Building on Strengths
Should we spend the bulk of our time as educators and parents helping kids to shore up their weaknesses to expand on their strengths? Matt Perman over at the What’s Best Next blog files his vote for helping kids strengthen their strengths.
One reason focusing on strengths results in the greatest growth is because it is motivating. People like to do what makes them feel strong (the definition of a strength — note, a strength is not merely what you are good at), and so they are intrinsically motivated to do it more. Thus, they get better at it, and the cycle continues. Further, this cycle has “spillover effects.” By getting better at something, your general sense of self-efficacy improves (note: that is very different from self-esteem), and you become better at other things as well.
Focusing on weaknesses, on the other hand, is demotivating. As someone has very rightly said, “if you focus on someone’s weaknesses, they lose confidence.” This can backfire entirely, such that the student not only fails to grow significantly in their weak areas, but also ends up being frustrated with their educational growth all together.
Mr. Perman recommends a book for parents and educators called Your Child’s Strengths: Discover Them, Develop Them, Use Them by Jenifer Fox, M. Ed.
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