent, important but not urgent, and not important and not urgent.
Then make decisions accordingly about how you will allocate your time."
"Enlist the help of your family and friends to keep you on track."

Maintaining motivation
First thoughts
The commitment they make to their professional chose of wanting to help all children reach their
full academic potential
My thoughts on "How will I make it to the end of the term?"
Stay positive and focus on the big picture, be enthusiastic and look at one task at a time. Stay
connected with students and parents and seek advise from colleges when required. Look back and
reflect on the things I have achieved and done well. Turn negative thoughts into positive thoughts by
looking at things as a challenge to maintain my intrinsic motivation, and why I chose to become a
teacher.
New ideas
Look back on the things I did well. Remember why I wanted to become a teacher, to help children
achieve the best possible outcomes. Remember the hours I spent studying to achieve my goal.
Keep thinking positively, ask family for advise.
Tips
"Remind yourself about why you chose to become a teacher. Find the everyday experiences that
will remind you of this and help keep you motivated."
"Find a photo, drawing, favourite quote or affirmation from a colleague, student or parent. Keep this
visible to remind you of why you chose teaching."
"Recognise your unhelpful, negative thoughts and create another way of seeing the situation.
Think it is not permanent, it is not personal, it is not pervasive."
"When reflecting, be sure to identify the positive aspects of your lesson/day as well as the things
youd like to improve."
"Look for the light at the end of the tunnel."
"Find optimistic colleagues and learn from how they approach their work. Note strategies that you
think you can use too."

Module "T": Taking initiative

Problem Solving
First thoughts
Listening to other peoples viewpoints. Work out who owns the problem, and what the priority is
first. Talk to colleges/parents or students about the problem and how they think it might be solved?
My thoughts on "Not quite picture-perfect"
Be flexible and adapt to the changes, bring out my plan B and start the day there instead, a quick quiz
or group activity. Stay calm and in control so the students see that the changes can be worked
around. Advise the observer of the changes and offer a suggestion to observe Plan B and perhaps
arrange another time to come back when this lesson can be completed.
New ideas
Always have a plan B in case things change that you have to adapt to quickly. Understand that
sometimes you need to be flexible, but stay clam for the sake of the students. Consult colleges,
review text books or seek out other ways to resolve issues
Tips
"Have a Plan B. This may involve a change in resources, student groupings, sequence of activities
and assessment criteria. Considering an alternative not only provides you with a survival strategy,
but also gives you time to think about other possibilities."
"Have a bag of tricks activities that will engage the students and perhaps provide a distraction to
the current problem and/or situation (examples may include subject hang-man, subject bingo,
writing a communal story / question response, quizlets or a focused activity review comprising of 1
learned item + 1 question + 1 comment)."
"Display empathy, acknowledging the thoughts and feelings of othersif it is not working for you, it
may not be working for others either!"
"Acknowledge theres always an alternative take a breath and some time to consider the present
situation, and focus on looking through a different lens or perspective."
"Ask questions of self and others this may be from your mentors, colleagues (these may be your
peers or perhaps experienced teachers who you consider as friendly and caring), and University
resources."
Quotes
"[a resilient teacher] has a variety of methods to handle a variety of situations and has the ability to
problem solve."
Little wisdoms
""Plan Plan PLAN, BUT accept that any of your wonderful plans could be challenged, not only by a
difficult class, but by changes in timetable, extra-curricular events, room changes etc. etc. etc." ~
(early career teacher)"
""To help yourself, you must be yourself. Be the best you can be. When you make a mistake, learn
from it, pick yourself up and move on." ~ Dave Pelzer"

Ongoing professional learning

First thoughts
Reflect on practices, and tweek lessons to suit student needs. Look for alternatives for what is not
working. Research and seek out personal development programs that will improve on identified
weaknesses, either by you or a mentor/college
My thoughts on "My best friends, the APST"
Ensure the goals set are specific to the task, are measurable in terms of providing evidence, attainable
and achievable and realistic and relevant within an achievable time frame.
New ideas
Ensuring that you reflect on your strengths and weaknesses and seek out ways to improve through

personal development programs. Understanding that teaching is an ongoing learning process,

which takes time, and can never be perfected by reflected upon
Strategies
"Connecting with the profession. In the R module there were some strategies to develop collegial
networks. Professional networks are very important for ongoing professional learning. There are
many ways of engaging with the profession including:
Observing a colleague
Teachers observing teachers is increasingly being recognised as a form of collaborative
professional development that improves both teaching practice and student performance. When
teachers share their instructional techniques and personal stories, it promotes trust and a culture
of professional growth and mentoring and the central focus is on student learning.
Joining and participating in professional networks and associations
Networking and membership with associations provide opportunities for teachers to analyse
information and acquire knowledge through collaboration, professional development and a sharing
of best practice and innovation in pedagogical discussions. Make sure you join at least one that is
relevant for you.
Engaging in a range of PD opportunities
Every school and setting will be different, but the example of St Pauls School (AITSL, 7 August,
2012) is one way of implementing a professional learning focused school. The performance and
development process at St Paul's School involves teachers self-reflecting, informal and formal
classroom observations, feedback from peers and students, and goal setting. The school seeks to
support teachers in achieving their professional goals by running their own professional learning in
a dedicated onsite centre. Watch the video (5 minutes):

little wisdom"
"Goal setting. quote
Goals should be set by you, so they are meaningful to you. The benefits of goals include increasing
motivation and empowering you to take control of your progress, for you to set your priorities and to
make your own decisions in your own time.
SMART goals are focused, results-oriented, and can be used for developing both short and long
term goals.
S Specific use of the 6 w questions of who, what, where, when, which & why. M Measureable
criteria. A Attainable. R Realistic, results-oriented and relevant. T Timely, time-bound and tangible.
Goals may be short term or long term. Consider setting both.
You can consider your goals in terms of being personal and dialogic:
Consider what you mean on your own.
Discuss or work with others, and perhaps modify your own view.
Seek specific information from research literature.
One important message about goal setting is to understand and accept that goals, whether big or
small, are best achieved one-step-at-a-time.
One step at a time (CartooningGenius, 14 January, 2013)

Learn as much as I can (TeacherFeature AITSL, 15 March, 2012)

experts"
Quotes
"[A resilient teacher] continues working towards a desired goal regardless of what difficulties arise."

Communicating effectively
First thoughts
Communication with students at their current levels of understanding. Communication with
parents/carers. Communication with colleges / admin and the community you work in.
My thoughts on ""I thought this was my room""
Arrange a meeting with the parents and understand what their concerns are prior to the meeting,
through email or a phone call. Speak to each students previous teacher to find out a bit more about
both the student and the parents. With the extra tasks,. find out the time-frame expectation and if this
doesn't fit in this week delegate it to someone else for the time being. Get to know the Educational
Assistants who will be in your class and ask what they already know about these students. Planning
ahead for each situation helps stay calm and to overwhelmed and helps maintain a positive attitude.
New ideas
Use assertive communication skills at all times, ensuring I am listening to other, acknowledging
their viewpoints and working out way together to resolve any issues. Use good eye contact, and
ensure the tone of voice is appropriate to the situation.
Strategies
"Getting involved and setting boundaries. quote
Have you ever found that you tend to say yes quickly when youre asked to do something extra in
a workplace? Sometimes we do this because we want to please people (particularly in a new
situation) but saying yes can then put additional demands on time and energy. So how can you
say no without feeling guilty and without worrying about offending colleagues?
little wisdom"
Tips
"Be open to other viewpoints.
You dont have to agree with the speaker but it is important to try your best to fully understand the
situation and context.
Sometimes situations are more complex than they initially seem, so refrain from making
judgements, criticising or attributing blame. Try to understand the multiple viewpoints in a situation.
Be open to developing relationships with a variety of people.
"
"Adjust your communication to suit the speaker and context.
Use a tone of voice appropriate for the person with which you are speaking (student, parent,
colleague).
Consider culturally appropriate ways of communication, particularly when speaking with parents
and students from minority groups.
Consider also the emotional state of the person you are talking to. Use tone and nonverbal cues
appropriate to the situation.

"
"Speak clearly and confidently."
"Express feelings honestly and openly."
"Respond in a way appropriate for the situation."
"Consider the rights of the other person."
"Negotiate solutions to problems."
"Care about self, others, results and the situation."
"Think before you respond sometimes saying yes can be an automatic reaction."
"Colleagues know what its like to be a new teacher, so its okay to say something like Id love to help but I have a really busy week ahead.
Thanks for thinking of me, but I wont be able to help this time.
"
Little wisdoms
""We are stronger when we listen, and smarter when we share" ~ Rania Al-Abdullah"
"Just because we can do it all, doesn’t mean we should."

Module "E": Emotions

What do you think are some characteristics of emotionally competent
teachers?
remaining calm, showing compassion, being sensitive to and aware of various emotions, and the
variety of ways different cultures view emotions

Enhancing emotional awareness

First thoughts
Emotions have been running high since the beginning of the day, and when people can't manage
emotions they just lash out at others, without thinking
New ideas
Although you may not have always have a choice in the emotion you feel in a situation you have a
choice about how you respond.
Strategies
"Responding to emotions. little wisdom
The good news for Alfies teacher is that he can improve his emotional competence. This can begin
with becoming more aware of his, and other peoples emotions. This awareness will help him better
manage his behaviour in the heat of the moment. Emotional awareness is the basis of emotional
health, good communication and solid relationships, so not only will improved emotional awareness
help him in his job as a teacher but it will also help him in his relationships in general.
Alfie's teacher could start to increase his emotional awareness by being aware of the sensations in
his body and his thoughts before, during and after the experience of an emotion. These physical
responses and thoughts can in turn influence his behaviour.
Click on the boxes below to view each of these for Alfies teachers emotional experience when he
saw Alfie hitting another student
AlfiesTeacherEmotionalResponse
Many psychologists believe that it is the thoughts or appraisals of a situation that determine the
emotional response. While it is natural to think that you are responding only to the events of your
life, in fact you make interpretations or judgments of these events, and these interpretations play a
key role in your emotional responses. When you stop to think about it, each event in your life could
yield a variety of emotional responses; your interpretation of the event helps link a particular
emotional response to that event."
Tips
"Pain and tension in the stomach can indicate the bodys response to fear."
"Tension in the chest and throat can indicate the bodys response to sadness."
"The next time you experience an emotion track the thoughts that are accompanying the emotion.
Analyse why you may be thinking these thoughts and ask yourself if there are any alternative ways
of thinking about the situation.."

Managing emotions
New ideas
Take the time to understand what is triggering the emotion, and work through a solution. Use
breathing techniques to calm the situation before it escalates. Talk to a mentor about the situation
as they may be able to offer advise.
Tips
"Know what strategies help you remain calm. Breathe, use a soft, slow voice and maybe change
activity. Music can also have a calming effect."
"If you find yourself experiencing unwanted emotions, think about what triggers the emotions and
avoid those situations, or if it is a classroom situation, change your instructional approach so things
run more smoothly."
"Identify the trigger(s) for the event. Was it something about the lesson or another factor? Once you
identify the trigger, it will be easier to find a solution."

 "Brainstorm solutions and use your problem solving skills to find the best way through."
"Focus on the students. What do they need from you? What is the outcome youd like? How can
this happen?"

Developing optimism
New ideas
Optimism can assist with staying positive and understanding that set backs can be learning
experiences for the future, rather than failures. Building on the ability to recognise, assess, dispute,
add and rehearse different ways of dealing with stres
Tips
"Use positive affirmations on a daily basis. Get in the habit of recognizing things you have done
well. Take a few moments every day to ask the question, "What have I done well today?" This
simple gesture reinforces optimism."
"Always remember that virtually any failure can be a learning experience, and an important step
toward your next success."
"See the solutions not the problems."
"Surround yourself with positive people."
"Using humour with your students can be a good way of building relationships, easing tension and
developing a comfortable working environment."
"Use humour when and where you are comfortable with it."
"Did you know that laughter is good for your health? It relaxes your body for up to 45 minutes,
boosts your immune system, triggers the release of endorphins protects your heart."
Little wisdoms
""The optimist sees the rose and not its thorns; the pessimist stares at the thorns, oblivious to the
rose" Khalil Gibran"