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Start With
STRENGTHS:
change the lens
change the STORY
For the Staff of Enver Creek Secondary
September 26, 2016
CCImagefromEtherealWorldhttps://flic.kr/p/4BDBPS
Chris Wejr
chriswejr.com
@chriswejr
What Matters
"I come to you humbly not to tell you
what to do on your journey but to share
with you what I have learned on mine”
Wab Kinew
cc licensed ( BY NC SA ) flickr photo by Thompson Rivers University:
http://flickr.com/photos/thompsonrivers/8518479289/
Learning Intentions
• I can share the WHY of strengths-based education
• I can share ways to help shift the lens to a more
strengths-based model
• I can share the strengths of myself and the Enver
Creek Secondary School community
• I can devise methods to determine the strengths of
our students (and/or staff)
• I can share ideas to move to a strength-based
model in my classroom and/or school
• I can identify ONE student with whom I will connect
with and tap into his/her strengths.
#startwithstrengths
Our stories shape
who we are
Stories about ourselves
Video: http://vimeo.com/66058153
We teach who we are. Parker
Palmer
ACTIVITY:
Sharing the strengths of
ourselves.
REFLECT: What is a strength of
YOURS?
With a partner, share a story of how
you use this strength at school.
WHY
Strengths-Based
Education?
“Connection is
why we are here.
We are hardwired to
connect with
others
-- Brene Brown
cc licensed ( BY ND ) flickr photo by Andrew:
http://flickr.com/photos/30235101@N06/3344044448/
Student
Struggles
CC Image from Poughkeepsie Day School http://bit.ly/2d97uOc
Raising children is far more than just fixing what is wrong
with them. It is about identifying and amplifying their
strengths and virtues, and helping them find the niche
where they can live these positive traits to the fullest.
Dr. Martin Seligman
chriswejr.com
A Shifting Demographic…
Stories
Strengths
Interests
Confidence
Meaning
SEL
Engagement
“We don’t know who we can be…
until we know what we can do”
-- Sir Ken
Robinson
The Stories of
our Students
The Story of
Amy
CC Image from Marzia http://flic.kr/p/524Dsy
Is our students’ work at school both a reflection of
who THEY are and what WE want them to do?
CCimagefromBradFlickingerhttps://flic.kr/p/b9wDhg
Exploring who they are…
creating their stories
CC Image by Wonderlane https://flic.kr/p/cDeCGs
ACTIVITY: Who is your Amy?
Share the story of ONE student who
has strengths, interests, and/or skills
that may not be recognized in school.
Agassiz
Centre
for
Educatio
n
New
Stories
From Vancouver Sun
Stories
Strengths
Interests
Confidence
Meaning
SEL
Engagement
CC Image: http://flic.kr/p/bhvabR
Each child has a gift... We
need to see and nurture these
gifts so they emerge and
flourish throughout an
individual’s life.
-- Lorna Williams
What are “strengths”?
Strength of Character
Strength of
Skill
Images from
Langley Schools
What strengths-based
education is NOT
• Ignoring the struggles of our students
• Bubble wrapping
• Inauthentic feedback: telling students they
are awesome and amazing for no apparent
reason
• Giving awards to everyone
• Letting students do whatever they want
whenever they want
STRENGT
H S
s t r u g g l e s
What we see…
Depends on what we look
CCImagebyRyanHaddadhttps://flic.kr/p/inZ5S
“But the other side is unbaked.
The side of strengths, the
side of what we are good at,
the side…of what makes life
worth living.”
Dr. Martin Seligman
“Psychology is half-baked, literally half-baked. We
have baked the part about mental illness. We have
baked the part about repair and damage…”
Image from Pixgood
CC Image from Trottalot https://flic.kr/p/a4YZhT
Training ourselves to look
through strengths-tinted glasses
Looking through a new lens
https://youtu.be/mZedcQoY0iw
Our students’ strengths are not
carrots to be dangled to get them
to comply… they are valuable
resources to be tapped and
embedded in their learning.
CC Image from ChrisCook04 https://flic.kr/p/87cZ6L
Photo: nasrulekram
Changing the lens
of Grade 10 Girls PE
Lifestyles PE
cc licensed ( BY NC ND ) flickr photo by Boston Public Library:
http://flickr.com/photos/boston_public_library/6198183420/
A School Built on Strengths
My students OUR STUDENTS
-30
-20
-10
0
10
20
30
40
.
Research from the Corporate Leadership Council, 2002
Strengths
+36.4%
Weakness
es
-26.8%
ACTIVITY: See. Think.
Wonder.
Image: Todd Rose, The End of Average
Todd Rose – End of Average
https://youtu.be/4eBmyttcfU4
ACTIVITY: Pair-Share
How does the story of US Air
Force pilots relate to education?
Discuss with a partner, then share
out.
Jagged Learning Profiles
Design to the Edges
CC Image From Tony Baldasaro https://flic.kr/p/cDBuUs
CC Image from Terry Priest https://flic.kr/p/hrxqQ
Find the
Fireflies
Rachel Macy Stafford
Stories
Strengths
Interests
Confidence
Meaning
SEL
Engagement
“To shift a cycle from
decline to success,
leaders must restore
people’s confidence”
--Rosabeth Moss Kanter
Back up to where
they are…
and get em on a
winning streak
Tom Schimmer
CC Image by US Army Garrison Red Cloud https://flic.kr/p/jfcWi4
CC Image by Theodore Chenhttps://flic.kr/p/32egeo
Make it worth the effort.
Narrow the gap.
Resiliency
craves
confidence
Think like…
a coach
a director
a choreographer
a leader
Change the streak.
Change the story.
CC Image by Ladyvee9 https://flic.kr/p/8dwV21
Stories
Strengths
Interests
Confidence
Meaning
SEL
Engagement
“We cannot motivate others…
we can only work to
create the conditions for people
to motivate themselves.”
-- Edward Deci and Richard Ryan
Image: http://flic.kr/p/8zWLAj
Strengths-Based
Education
HOW?
Let it go!
A Strengths-Based Culture
CHOICES
Passion Projects
Innovation Days
Inquiry
Project-Based
Learning
Genius Hour
Outdoor Education
Blended Learnin
"When there is space for kids to
create, connect, explore - magic
happens”
Neil Stephenson
CC Image by Linus Bohman
https://flic.kr/p/grtNE
#HypeTheTrench
Thomas Haney Secondary School
Club Days
Riverside Secondary School
Images:
Pam Becker
Passion Projects
@_MrsBarb
Middle Earth 12 – Glen Thielmann
middleearth12.blogspot.ca
CC Image from James Losey https://flic.kr/p/nhJsAA
Learning With Strengths – Comox Valley
image via BCPVPA http://bit.ly/1LFZQmi
Tapping into the strengths for Lit 12
Video from Naryn Searcy http://bit.ly/1hUGOJG
ACTIVITY: Appreciative Inquiry
What are the strengths of our school
community (students and staff)? What
makes us who we are? What do we do
well?
List/draw on the chart paper.
Determine the Strengths
Observe, be curious
Spend time with students
Make space for the strengths to come
out
Character Strengths Survey:
www.viacharacter.org
Who are the students?
(Leyton Schnellert, 2011)
Who am I?
Words that
describe me:
My hopes and
dreams for
myself:
My favourite
books/stories:
Things I’d like
you to know
about me
Things I like to
do when I am
alone:
Things I am
good at or
interested in:
Things I like
to do with my
friends:
Things I like
to do with my
family:
The easiest
way for me to
show what I
know is:
Things I would like to
get better at in this
class are:
THIS IS
ME!
ACTIVITY: IDEA Generator
We know that connection is key to all that we do.
HOW do we bring in the strengths of our
students more often in classrooms and school
to create better connection and increased
engagement?
Include new ideas and ideas that you are already doing.
Document the ideas on the chart paper. Tape on the
wall.
Complete a gallery walk to see the ideas of others.
CHANGE
Reflect.
Tap into your
strengths.
Tap into our
students’ strengths.
Start change with
one thing…
Now.
cc licensed ( BY NC ND ) flickr photo by Rita M.: http://flickr.com/photos/fotorita/2031523502/
Start with
ONE
ACTIVITY:
I used to think…
but NOW I think…
Create the conditions.
Be designers of learning.
Neil Stephenson
CC Image by Frank Wuestefeld https://flic.kr/p/7yvVKy
Try something new. Take a risk.
http://youtu.be/iMzgl0nFj3s
Stories
Strengths
Interests
Confidence
Meaning
SEL
Engagement
Start With Strengths.
Change the Lens.
• Train yourself to see the strengths.
• Start with ONE student. Connect through
strengths.
• Design to the edges of jagged profiles.
• Engage through strengths and interests.
• Shift school culture one student and one
adult at a time.
• Start today.
Change the
story.
Bringing out the
BEST in Ashley
Video: https://youtu.be/3nZyo-jHr8Q
#startwithstrengths
Connect With Me
www.chriswejr.com
About.me/ChrisWejr
@chriswejr
chriswejr@gmail.com