Becoming a Strengths-Oriented Educator

Most of us are familiar with a deficit-based educational model; teachers (and school systems) identify weaknesses in students and then work on those weaknesses. If a student did not master a skill or knowledge set on the diagnostic assessment (pre-test), they receive instruction on the areas they got wrong so that they can pass that section.

American education has been traditionally oriented to focus on weaknesses; while identifying areas of growth is essential to student learning, becoming a strengths-oriented educator will enhance and enrich student learning and the learning environment. Educators and school systems need to shift from a deficit-based to a strengths-oriented educational model.

Here is a video by Marcus Buckingham that provides an introduction to a strengths-oriented perspective on education and life with the example of how selecting the right musical instrument makes all the difference. 

• The Truth About You

What is a Strengths-Oriented Education?

Quite simply, a strengths-oriented educational model is one in which educators and school systems identify the strengths of the student (rather than weaknesses) and provide learning experiences to encourage growth in the areas of strength. The goal is to move students from good to great rather than from bad to average. Becoming a strengths-oriented educator may seem like a drastic change, but hopefully, this blog will help you see minor changes to adopt to make that shift.

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 feedback on how they did. Ironically, these same steps can be used effectively from a strengths perspective:

1. Identify Strengths
2. Design Differentiated Lessons to Grow the Strengths
3. Provide Positive Feedback

What a Strengths-Oriented Education is NOT

Before looking at the steps of becoming a strengths-oriented educator, let me mention what a strengths perspective in education is NOT.

1. A strengths-orientation is NOT a fixed mindset.

Sometimes "strengths" are misused to encourage a fixed mindset (i.e. "I am what I am and I can't change" or "I'm good at it, and I don't need to work hard to improve"). It is important to maintain a growth mindset with a strengths orientation. In fact, I like using the term "gifts" when talking about the qualities or areas in which students naturally excel. It implies a natural gift (from God) that is not yet a "strength." Chip Anderson, a pioneer in StrengthsFinder and strengths education, used the following formula to emphasize the focused work needed to develop gifts into strengths.

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. A strengths-orientation is NOT about Independence but rather Interdependence

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; however, this is a fallacy in learning and life. In order to be successful, we need to be dependent upon others ... or rather interdependent with others. 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.  Another example of flourishing through interdependence is shown in the biblical image of the body of Christ (I Cor. 12:12-27). Each person is a different part of the body, and the body only flourishes if every part functions effectively. God did not create super-humans, but rather imperfect individuals gifted in different areas that need to rely on each other. A strengths-orientation will help to encourage this biblical concept in education. 

What does a Strengths-Oriented Educator Do Differently?

Strengths Identification & Celebration

The first step in becoming a strengths-oriented educator is to get to know the students well (as early as possible); one needs to know the students in order to identify strengths. This, of course, is academic but it also includes personality traits and passions (what do they love to do).

• Academic Strengths -- schools regularly use tools to identify academic strengths.
• Diagnostic Assessment -- one of more underutilized assessment tools is the diagnostic test (pre-test). While this can be done formally or informally, it is a vital step before lesson design can happen in a differientiated manner. What are students able to already do or what do they already know? Spend time finding this out, and celebrate those who are already academically strong ... and don't make them sit idly by while the rest of the class learns the material!
• Formative Assessment -- Excellent strengths-oriented educators use a wide variety of formative assessment tools to frequently check student understanding asking, "what have you learned so far?" or "how well do you understand?" This could be in-class checks or homework assignments, but it must be an essential part of strengths identification.
• What is your favorite subject? What do you love to do outside of school? -- Just asking these simple questions can help an educator identify what students love and are passionate about ... give them more of that class, subject, topic.
• Character Strengths
• CliftonStrengths -- Every "strengths" conversation must begin with Gallop's CliftonStrengths or StrengthsFinder, a fee-based inventory that identifies 34 strengths. This is a powerful tool supported by a plethora of research and resources for educators.
• Values in Action -- This is a free inventory of 24 character strengths and also provides great research and resources to use in education.
• Additional tools like the Enneagram, High5 Test, or Myers-Briggs can also be used to identify personality/character strengths of students.
• Character Awards -- Schools do not need to use an online tool to identify strengths; 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 (don't wait until the end of the year to identify / celebrate them). 
• Discipline Specific Awards -- Similarly, each teacher/department could recognize students who excel in specific subjects areas. Flip the script in your teacher's lounge by asking, who is your best student? 

Differentiate Lesson Design

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?" That is a strengths-oriented question. Educators differentiate to allow students to learn (and show how they have learned) in their area of strength. 

• Differentiate Up. Educators typically differentiate down, meaning that they identify the students that are struggling and design an additional learning experience for them ... to get everyone at the same level (albeit a low/mediocre level). Rather differentiate up for excellence, moving students from good to great. Find the strengths in every student and place them in a differentiation group. For example, four groups could be students who excel in writing, video production, hands-on projects, and debate. Each group could have a wide range of academic ability but they are placed in groups that that can flourish. 
• Interdependent Groups. Once student strengths are identified place those with different strengths into groups to complement each other ... again a powerful message on interdependence, e.g. a good writer is placed with a good video producer, a good project manager, and a good debater.  Now, that is both a strong team and a taste of a future workplace team.
• Enrich in areas they are strong. Instead of giving remedial work in areas that they got wrong, give slightly more challenging work in areas in which they got right.
• Most textbooks over-supply teachers with projects, questions, assignments ... utilize those resources to keep students challenged in their areas of strength. 
• Provide enrichment through online resources. Encourage students to explore MOOCs (massive open online courses), online websites (e.g. Khan Academy), or partner with a local online provider to allow students to take courses in their areas of interest.
• Establish "genius bars" where the students who understand the material become tutors for those who need a little extra support. Make sure that all students have an opportunity to be a "genius" during the term.

Positive Feedback

Feedback educators give to students, 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. Slight changes to your feedback mode will change the culture of your classroom and school.

• Grading homework -- imagine if teachers mark and comment on the correct answers rather than the incorrect answers. The grade would still be 8 out of 10, but the students would focus more on the 8 correct answers rather than the 2 incorrect ones. 
• Essay Grading --First get rid of the blood red pen when grading essays ... there is nothing more deficit based than giving a student a paper filled with red ink about all that is wrong. When I taught high school English, I used to grade essays by highlighting excellent sentences/phrases ... I would literally use a highlighter not a pen. Additionally, I would read excellent parts from a variety of student papers. Focusing first on what was right helped set a positive tone before I taught a mini-lesson on ways to improve writing.
• Homework Corrections -- Most teachers spend the first few minutes of class in correction mode: "Let me go over the questions that people got wrong." Let's change that to a celebration mode: "Let's look at a few questions that most of you got right." Then select a few student to share how they answered the question correctly; this will also solidify the learning for those who share (those who didn't have that answer will learn better from their peers, too).
• Recognition -- The ultimate feedback is recognition. We recognize certain strengths quite well (specifically athletics), but schools rarely celebrate 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.  Don't wait until the end of the year.
• Use Exemplars -- Good examples of how something should be done (exemplars) is a powerful tool, especially if you use exemplars from students. Sometimes teachers use exemplars from professionals (or from the teacher or book); these are still good, but those can intimidate students ("I could never do that"), but exemplars from classmates should motivate them ("If a classmate can do it, so can I"). When I taught English, I used to read exemplary student answers to essays/short answer questions; I didn't say the student's name, but I could feel them beaming from his/her seat.
• A Positive Tone -- use a celebratory tone about what is going well rather than a negative tone about what is going wrong. This applies to classroom management, feedback on grading, and even giving assignments. Imagine the student response to the following messages:
• "You got the following problems wrong, please complete the review packet in those areas."
• "Wow, you are really good at that [part of the assignment] ... let me give you some slightly more challenging problems to help you become even better."
• The first is a typical message heard in most classrooms and can be deflating to students ... "Ugh, I have to do more of what I hate!" The second message is strengths-oriented and can be energizing and enriching to students ... "Cool, I get to do more of my favorite part of the assignment!"

The shift from a deficit-model to a strengths-orientation 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.

Finally, a strengths-orientation will encourage schools, educators, and ultimately students to celebrate the God-given gifts seen in themselves and others. They will focus on their specific gifts and, by celebrating the gifts in others, will reduce jealousy of their classmates.

I encourage you to read more about becoming a strengths-oriented educator.

Resources:

Shane J Lopez & Michelle C Louis (2009) The Principles of Strengths-Based Education, Journal of College and Character, 10:4, , DOI: 10.2202/1940-1639.1041 

• https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.2202/1940-1639.1041
• (Summary) https://www.slu.edu/cttl/resources/resource-guides/strengths-based-education.pdf