Focusing on Strengths and Unleashing Talent

I want to open with a question.

1.  Teachers: Do you know more about your students areas of weakness than their areas of awesomeness?

2. Principals / School Leaders: Do you know more about where your teachers need to improve or more about their strengths and passions?

Strength-Based Leadership is tapping into the areas that your staff, or students (if you are a teacher) are really good at and empowering them to continue growth in that area. I think this is a fabulous approach to working with adults, especially teachers. Many times while looking at data our sole focus is looking at what is lacking, and while this is important, it is not the only information that data provides. Focusing on strengths and passions requires an established relationship and investment in people. I think it is easy to find deficits, faults and areas of weakness, but it takes a genuine eye to focus on areas of strengths. Allowing teachers to grow and share their strengths and passions is a great way to build confidence in an individual. Passions and strengths are where our sparks come from, and it only takes a spark to ignite a fire!


@kristinedwards3
Innovator's Mindset
#IMMOOC

It Only Takes a Spark

By definition, Passion is a strong and barely controllable emotion. Passion can take on a different look for different individuals. For an athlete, passion is leaving everything out on the court or field after every practice and every game, not just the championships. For a parent, passion is that impulse of doing anything and everything within your power to protect and support your child. Passion in and for education is no different. Principals who lead with passion and teachers who teach with passion have a significant impact on those they lead and serve. I believe that a person's passion is the small spark it takes to ignite something bigger within a larger group of individuals. If we look at significant moments in history, passion is what sent a spark which ignited change.

Continual growth and learning is what ignites my passion and excitement. Reading, being networked, questioning ideas (my own included), supporting individuals in their classrooms, risking failure when trying something new, all of these things ignite a spark me.

I would argue that in the School vs Learning infographic, learning is about igniting passion, not just exploring your passions. I was unaware of my "passion for innovation" prior to reading The Innovator's Mindset. Instead, it was my passion for learning and personal growth that led me to this book, this book study and the #IMMOOC. The more I read, and the more I participate and connect with others who are impacting education, the more passionate I become about the changes that need to be made in education . . . the changes that I can make in education. Remember, it only takes a Spark to ignite a fire!


@kristinedwards3
#IMMOOC