Strengths in School

Traditional schools are structured around a deficit-based educational model. Teachers identify weaknesses in students and work on those weaknesses. Focusing on weaknesses can be utilized to ensure a solid foundation for future academic and life success, however, as students get older, a shift needs to occur from a deficit-based model to a strengths-focused educational model.

A strengths perspective in education would see teachers identifying strengths in students and work with those students to enhance their strengths. Strengths in education can simply be a focus on the subjects in which a student naturally excels, and it can also include personal characteristics.

The shift from a deficit-model to a strengths-focus is needed if we want excellence in education. If we focus all of our attention in getting students to meet minimum standards in all areas, we will end up with graduates who are relatively well-rounded but who do not excel in anything ... and worse, we will be training them to "work on their weaknesses" and shoot for mediocrity, rather than enhancing their strengths to shoot for excellence.

Here is a great video by Marcus Buckingham about strengths in education and life ... 

The Truth About You

Before application, let me mention what a Strengths perspective in education is NOT.

1. A strengths perspective is NOT a fixed mindset.

Sometimes "strengths" are used to encourage a fixed mindset ... when a teacher or parent tells a student that he/she is really good at a subject, it is translated as "I don't have to work at that subject." It is important to maintain a growth mindset with a strengths perspective. I like using the term "gifts" when talking about the qualities or areas in which students naturally excel; however, to make gifts into strengths, it takes effort and focus on those specific gifts.

Gifts + Effort/Focus => Strengths

This formula dovetails with Ericsson's (1990) research that 10,000 hours are needed to become an expert at something. Whether you accept Ericsson's specific findings or not, the concept is the same ... in order to develop gifts into strengths, one needs to put effort and focus into those gifts.

2. Strengths is NOT independence

When you talk about strengths, some may assume that "strengths" is synonymous with independence. In the American society, a "strong" person is celebrated because he/she doesn't need to rely on others ... a rugged individualism; however, this is a fallacy in learning and life. In order to be successful, we need to be dependent upon others ... or rather interdependent. In a successful team, each person needs to excel in their area of strength and depend on others to excel in their respective area of strength. The metaphor of an orchestra is an apt one of interdependence; an orchestra performs a beautiful symphony only when each member of the orchestra plays his/her instrument with excellence. 

Application

1. Identify Strengths in Students

Student strengths (again, I like the term "gifts") need to be identified so that they can be fully developed. Here are a few of the many different tools that can be used to accomplish this first step:

• StrengthsQuest (www.strengthsquest.com) -- No "strengths" conversation can happen without mentioning Gallop's great work. The StrengthsFinder inventory is a fee-based service ($10 online / $20 book), but it provides a plethora of research and resources to use in education.
• Values in Action (viacharacter.org) -- This is a free inventory on character strengths and also provides great research and resources to use in education.
• Character Awards -- Schools do not need to use an online tool to identify gifts; many schools recognize honorable characteristics in students through awards. This is a great way to identify and celebrate character strengths so that students can focus on those areas throughout the year. Unfortunately, many of these award ceremonies happen at the end of the year, so students and teachers cannot focus on those throughout the year ... identify these early in the year and set goals to enhance and practice them.
• Discipline Specific Awards -- Similarly, each teacher/department could recognize students who excel in specific subjects. Celebrate these academic strengths and provide opportunities for these students to grow in their gifted areas so that they can develop into strengths. Allowing these students to take a MOOC (or other college/online course) in their identified area may inspire them to excellence.

2. Differentiate Learning and Assessment

The premise of differentiation comes from a strengths perspective. The question to students is no longer, "Are you smart?" but rather "How are you smart?" Educators differentiate to allow students to learn (and show how they have learned) in their area of strength. Differentiation is an important pillar in a strengths perspective in education. Whether you use Gardner's Multiple Intelligences or another model, continue to differentiate in pedagogy and assessment.

3. Promote Strengths

Educators, so often, focus on what students can't do or what students have done wrong. Imagine a school where the primary focus (not sole focus) is on what students are doing right. How can you celebrate what students are doing well?

• Highlight Excellence (aka use exemplars) -- when I taught high school English, I used to grade essays by highlighting excellent sentences/phrases ... I would literally use a highlighter, but before returning graded essays, I would also read excellent parts from a variety of student papers (exemplars). Focusing first on what was right helped set a positive tone before I taught a mini-lesson on ways to improve writing.
• Peer Assistance -- students with strengths in certain areas should be encouraged to help others in the classroom who struggle. This simple activity sends a powerful message of interdependence.
• Groups -- create groups from a strengths perspective. Once student strengths are identified place those with different strengths into groups to complement each other ... again a powerful message on interdependence.
• Recognition -- We recognize certain areas quite well (specifically athletics), but rarely celebrate school-wide academic or character strengths. Some organizations, like NHS and Jostens Renaissance Education, can help to promote these important areas, but you can also develop a recognition system that works for your school.  

We, as educators, are well-practiced in a deficit model of education ... identify weaknesses, set goals/activities to work on those weaknesses, and then provide opportunities for students to practice. Ironically, these same steps can be used effectively from a strengths perspective:

1. Identify academic and character strengths in students 
2. Set goals to develop those strengths
3. Provide opportunities for students to practice (it really feels like play) their strengths.

Using Kindness to Improve School Climate

In 2000, the movie Pay It Forward was released. In essence, this movie describes a middle school social studies teacher (Kevin Spacey) who challenges his students to make a difference in the world. One student embraces this assignment, and develops a system to change the world through kindness. He does three kind things for others and asks them to "pay it forward" so that the acts of kindness exponentially grow. While the movie is "ancient" (made before many of your students were born), the concept is timeless. Consider using this movie and concept to encourage kindness ... it will change your school climate.


Every school's climate can improve. and some schools' climate must improve. Recent research should inspire all educators to focus on school climate for student success.

In the November 2016 edition of the Review of Educational Research, a study by Berkowitz, Moore, Astor, and Benbenishty found that school climate has a significant impact on student success.

• Resource: A Research Synthesis of the Associations Between Socioeconomic Background, Inequality, School Climate and Academic Achievement
• NPR's Summary: How a Happy School Can Help Students Succeed

Trying to improve a school climate is a daunting task, and many attempts to do so have failed. However, utilizing kindness may be the golden ticket to improve a school's culture.

Most of the time a school's climate just evolves (or devolves) over time without intention. While a school's ethos is shaped by what the administration and staff decide to emphasize (i.e. commit resources toward), rarely does this happen intentionally. Some schools emphasize academics, some emphasize the fine arts or athletics, and others emphasize more of the "soft skills," like interpersonal communication, relationships, strengths, and spirituality; these areas of emphasis help to shape the school's climate. Regardless of the type of culture at your school, it can be improved through emphasizing kindness.

Kindness Improves Everyone (giver, receiver, observer)

Research demonstrates that acts of kindness boost three important chemicals in our bodies: Serotonin, Endorphin, and Oxytocin. Serotonin is a chemical that regulates our moods, and low Serotonin causes depression (anti-depressant drugs boost Serotonin); it is the first happiness chemical. The second, Endorphin, is the chemical most commonly associated with the high that we feel after we exercise, and it is the cause of the "helper's high" that we feel when we do something nice for someone else. The third happiness chemical is Oxytocin, also called the "hug hormone" because it causes the positive feeling when we hug, kiss, cuddle someone that we love. Wow ... that's a pretty potent chemical cocktail. The amazing thing is that these are all released through acts of kindness.

• Resource: The Science of Kindness (video)

We all know how good it feels to be on the receiving end of a gift, and we also know how good it feels to be the giver (after all, "it is better to give than to receive"). So it makes sense that these happiness chemicals increase for the giver and the receiver; what is so surprising is that the research indicates that these same chemicals increase for the observer also. When we see an act of kindness, it also makes us feel happy.

I had always thought that an anonymous act of kindness is somehow better than one done in front of a bunch of people. However, if observers can be positively impacted, then acts of kindness should be public, shared with others as a gift of happiness. This is especially true if we want to impact a school's climate; others need to see these acts of kindness, and we need to celebrate/promote these actions. If we do that, everyone benefits.

Kindness is Contagious

Promoting acts of kindness will help everyone feel good, but it will also begin to impact a school's climate because kindness is contagious. If someone does something nice for me, I want to do something nice for others.

• Check out this "kindness is contagious" video from Life Vest.

When one person does something nice, it can lead to others doing nice things. This "pay it forward" kindness can grow exponentially and truly impact a school's climate.

• Resource: "The Science of Giving: Why One Act of Kindness is Usually Followed by Another"

Getting Started

1. Start Small ... with Lollipop Moments

We often think that to make a big change we must do a big thing; this is not the case with changing a school climate. Start by doing small acts of kindness. It is amazing how handing out lollipops (or Otter Pops) changes someone's demeanor and can even change their life.

• Check out this Ted Talk from Drew Dudley on Lollipop Moments.

What small thing can you do to make someone smile tomorrow? Remember, it will positively impact you, the receiver, and others observing you.

2. Be Intentional ... not Random

The popular phrase is "random acts of kindness," but let me encourage you to be intentional rather than random, especially if you are going to change your school climate. Changing the school's climate in the right direction requires an intentional plan and a consistent implementation. Changing something as big as a school's culture takes time and a focused effort.

3. Start with Students ... not the Principal

Changing a school's climate should start with the students ... truly a grass roots movement. When a principal (like me) suggests acts of kindness, it sounds a lot like community service, which sounds a lot like detention ... so start with students. This is a great opportunity for student council or National Honors Society or a club; teachers can encourage and principals can support, promote, and celebrate, but it should come from students.

4. Promote It

We know that when others observe acts of kindness, it improves their happiness and inspires them to "pay it forward." Share what your school is doing on social media, through your school newsletters, and by shouting it from the rooftops. Also, participate in the Great Kindness Challenge on January 23-27, 2017 (greatkindnesschallenge.org).

Examples of School Kindness

SWAG (service with a grin) -- a few years ago a group of students came to me with a proposal for ways that students could serve during their study halls; they called it SWAG -- Service With A Grin. They created a Google document, shared with every staff member so that they could enter any tasks that they needed to be completed ... it included emptying trashcans, setting up a science lab, sweeping the gym floor, and updating bulletin boards. Students were able to view the document and could complete tasks if they had available time during their study halls.

Cleaning Lunch Tables -- Every school has a cafeteria with an employee tasked with cleaning tables. Our middle school students take on that job to "be a blessing" to those working in our food service. Each week a cleaning team, with spray bottles and rags in hand, wipe down the tables to get the cafeteria ready for the next group of students.

Welcome Committee -- So many students struggle to get going in the morning and are less than thrilled to be arriving at school. Why not have a welcoming committee to greet them, hold the door, and say "good morning" with a smile ... maybe even hand them a lollipop.



These are just a few ideas of ways to spread kindness at school. What does your school do?  How do you promote kindness at school?

"It is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love."                                                                                      -J.R.R. Tolkien

Small acts of kindness and love is something we need more in our schools and in our country.

More Kindness Resources can be found at

• Life Vest -- www.lifevestinside.com
• How Full is Your Bucket -- strengths.gallup.com/114079/Full-Bucket.aspx

This was originally a presentation at the LEAD conference in Denver 11/12/2016 (www.leadconferences.org).