Habits of Resilient Educators: Strategies for Thriving During Times of Anxiety, Doubt, and Constant Change

It’s time to shift the narrative ― teaching should be joyful and teachers can feel successful…even in the face of challenging circumstances.

During a time when many educators are leaving the profession, others have rolled up their sleeves and shined brightly through the challenges and pressures of the tumultuous education landscape. Countless others are just entering the field, eager to contribute and make an impact on the lives of their students. What can we learn from both of these types of teachers? What are the habits we know that enable teachers to be effective no matter the environment? And how do we build and sustain professional and personal practices that help us rise to every challenge? (Because let’s face it… there are a lot of challenges!)

Habits of Resilient Educators answers these questions, providing teachers with the knowledge and tools necessary to develop habits that will create joyful, successful learning environments for themselves and their students.

As a team of eternal optimists, authors Lindsay Prendergast and Piper Lee draw from their vast collective experience and research-based knowledge to show the crucial relationship between teacher well-being and student success. What’s more, they provide a practical framework that teachers can lean on to regain control of their mindset and their practice―despite the many factors outside of their control.

This book helps teachers unlock their full potential by

• Exploring the why’s and how’s of nine habits such as collaborating, setting high expectations, using data to drive decisions, prioritizing effectively, and more
• Providing on-the-spot reflection boxes, note-catchers, and planning tools―as well as at-a-glance "sounds like/looks like" charts
• Offering a format that busy teachers can use personally, with a coach, or in a PLC; choose to focus on just one habit at a time, or do a jigsaw study with colleagues
• Sharing real-life stories of resilience and adaptation from educators that illustrate and bring each habit to life
• Detailing strategies you can use to navigate classroom challenges and develop a positive learning environment amid the complexities of contemporary education

Whether you’re embarking on a personal growth journey or collaborating with colleagues through mentorship, coaching, or professional learning communities, turn to Habits of Resilient Educators to help you achieve teaching habits that will help you thrive, not just survive.

Dr. Lindsay Prendergast brings two decades of experience in global education, where her roles have ranged from leadership coach to principal, consultant, and classroom teacher. As a senior leader with The Danielson Group and founder of EdHabits consulting (www.edhabits.com), she collaborates with districts, schools, and educators to promote equitable teaching and learning. She coauthored the bestselling Habits of Resilient Educators: Strategies for Thriving During Times of Anxiety, Doubt, and Constant Change (Prendergast & Lee, 2024) and Habits of Resilient Leaders: Personal Practices That Drive Professional Impact (Prendergast & Lee, 2025), and Habits for Resilient Learners: Empowering Students to Thrive Through Challenge and Change, as well as dozens of articles and manuscripts in the field of education. Lindsay’s work centers on leading systems change and advancing instructional leadership with practical and impactful insights. Recognized as an ASCD Emerging Leader and Champion in Education as well as an AAIE Fellow, Lindsay is an established thought leader who frequently shares her expertise on leadership development, growth-centered supervision, and assessment practices through ASCD, Learning Forward, Edutopia, AAIE, EARCOS, AMLE, Cognia, and more. Driven by a commitment to impactful change and global competence, Lindsay’s work empowers educators to navigate complex challenges, fostering environments where both teachers and students thrive. Lindsay holds a bachelor’s degree from Wofford College, a master’s degree in education leadership from Colorado Western State University, and a doctoral degree in education leadership from Wilkes University.