When we recognize and nurture our students’ unique strengths, our instruction becomes more effective. We are likely to experience greater success with students when we know and can draw on their strengths compared to when we focus too heavily on correcting or accommodating their weaknesses. Of course, weaknesses and faults are often easier to spot.
Identifying strengths can be more challenging, so we might find ourselves needing to create opportunities for students to discover and demonstrate their own unique strengths. The most direct path to finding the strengths our students possess is to operate under the assumption that every student has strengths to be tapped and nurtured. We are more likely to find strengths when we believe they are present and thus actively look for them. Conversely, when we doubt or do not readily assume the potential of students, we are more likely to see their limitations and weaknesses.
The strengths of some students are obvious and easy to spot. These students may even be quick to directly tell us about and confidently demonstrate their strengths. Other students, though, may be more reluctant to reveal their strengths, and some may even choose to hide them due to lack of confidence, fear of standing out, or desire to avoid being teased or embarrassed.
If we hope to have students discover, share, and develop their strengths, we need to create a safe environment for them to be themselves. They must feel safe in order to fully reveal and leverage their strengths as they learn and grow, and we can support them by establishing norms of respect, reinforcing the importance of individual uniqueness, and providing space for students to create, experiment, and explore.
Fortunately, there also are a variety of steps we can take and strategies we can employ to become aware of, validate, and nurture our students’ strengths. Here are eight options to consider:
- Invite parents and guardians to share what they see as their child’s strengths, as they are often in the best position to observe behavior across a variety of formal and informal settings. They may also be encouraging and nurturing strengths on which we can build.
- Consult with colleagues who have experience with the student(s). Students may demonstrate strengths with some applications and in certain areas while not necessarily demonstrating them in other situations. Hearing what colleagues have noticed can add important pieces to the strengths puzzle.
- Give students choices in their learning. When given opportunities and options, students typically go to their strengths or what they see as their strengths. Open-ended projects and activities can reveal strengths that otherwise might remain hidden, or, in some cases, students may choose to learn in an area of initial interest that can then be nurtured and built into a newfound strength.
- Learn about students’ lives outside of the classroom. Areas of interest, hobbies, extracurriculars, and other activities outside of the classroom can be rich sources for the discovery of talents and abilities. Students may demonstrate a strength in one setting, such as the arts or athletics, but fail to see the potential for its application in more formal learning environments. The more we know about our students outside of class, the more options we have for drawing out their strengths in the classroom.
- Observe students’ actions and interactions during times such as class discussions, small-group work, or even presentations and demonstrations. Students often provide evidence of strengths during these more organic times that can take us by surprise.
- Pay attention to students as they interact with their friends, classmates, and others. Informal activities such as these offer excellent opportunities to observe strengths and skills such as listening, negotiation, leadership, conflict resolution, and so on.
- Vary the types of assessments used to document student learning. Some students will shine when given closed-ended assessment prompts while others will soar with more open-ended demonstrations, presentations, and essays. Varied assessment styles can also give us a more complete picture of what students are learning but may struggle with or be reluctant to demonstrate.
- Offer students opportunities to discover strengths of which they may be unaware. We can expose student to different activities, ways of thinking, and novel approaches related to the curriculum that may open doors of discovery, stimulate an interest, or ignite a new passion.
The more we know about our students and their strengths, the more opportunities we have to reach, teach, and inspire them. Further, appealing to and building on students’ strengths can build their confidence, lift their aspirations, and expand their learning skills.
