Build on
Strengths
Tap Into Strengths
Strengths-Based
IEPs
In what context do you usually
hear these phrases?
One of your first thoughts might be when parents share about their children at IEP meetings; they stress their children's strengths.
Teachers often have conversations with their colleagues and share ideas about connecting a student's strengths to instructional approaches.
Many parents and educators have attended live or virtual workshops and learned about Strengths-Based
IEPs.
Strengths-based IEPs are an intentional way to ensure that your child's unique strengths and abilities are woven into the fabric of their day. Isn't that glorious? That's what we want to create for every student!
Focusing on what children can do rather than what they cannot do shifts our approach from a deficit-based perspective to
a strengths-based one.
Your child's IEP needs to include goals focusing on building and expanding their
strengths rather than only addressing challenges or deficits.
This helps your child feel more
confident and opens up many possibilities for new activities and experiences.
By leveraging the power of strengths-based IEPs, you can create an educational environment
that celebrates and honors your child's unique gifts.
Hmm... let's look at some of the bold words above.
What if we not only celebrated students' strengths and we began celebrating staff and families for what they can do and viewed them through a strengths-based lens?
What could be different if each of us focused on building and expanding on educators' and families' strengths instead of thinking in terms of challenges or deficits?
Think of the possibilities of changes that can be made in our education system when staff, students, and families are confident in their beliefs and speak out in unison!
Just imagine a school culture that celebrates each staff person, student, and family's gifts they have.
Hmmm, just take that in for a minute...close your eyes and see the strengths in each person who works at your school,
what do they do well,
what do you appreciate about them,
just bask in the warm feelings you get when you imagine being change-makers with them.
It is possible!
We can expand our thinking of what strengths-based means and go beyond strengths-based IEPs. We are starting a movement, and each of us gets a pair of (not rose-colored) strengths-based
glasses!
