I believe that giving students the opportunities to investigate their strengths will allow them to learn their weaknesses, and\u00a0this is where the growing can occur.<\/em><\/p>\n Don’t get me wrong, I ABSOLUTELY think we should encourage student strengths in the classroom, and I think students should know what they’re good at and keep it in mind.\u00a0 Students bring so much to the table, and knowing what you bring to the picture is critical in building good teamwork and a good classroom environment.<\/p>\n But in order to grow, you don’t need to work on what you’re already good at.\u00a0 You need to work on what you can improve.<\/p>\n Realistically in the classroom, I think this starts with some self-honesty.\u00a0\u00a0It is up to no one but yourself to determine your weaknesses.<\/strong>\u00a0 So no, Sammi Jo over there cannot say to me, “Naomi, I think your weakness is that you’re lazy!”\u00a0 That’s not the classroom we want, nor is it a classroom we will tolerate.\u00a0 So what are we trying to do?<\/p>\n We are looking for an environment where weaknesses are embraced and improved upon, and this can be some tricky stuff.\u00a0 Which is why it’s smart to start with the strengths.<\/p>\n Personally, I enjoyed the Strengths Finder 2.0.\u00a0 I felt that it asked questions well and gave me a general idea of what I’m pretty good at right now, and how I can use what I’m good at to help the world around me and to help me as a teacher.\u00a0 However, it\u00a0also gave me an idea of what I’ll have to work on.<\/strong><\/p>\n I’m good at spotting the problem and fixing it, but I struggle with letting a healthy amount of frustration work its way through people.<\/p>\n I’m good at sticking to my core values, but I struggle with embracing thoughts and ideas that may challenge those.<\/p>\n I’m good at working hard to achieve a goal, but I struggle understanding people who don’t put in the work.<\/p>\n Here’s the thing about all the weaknesses I just listed:\u00a0\u00a0they aren’t bad things.<\/strong><\/p>\n Notice the wording.\u00a0 “I’m good at…but I struggle with…”\u00a0 This, I believe, is the key to a successful classroom full of self-growth.\u00a0 Defining what you’re good at and listing what you might need to work on isn’t tearing yourself down or nitpicking on the negatives, it’s\u00a0acknowledging that you aren’t perfect.<\/strong><\/p>\n Not only does recognizing weaknesses cultivate growth, but it can also build community in the classroom.\u00a0 I notice that I’m not as good at being patient with people, so I partner up with a classmate who is extra-patient so I can learn from them.\u00a0 Humbling myself to learn from my peer not only allows me to grow personally, but allows a relationship with that person to blossom.<\/p>\n Teach young athletes to use setbacks as the springboard for improving: \u201cYou\u2019re never going to know what your weaknesses are by being successful all the time,\u201d says 2x Olympic @TeamUSA<\/a> #hockey<\/a> goaltender @BrianneMcL<\/a>. #youthsports<\/a> #coachingkids<\/a><\/p>\n — National Alliance for Youth Sports (@NAYS_edu) February 17, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.miamioh.edu\/edt431-531\/files\/2018\/02\/strengths-300x185.jpg?resize=300%2C185\")
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