Building optimism and resilience in young people is considered by many, key in addressing mental health issues across our society today. With the rate of students suffering anxiety and depression a growing concern, schools are uniquely placed to teach healthy student attitudes and self-awareness.
Knox Grammar School
Countless studies have been conducted on optimism and resilience and most of them support the same conclusions: a positive outlook can have a significant impact on mental and physical health, particularly in children and adolescents.
Clearly, optimism is a trait that should become more common, judging by Winston Churchill’s famous quote that ‘a pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.’ Fortunately, optimism and resilience are attributes that can be learned. Leading authorities in the field of positive psychology, define optimism as reacting to problems with a sense of confidence and high personal ability.
While the challenges for our children seem to be both numerous and at times confronting, it is my belief that young people should look to the future with optimism. Our students are not being sent off into a dislocated and ruinous world, full of chaos and disaster. The world is not broken; it is easy to be scared by the horrors of the media, to conclude that everything is terrible and that the only attitude that makes sense is one of profound pessimism.
It is imperative to encourage children to believe in the power of optimism and to embrace challenges as a way of building their resilience. They need to recognise the reality of the uncertainty and challenges of our world. Learning to be resilient involves failure, feedback and a fair dollop of optimism. The ability to bounce back and maintain buoyancy in the sea of life is a skill that can and should be explicitly taught in homes and schools.
By teaching children to challenge negative self-talk and replacing pessimistic thoughts with more positive ones, they can learn how to become more optimistic. In other words, learned optimism involves young people developing the ability to engage in realistic thinking. To recognise that most problems are time-sensitive, we encourage our students to foster a sense of control in a given situation.
A systematic review and meta-analysis by our Science of Wellbeing (SOW) Team investigates the practical evidence-based interventions that underpin our Total Fitness model of holistic wellbeing.
There is no doubt that developing a more hopeful pattern of thinking can only help our young people more successfully navigate the inevitable failures and mistakes that appear throughout life.
With the work of our SOW team, Knox is committed to building in our students the knowledge and skills needed to overcome the everyday stressors that are associated with children and adolescence. Our commitment is to design and implement evidencebased programs to develop resilience and positive mental health, so just like our recent graduates, when our young men walk out of the gates, they can work through challenges by learning to face them in a more deliberate and positive manner.
This is a challenge worth pursuing and investing in.
SCIENCE OF WELLBEING (SOW) TEAM SOW aims to enhance the wellbeing of each member of our School community. Bringing together a team of Clinical Psychologists, PhD researchers and experienced educators, SOW works to promote the practical application of evidence-based wellbeing science initiatives. Visit https://sow.knox.nsw.edu.au for research-based parenting articles and more information.
Mr Scott James, Headmaster
This article was first published in the December 2022 edition of The Thistle.
01 May 2025
Between 22 and 27 April, five Knox Academy of Performing Arts (KAPA) trumpet players in Years 10 and 12, represented Knox Grammar School across 14 various community Anzac Day and Memorial Services.
01 May 2025
At the AFX Camp in April, our Knox Ravenswood Cadet Unit created memories with a strong sense of collegiality, purpose, and inclusivity. This annual camp in Lithgow gives our students the opportunity to bond with fellow Knox students as well as students at Ravenswood School for Girls.
28 April 2025
The Pipes and Drums journeyed into Sydney’s CBD to take part in this year's Sydney Anzac Day March – a truly special and moving occasion for all involved. The day began at St Stephen’s Church, where the band was warmly welcomed thanks to the ongoing generosity of Reverend Dey.
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