The Power of Strength-Based Teaching

Identifying Student Strengths and Fostering Resilience

This is the seventh post in the ‘Insights from Teaching’ Series

Strength-based teaching is an educational approach that emphasises the identification and development of students’ strengths rather than focusing solely on their weaknesses. This method encourages students to build on their existing capabilities, fostering a sense of competence and confidence. By using process praise and promoting gratitude and hope, teachers can help students develop resilience and a positive outlook on their learning journey.

Key Concepts of Strength-Based Teaching

1. Identifying Student Strengths:
   • Strengths of the Head: Curiosity, creativity, critical thinking, love of learning, perspective.
   • Strengths of Action: Bravery, persistence, integrity, honesty, vitality.
   • Strengths of the Heart: Love, kindness, social intelligence.
   • Strengths of Community: Teamwork, fairness, leadership.
   • Strengths of Self-Control: Forgiveness, humility, prudence, self-regulation.
   • Strengths of Meaning: Appreciation of beauty, gratitude, hope, humour, spirituality.
2. Using Process Praise:
   • Process Praise vs. Person Praise: Process praise focuses on the effort and strategies used by students, while person praise focuses on innate abilities. For example, saying “I can see you worked really hard on this” is more effective than saying “You’re really good at this.”
   • Benefits of Process Praise: Encourages a growth mindset, motivates students to persist through challenges, and reinforces the value of effort and learning.
3. Fostering Resilience Through Gratitude and Hope:
   • Gratitude Practices: Encouraging students to reflect on what they are grateful for can improve their mood, increase satisfaction with school, and promote prosocial behaviour.
   • Hope Theory: Combining way-power (pathways to achieve goals) and will-power (motivation to pursue goals) with we-power (support networks) and why-power (sense of purpose) to help students set and achieve meaningful goals.

Applying Strength-Based Teaching Strategies

1. Spotting and Articulating Strengths:
   • Observation and Reflection: Regularly observe students and reflect on their strengths. Use tools like the VIA Character Strengths Survey to help students identify their own strengths.
   • Strength-Based Conversations: Engage students in discussions about their strengths and how they can use them in their learning and daily lives.
2. Implementing Process Praise:
   • Specific Feedback: Provide specific feedback that highlights the effort and strategies used by students. For example, “I noticed you used a great strategy to solve that problem.”
   • Encouraging a Growth Mindset: Reinforce the idea that abilities can be developed through effort and learning. Use phrases like “You’re improving because you’re working hard.”
3. Incorporating Gratitude and Hope:
   • Gratitude Exercises: Start or end the day with a gratitude exercise, such as having students share something they are grateful for or writing in a gratitude journal.
   • Hope Mapping: Help students set and map out their goals using the hope theory framework. Discuss the benefits and challenges of achieving their goals and identify support networks.

Let’s look at an example:

Consider a student who frequently disrupts the class by talking with other students instead of starting on their work. Instead of viewing this behaviour as purely negative, a strength-based approach would identify the student’s potential strengths, such as curiosity, social intelligence, teamwork, fairness, and vitality.

Potential Techniques to Help Them Thrive:

• Think-Pair-Share (TPS): Use this strategy to encourage the student to discuss their ideas with a partner before sharing with the class, leveraging their social intelligence.
• Group Tasks: Assign group tasks that require collaboration, allowing the student to use their teamwork skills.
• Leadership Opportunities: Give the student leadership roles, such as leading a group activity or project.
• Delegating Responsibility: Assign responsibilities that the student can own, such as distributing materials or managing a class job.
• Jigsaw Activities: Use jigsaw activities where each student becomes an expert in one part of a topic and then teaches it to their peers.
• Collaborative Activities: Design activities that require collaboration, allowing the student to thrive in a social setting.

By recognising these strengths and offering suitable opportunities to use them, the student can direct their energy and social skills towards productive and positive classroom behaviours. I understand that it can be challenging to cater to the needs of every individual student, so it’s beneficial to incorporate a variety of teaching techniques. This approach ensures that students develop diverse skills and each one is given the chance to thrive.

Final Thoughts: Strength-Based Teaching

Strength-based teaching is a powerful approach that can transform the learning experience for students. By focusing on strengths, using process praise, and fostering gratitude and hope, teachers can create a positive and supportive classroom environment that encourages growth and resilience.