Are Students and School Personnel Taught to Be Helpless-Oriented or Resourceful-Oriented? Part 2: Focus on School Personnel

Learned helplessness was the focus of Part I of this series. The concept derives from a perceived inability to control situations that are controllable. Taught helplessness is the focus of Part 2 of this series. It stems from an inability to control situations that are uncontrollable. When factors outside the control of organizational participants teach helplessness, consultant efforts should focus on changing the system and/or the environment rather than on fixing individuals. In order to assist consultants, the purposes of this article are to: (a) differentiate learned and taught helplessness, (b) describe the antecedents and consequences of taught helplessness, and (c) identify strategies individuals can use to create organizations that teach resourcefulness.