Reflections on Resilience. A Teacher's Professional Learning Journey

The purpose of this study is to describe and reflect on the route a teacher followed to implement an inquiry-based professional learning cycle in her everyday practice and form a conceptual framework for teacher professional learning on resilience. The teacher acted as a researcher and worked with a facilitator to explore the experience of three twelve-year-old migrant students with high learning performance in an urban school in Cyprus. Diverse aspects considered as important determinants for their educational success and resiliency were explored through case study research. The data were analysed and three main categories related to resilience were formed: emotional resistance, development of responsibility and sense of belonging. The main findings of the exploratory study were used as the cornerstone for school-based teacher professional learning focusing on methods, approaches and aspects that could be applied in order to strengthen all students and enhance positive impact on students' achievement.