PROMOTING DEVELOPMENTAL STRENGTHS THROUGH RESILIENCY DEVELOPMENT
http://www.resiliencyinitiatives.ca
A Strength-Based Approach is a positive psychology perspective that emphasizes the strengths,capabilities and resources of a youth. A Strength-Based paradigm requires precise shift in language language . Rather than focusing on “PROBLEMS students are encouraged to view challenges as opportunities to explore, take risks and discover solutionsOur Role as Adults in the School System is to Guide not Direct.
“It is important to understand the strength-based approach is not about denying that youth do experience problems and challenges and that these issues do need to be addressed. But, when the problem becomes the starting point with an emphasis on what a young person lacks, a dependency is created on the helping profession with lowered positive expectations and blocked opportunities for change “ (www.resiliencyinitiatives.ca).
Strength-Based and Deficit-Based Concepts: A Comparison (Hammond 2011)
Principles of Strength-based Approaches
1)RELATIONSHIPS are key- positive change can only occur in the context of authentic relationshiops
2)Every student has potential- Think: “I believe and I WILL see” rather than “Prove it”
3)Start with what students can already do. Small successes lead to building blocks for growth.
4) Confidence to take risks grows when students are invited to start with what they already know.
5) Believe that success is inevitable, students are intrinsically good and do want to learn
6) It is the STUDENT’S STORY (perception) which is most important, not the adults.
7) Be mindful that the language we use demonstrates value – reframe – “Did you not hear what I told the other students?” to “It looks like you tried doing this exercise another way let’s see how it worked for you.”;
8) “It takes a village to raise a child”- different adults can provide for different needs…. No one needs to be the sole expert.
9) Sustainable change is a cumulative process, not a destination.
Self –Directed Learning is a Natural Partnership with Strengths Based Approaches
Strength Based Approaches empower students to take risks and explore. One way to facilitate this type of learning to allow studnets opportunities to become Self- Directed Learners. When schools allow students to begin to create their own assignments they not only build content capacity, but also learning capacity
This approach may be applied in many ways including”
The Inside-Out School: A 21st Century Learning Model
http://www.teachthought.com/learning/inside-out-school-21st-century-learning-model/
