Common Read: All the Light We Cannot See
March Theme: Resilience in Adversity
What appear to be deficits can lead us to different and greater strengths
-
Thematic Quotes & Book Sections
- p. 24 - 26: Werner & Jutta scavenge to find useful items
- p. 28: Marie-Laure & her father's response to her blindness: "The despair doesn't last."
- p. 29: Marie-Laure's father maintains high expectations for her as she adapts to blindness
- p. 37: Marie-Laure's doubt contradicted by her father's assurance & confidence
- p. 40: Many failures precede success
- p. 151: Imagination stifles limitations with The Flying Couch
- p. 189: Marie-Laure's father is proud of her resilience
- p. 210-211: Werner and Volkheimer tak inventory of what they have and try to be resilient
- p. 212-213: Marie-Laure is resilient in the face of threat
- p. 311: Werner building a radio with parts that are found, failing, and trying again
- p. 328: Science is full of mistakes - requires resilience to keep going
- p. 378: Marie-Laure is clever with how to open a can of food without being heard
- p. 454-455: Volkheimer is revived and resolved to escape after hearing Claire de Lune
- p. 469: Exchange between Werner and Marie-Laure about bravery
-
Building Class Community
Options:
- Read the select from p. 28 and ask students to share with a partner: Have you encountered a struggle before and realized that you rebounded - the "despair didn't last?" How can you use that knowledge for future challenges?
- Read the selection from p. 311. Ask your students to reflect on the learning process, perhaps in a Padlet or journal entry: Can failure help us to learn? How does our reslience when we fail help us become better learners?
- Read to the class the description of Volkheimer reviving after hearing Claire de Lune on pp. 454-455. Ask students to find a representative image (on their devices) to share in a small group in response to this prompt: What revives you when your spirits are low or you feel like giving up?
Follow your selection of above activities with one or more of these options:
- Discuss the learning process, the role of failure, and the power of a growth mindset.
- Share stories of resilience from thought leaders in your course's field. How can we learn from this leader's experiences?
-
Social & Societal Connections
Options:
- Summarize Marie-Laure's father's response to her blindness (p. 29). Ask the class: How can we convey high expectations to others, and how can that be used in various social situations for a social good?
- Select one of the passages above that best exemplifies resilience to you. Pose a question to the class: How can societies become resilient together? What factors must be in place to foster resilience over despair? What does a resilience society look like?
-
Course Content Connections
Prior to tying the book and this month's theme to your course content, select a passage or quote from the list above (or find another from the book) to lead off the activity or connection to course content.
The following ideas are not exhaustive, but are meant to inspire:
STEM
- Resilience and equilibrium are explored in ecological sciences. See more.
- The worldwide need for "mathematical resilience" has been recently explore. See more.
Arts
- Sleep quality has been associated with resilience among dancers. See more.
- Collaborative art-making can help youth better undertand the idea of resilience. See more.
Humanities & History
- The resilience of past societies to disasters can offer current societies direction. See more.
- Expressive writing can build resilience in response to experiencing unfairness. See more.
Business
- The accounting profession can contribute to organizational following a crisis. See more.
- Key features that contribute to marketing resilience in response to difficult worldwide situations. See more.
Social Sciences
- Societal structure can impact individuals' capcities for resilient thinking. See more.
- The topic of resilience can be controversial, as it can support deficit thinking. See more.
Education
- Teachers' resilience may be necessary for them to be effective. See more.
- Interventions including a focus on resilience mechanisms may help students with learning disabilities. See more.
Health & Medical Sciences
-
Reflection, Metacognition, & Insights
Consider offering these questions for students' consideration:
- How do you respond when you meet a significant challenge or hard moment in your learning or courses?
- What do you consider to be "adversity" in your learning journey?
- What are some of the best ways you think would help you recover from an educational
setback?
Consider also employing artificial intelligence (AI):
- Have students ask AI for general ideas to help them bounce back from a setback.
- Encourage students to use AI to provide advice for a particular educational challenge or situation.
-
Connections to Instructional Practice
Encourage or help students build resilience through your own instruction:
- Teach students about a growth mindset (while acknowledging life or structural challenges that can go beyond individual
"grit" or mindset).
- Encourage learning from mistakes or failures, and provide opportunities for revision or retaking exams.
- Provide quality feedback so that students can continually work to improve and learn.
- Consider using alternative grading practices, which incorporate elements above: feedback loops and opportunities to try again.
- Consider using group testing methods, where students take a test first alone and then again in a group. Often, scores improve while more learning happens.
- Teach students about a growth mindset (while acknowledging life or structural challenges that can go beyond individual
"grit" or mindset).
-
Related CTE Events
Flash Mentoring: How to Help Students Be Resilient
Tuesday, March 25, 12:00 - 12:30
Zoom
Register- Feedback: Early and Often (Workshop)
Wednesday, March 26, 10:30 - 12:00
Sherrod Library, Room 433
Register - Teaching First Year Students Club: Resilience
Monday, March 31, 1:30 - 2:30
Hybrid: Zoom or Sherrod Library, Room 441
Register