Teaching and Learning in the Face of Adversity

"You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it." —Maya Angelou

Adversity is all around us. Although we can′t always avoid it, we can prepare ourselves and our students to respond in a healthy and hopeful way.

Teaching and Learning in the Face of Adversity is a practical and heartfelt book that empowers educators with applicable strategies to respond to challenges, inspire students, and foster a positive school environment. The authors share the critical skills that educators and students can cultivate to elevate the ability to respond to barriers, challenges, and setbacks, plus:

• Practical strategies, insights, and reflection prompts
• Menus of practices to promote student agency, belonging, relationships, and repair harm
• The voices of real teachers, students, and educational leaders
• The range of challenges that can arise in our work and effective ways to respond

Adversity may be ever-present, but with the resources in this book, we can empower ourselves, our colleagues, and our students to persevere in the face of it.

Michelle Trujillo is Co-Founder of the Center for Learning and Well-Being and passionate about igniting hope in schools and the workplace! A lifelong educator, Michelle is known to make a tangible, sustainable, and positive difference through her books, keynotes, and interactive workshops. Named Nevada’s 2016 Innovative Educator of the Year, Michelle has appeared on television (including Oprah), podcasts, and radio stations across the nation. Michelle partners with school districts, professional educational associations, educational service agencies, and conference organizers to provide applicable and inspiring strategies in the realm of school culture and climate, social emotional learning, and restorative practice. A best-selling author, Michelle’s books include Social Emotional Well-Being for Educators, Start with the Heart: Igniting Hope in Schools Through Social and Emotional Learning, and Chicken Soup for the Soul Presents Teens Talkin’ Faith. Douglas Fisher is professor and chair of educational leadership at San Diego State University and a teacher leader at Health Sciences High and Middle College. Previously, Doug was an early intervention teacher and elementary school educator. He is a credentialed English teacher and administrator in California.  In 2022, he was inducted into the Reading Hall of Fame by the Literacy Research Association. He has published numerous articles on reading and literacy, differentiated instruction, and curriculum design, as well as books such as The Teacher Clarity Playbook 2/e, Your Introduction to PLC+, The Illustrated Guide to Teacher Credibility, Instructional Strategies that Move Learning Forward: 30 Tools that Support Gradual Release of Responsibility, and Welcome to Teaching! Nancy Frey is a Professor in Educational Leadership at San Diego State and a teacher leader at Health Sciences High and Middle College. She is a credentialed special educator, reading specialist, and administrator in California. She is a member of the International Literacy Association’s Literacy Research Panel. Her published titles include 50 Strategies for Activating Your PLC+, The Illustrated Guide to Visible Learning, Welcome to Teaching Multilingual Learners, Teaching Foundational Skills to Adolescent Readers, and RIGOR Unveiled:A Video-Enhanced Flipbook to Promote Teacher Expertise in Relationship Building, Instruction, Goals, Organization, and Relevance.