Life Success
For Students With Learning Disabilities:
A Parent Guide

Perseverance

My child...
Understands the benefits of perseverance
Keeps working at academic tasks despite difficulties
Keeps working at non-academic tasks despite difficulties
Knows how to deal with obstacles/setbacks
Knows how to adjust to change
Knows when to quit

This success attribute, like all the others, needs to be developed in a number of areas beyond school. Attention has to be given to fostering perseverance in the following areas: educational, cognitive, physical, psychological, employment, social, leisure, and spiritual. With regard to these areas, children with learning disabilities should learn to:

  • Understand the meaning of perseverance;
  • Understand the benefits of persevering and the consequences of not;
  • Develop strategies for dealing with obstacles, setbacks, and adjusting to change;
  • Recognize that passion and desire keep one moving in the face of adversity.

In order to foster perseverance, the following activities are recommended.

GENERAL ACTIVITIES FOR FOSTERING PERSEVERANCE
Share inspirational stories (tell, read, watch movies) of people who have persevered in the face of adversity.
Have your child share his or her own stories (tell, write, draw) about times when he or she did not persevere and the resulting outcomes.
Have your child keep journals focusing on experiences requiring perseverance .
Have your child keep a record of when he or she is, or is not persevering.
Praise your child for persevering behavior and attitude when playing games, learning new sports, and doing unpopular chores.

Next: Goal-Setting >>

 


A project of the
Frostig Center