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Be Resourceful


‘It’s not that I am so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.’ Albert Einstein.

Resourcefulness is the inner strength that helps you make progress and overcome difficulties, be prepared to learn independently and take advantage of the support and facilities that are available to you.

Pupils can persevere with difficult tasks and make full use of all the resources available to become independent and confident learners.

  • Don’t give up at the first hurdle, keep going; try alternative ways to solve problems or answer questions.
  • Remember the mantra, ‘brain, book, buddy, boss’; try to work things out for yourself before asking others.
  • Use the resources you are given, read your textbook, practise past papers, go to the library.
  • Be prepared to draft and re-draft work until it is excellent.
  • If you have a learning difficulty, use the support you receive to make you a successful learner, not as an excuse to say, ‘I can’t do this’.
  • If you are really struggling, seek help. Don’t suffer in silence!

Teachers can have high expectations of all pupils and provide the guidance they need to be successful.

  • Plan lessons with the right balance of support and challenge.
  • Encourage pupils to think for themselves and look up accessible information.
  • Insist that work is of high quality and sub-standard work is redone or improved upon.
  • Praise work that is well done.
  • Suggest strategies to encourage and support pupils who are struggling.

Parents can help pupils become resourceful by nurturing characteristics of resilience, perseverance and determination.

  • Let your child find their own solutions to problems, try to avoid stepping in too quickly.
  • If they are finding tasks difficult, suggest where they might find information to help them.
  • Acknowledge that academic work can be difficult and boring, but once they have mastered a topic they will find it more interesting; it’s worth persevering!