Strengths-based Education Resources – these are updated every few months – for a live link, click here.
- WHY and HOW of STRENGTH-BASED EDUCATION?
- The Principles of Strengths-Based Education
Doing what we do best leads to high levels of engagement and productivity. Educators who capitalize on their strengths daily help students do what they do best by developing a strengths-based approach to education. The principles of strengths-based education include measurement, individualization, networking, deliberate application, and intentional development. Through a parallel process, educators practice the principles of strengths-based education when advising and teaching while students learn to put their strengths to work in learning and social situations. - Strengths In Education – Strength Based Education Project – Wellington Catholic District School Board
Project involving schools and Lakehead University - Positive Psychology Center
- Many resources from University of Pennsylvania – Dr. Martin Seligman et al
- Positive Psychology – An Introduction – Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi
- A Place for Everyone: Nurturing Each Child’s Niche
Strength-based article from Bruce Perry - Authentic Happiness
Reading, videos, and resources on Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania – site includes surveys to determine top character strengths in adults and kids (registration required). - Strength-Based Practice with Children in Trouble
This article describes the shift to a strength-based perspective and outlines practices that have been found to be effective with challenging children. - Embracing a Strengths Based Perspective and Practice in Education
Resiliency Initiatives out of Calgary - Searching for Strengths
Summarizing the paradigm shift towards strength-based perspectives in special education, social services, mental health, and juvenile corrections. - Frontiers in Strength-Based Treatment
If we are serious about the commitment to “leave no child behind”, then we must be able to cultivate strengths in all children and families. This article surveys the strengths perspective with particular attention to principles and practices in strength-based assessment and treatment. - What is a Strength?
As the strength-based perspective gains recognition, it is important to describe what constitutes strengths and to develop a specific vocabulary to name them. This article draws on resilience research to help identify specific competencies and areas of strengths in youth. - Tools for Building on Youth Strengths
This article provides practical strategies for assessing the strengths of children and developing interventions to tap their assets in achieving educational and treatment goals. - It’s OK,Not everyone can be good at math
Research from Carol Dweck et al about how we need to be careful about the strengths-based movement as to not create a fixed mindset
- The Principles of Strengths-Based Education
- HOW DO WE ASSESS/DETERMINE STRENGTHS?
- Character Strengths Development: VIA Institute on Character
values in action – tons of resources including an assessment tool - SAI :: Home :: Strength Assessment Inventory
Assessment for students aged 10-18 of their strengths – need login and paid license - A Roadmap for Building on Youth Strengths
Article that helps build understanding on how to determine and assess the strengths of youth.
- Character Strengths Development: VIA Institute on Character
- BLOGS FROM EDUCATORS ON STRENGTH-BASED EDUCATION
- The Wejr Board – Start With Strengths: Change the Lens. Change the Story.
- The Wejr Board – Strength In EVERY Child
- The Wejr Board – Honouring A Student’s Strength: Story of Daniel
- The Wejr Board – 10 Ways to Start With Strengths in Schools
- The Wejr Board – 10 Ways to Determine the Strengths of Our Students
- 8 Things to Look For in Today’s Classroom | The Principal of Change
- Tools for Teaching: Ditching The Deficit Model | Edutopia
- The Wejr Board – Rethinking Awards Ceremonies
- Blending Future Forward
Blended learning program from the Comox Valley that taps into the strengths and interests of students - Teacher Driven Change – Deficit-Strength Difference
California Teachers Association
- IDENTITY DAY
- “Identity Day” Resources
A collection of resources used for the planning and implementing of Identity Day at a school.
- “Identity Day” Resources
- STRENGTH-BASED VIDEOS
- Top 10 TED Talks on Character Strengths and Virtues
Some great videos to drive conversations. - What If Money Was No Object? Alan Watts – YouTube
Using passion and strengths in life - With A Piece Of Chalk – JuBaFilms – YouTube
short film about a child that lights up with the acknowledgement of his strengths - Animal School – raising small souls – YouTube
Video to show to parents/educators about the problems with standardization and how each child is different with their own set of strengths and challenges - The Butterfly Circus [Short Film HD] – YouTube
Powerful short film on a fictional circus owner brought out the strengths in people that had been cast aside by society.
- Top 10 TED Talks on Character Strengths and Virtues
- STRENGTH-BASED PERSPECTIVES BEYOND EDUCATION
- Strengths-Based Nursing: Moving Beyond Deficits in Nursing Practice and Nursing Education
- Strengths-based approaches for working with individuals Institute for Research and Innovation in Social Services
- A STRENGTH-BASED MANUAL FOR COUNSELLING AT-RISK YOUTH
Detailed graduate studies paper outlining using strnegth-based assessment and practice in counseling challenging youth. - The Resilience Code: Finding Greatness in Youth
Referencing the work and research from the Circle of Courage, this article looks at the evolution of a strength-based perspective and how tapping into strengths can create resiliency in youth.
Hi Chris,
I stumbled across your blog while searching for articles on Kohn and PBIS as I’m anti-rewards and appreciated the post you made on videos encouraging folks to rethink rewards; couldn’t access the comment board there, but wanted to share my TEDx with you, called “Helping Our Littlest Helpers” as it may be something to add to your list?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vHm2NICftpY
Also, not sure if you’re familiar with the VIA Institute/survey, helping folks identify their core strengths, but thought you might be interested in it as well (not sure of the link, but a Google search should do the trick:)
Thanks so much for your work and consideration; signing up for your emails now!
Fondly, Beth Nowak
Founder, Giving Families/GivingFamilies.com
Great collection of resources!
How does Carol Dweck’s growth mindset fit (or not) with this strength-based approach?
Great question! When I look at the 2 different aspects of a strengths-based approach (character strengths and skills), they both have alignment with one precaution. Acknowledging that perseverance is one of the 24 character strengths and this can be developed rally aligns with the growth mindset. Although we have strengths that are stronger that others, we can always learn and we can always grow. For the skill aspect (being good at something), I tend to use this strength as a way to show that skill is developed over time through deliberate practice. If a child is skilled at art, I ask them how they became skilled at art and we eventually determine that the child has spent hours and years practicing and developing skill in art. I then link this to an area of stretch/struggle and try to create an understanding that the skill is not fixed, it was developed over time.
The BIG precaution I add is that we need to be careful not to say “it’s ok that you are not good at _____ because you are good at _____”. WHen we say this, we create a fixed mindset dialogue. We should be tapping into the strengths to build on the struggles rather than simply stating it is ok to not have a strength in a certain area and call it a day. I also do not believe that we are born with a strength… we are born and raised for strengths and the environment plays a key role. Our strengths become those that we work at regularly.
I am interested in your thoughts as well.