Jerry Patterson’s “Resilience in the Face of Adversity” focuses on five key strengths needed in Educational Leadership during times of adversity. The article stresses the importance of using your energy productively in order to move ahead in hard times. Strength number one is “Be positive in spite of the negative.”(Patterson, 2001) Educators should expect disruption in the workplace and look at these challenges as opportunities for growth rather than deterrents to end goals. Strength number two revolves around staying focused on what you care about for the long haul by maintaining a strong sense of purpose and avoiding unnecessary distractions.(Patterson, 2001) Remaining flexible is the main focus of strength number three. “A major key to resilience is how quickly you pull yourself out of the mire and find flexible strategies for moving ahead despite the setback.” (Patterson, 2001) Although Patterson’s article was written pre-Covid, his assertion that educational leaders must be flexible was essential to learning in the time of Covid. Educators faced an unending stream of change during the pandemic and those who were resistant to said change faced extreme difficulty in their careers with many leaving the education field entirely. Those who were able to navigate those unprecedented waters who the ones who embraced change and were flexible in the myriad of ways they were required to change and then change again. Strength number four is “Act rather than react” and recognize that while change is inevitable we have the capability to view it as an opportunity to take risks in our field. (Patterson, 2001) Patterson’s final strength is the ability to use strategies that conserve our resiliency during tough times. As educators, we must identify what is important during trying times and be willing to ask for help from our own support systems. (Patterson, 2001)

Patterson, J. E. (2001). Resilience in the Face of Adversity. The School Administrator, 58(6), 18–24. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ630831

Asia-Pacific Regional Bureau for Education. (n.d.). Conference on Equitable Education: Together Towards Equity. Retrieved May 29, 2023, from https://apa.sdg4education2030.org/conference-equitable-education-together-towards-equity.