ONWARD: CULTIVATING EMOTIONAL RESILIENCE IN EDUCATORS

Abstract

Onward: Cultivating Emotional Resilience in Educators, by Elena Aguilar is reviewed.

ONWARD: CULTIVATING EMOTIONAL RESILIENCE IN EDUCATORS Aguilar, E. (2018). San Francisco, 372 pages. ISBN: 978-1-119-36489-4-53495

"Onward: Cultivating Emotional Resilience in Educators" (Aguilar, 2018) is an inspiring book for any educator who is struggling with challenges, not only professionally but also personally. The author, Elena Aguilar, writes this book with a personal note and personal experience in each of the 12 chapters of this book. The essential word is this book is "resilience." Resilience in teachers is key for creating quality classrooms and schools. The opportunity for becoming resilient originates in how an educator makes sense of irritants, interruptions, and unexpected events, because interpretations dictate actions. By cultivating resilience, teachers can fulfill the intentions that brought them into the teaching profession.

Onward is a practical resource for cultivating resilience in educators and is based on the author's research on emotional resilience, psychology, systems thinking, and change management as well as 10 years of testing in schools and offices. This book outlines a conceptual framework with four parts: who we are, where we are, what we do, and how we are. The book identifies 12 habits and dispositions that can be cultivated in order to build resilience. Each habit correlates to a chapter and to each month of the year. The book also offers strategies and implications for leaders to practice with the school staff.

The book starts with a resilience manifesto, which is a public declaration of principles and intentions. I found principle six the most fascinating, which states that "to help children build their emotional intelligence and resilience, we must simultaneously tend to our emotional intelligence and resilience" (Aguilar, 2018, p. 19). The first three chapters offer foundational approaches for building resilience and should be read in order. After that, you can jump to any chapter that best fits your habit and disposition. The first chapter is about knowing yourself and being purposeful. When you know yourself, you gain clarity on your purpose, emotions, core values, and personality. The second chapter is about understanding your emotions, accepting them and having strategies to respond to them. The third chapter deals with telling empowering stories. How you interpret stories can make a difference in building emotional resilience. According to the author being optimistic is a key trait of resilient people.

As a K-12 educator and member of my school leadership team, I found chapter four the most interesting. It is about how building community and empathy are pivotal elements in creating strong, healthy communities. All leaders should develop, articulate, implement, and be stewards of a shared vision of learning. They also should collaborate with students, families, and staff to achieve a shared vision of the school. Chapters six through eight address how to boost our resilience by learning how to be in the present moment, without judgment and finding humor in each situation. They also explain how to cultivate compassion for ourselves, as well as for others, as a way to help us deal with interpersonal challenges. The author describes how resilient people have positive self-perceptions and take care of themselves by exerting physical self-care and well-being. Aguilar focuses on honing the bright spots such as our strengths, assets, and skills and consequently by doing so, boosting our levels of self-efficacy. The result is that we become empowered to influence our surroundings.

Subsequent chapters address seeing challenges as opportunities for learning through empowering our curiosity, which is a valuable way to overcome obstacles and find solutions. These chapters celebrate and appreciate individual and collective successes by practicing gratitude and trust. Aguilar states how creativity and play are good resources for creating resilience in educators and for fueling our courage. These assets make us more resourceful, and expand our connections with ourselves, and others. The author sees change as an opportunity to fuel our physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual energies. Patience, perseverance, and courage boost our resilience as educators and can help us manage change. I totally agree with Aguilar that when we show appreciation and gratitude for others, it cultivates trust in ourselves and builds our resilience.

Onward is a practical guide for educators and leaders who wish to build resilience in themselves and in their organization. It offers invaluable scientifically based resources on how to boost the resilience of coaches, mentees, and school staff. This book also comes with an accompanying workbook designed as a curriculum supplement for professional development for a school staff or a central office team. Additionally, the chapter reflection sections are very useful for immediate application in fueling resilience in yourself and your organization. Overall, I think the author offers an indispensable guide and curriculum of hope for anyone involved in education who wants to cultivate trust, empathy, community, resilience, and compassionate schools.