A misunderstood ally for behaviour management in school communities.
When you first saw the title for this article and read the phrase “mental toughness,” what ideas came to mind? For many, it is locker-room/post-game interview talk. It is a phrase used by high-performing athletes and military personnel. It is the language of the boardroom. While some of these ideas are accurate, mental toughness is a highly valuable concept that is broadly underused in school environments, despite its potential as a means of enhancing student and teacher performance and psychological well-being.
Unfortunately, mental toughness seems to have a bad reputation among educators. We hear the word “toughness” and interpret it to mean that when facing challenges, individuals simply need to “suck it up” and deal with life because life is hard. In actuality, mental toughness is a highly empathetic and positive approach to support all school communities.