Strengths-Based Resources

Strengths-based Education Resources – these are updated every few months – for a live link, click here.
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

3 Comments

  1. 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

  2. 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.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *