Strength-based teaching as an educational approach focuses on identifying and building up each student’s strength, talents and interests in order to enhance learning as well as personal growth. When using this approach, educators teach based on students strengths: what they can do, what they know, what is important to them (Patterson, 2022). Teachers using strength-based methods base their instruction on the preferences, abilities, and passions of their students (Brightwheel, 2025). Strength-based methods help students see themselves as capable learners in part because they recognize students’ experiences, languages and cultural backgrounds as classroom assets (Moses, 2025). Strength-based teaching methos stand in contrast to deficit-based models. When teaching with deficit-based models, the focus is on a student’s weaknesses, gaps, and remediation (Patterson, 2022). These methods can discourage students and cause them to disengage from the learning process.
In this article, we will focus on reframing the narrative and encourage educators to consider the strengths in their students when making curriculum decisions. We will examine the theoretical foundations of strength-based teaching. Next, we will spend time identifying student high points of strengths-based education practice. Following that discussion, we will examine some challenges to strength-based teaching methods. We have included a discussion of why strength-based teaching matters for equity work. The article closes with a call to action for educators.
The Theoretical Foundations of Strength-Based Teaching
Strength-based teaching has components of positive psychology, asset-based pedagogy, and culturally responsive teaching. Positive psychology focuses on strengths, well-being, and human flourishing. It focuses on character strengths like resilience, optimism, and gratitude and does not focus on deficits. Some educators who want to used a strength-based teaching method use Martin Seligman’s PERMA model. The PERMA model is built on Positive emotions, engagement, relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment. Strength-based teaching encourages a growth orientation that encourages self-efficacy, purpose, and intrinsic motivation. One of the benefits of using positive psychology is it’s emotional impact. Student agency and emotional resilience are promoted. For educators, the fact that this teaching method supports teacher well-being and classroom climate is a benefit.
Using asset-based pedagogy is another part of strength-based teaching. Some of the key benefits of this method are that deficit thinking is rejected. Students are not viewed as “behind” or “at risk.” Instead the knowledge and lived experiences of students are seen as valuable. This is similar to the ideas found in Yosso’s community wealth asset-based framework (Yosso, 2005). When using asset-based teaching methods, educators take care to integrate their students’ histories, interests, and languages in the instruction. This method fosters reciprocal relationships between schools and the communities they serve. Another benefit of this method is the use of inquiry, collaborative learning, and storytelling.
Culturally responsive teaching focuses on affirming students’ cultural identities while promoting academic success. In order to use this method, teachers must understand and respect students’ cultural backgrounds. This may involve them doing research to learn about things that are unfamiliar. Culturally responsive teaching may be scary for some teachers because it encourages students to question inequities and advocate for justice. This method is great for students because instruction is adapted to students cultural learning styles and ways of communicating.
Identifying Student Strengths in Practice
A crucial element of strength-based teaching involves the teacher uncovering students’ strengths. This can be done in a variety of ways. Check out the following examples:
- Surveys & Inventories – these can be used for students to self-report their perceived strengths, values, and interests. Teachers should take care to make sure the surveys are short and age appropriate to encourage student participation. The results should be revisited during parent-teacher conferences and goal setting sessions with students.
- Interviews & Conferences – can be used to build trust and uncover unrecognized strengths. This can happen during one-on-one chats during advisory periods or office hours. Student-led conferences with guided questions can uncover student strengths. To do this, teachers should be careful to use open-ended questions and actively listen. A portfolio notebook should be used to record key insights.
- Observation in Context – a teacher can watch how students behave in group work, solve problems, or show creativity when completing assignments. This involves looking beyond academics to social, cultural, and emotional strengths. When teachers learn what their students strengths are, they should share that information with their students.
- Student Self-Reflection – teachers should encourage students to be strong, recognize, and celebrate their own strengths. This can be done by encouraging students to journal. To fully recognize different ways of communicating, teachers should accept self-reflections in paper journals, digital journals, via music, drawing, or other creative means.
Challenges and Considerations with Strength-Based Teaching
Teachers who are trying to be strength-based educators, need to recognize and be prepared to battle some common misconceptions about this type of educational format. For example. Some educators think there is only one way of achieving academic excellence and that is by only following the teacher’s way of thinking. A teacher who wants to promote a student strength-based pedagogy must be prepared to defend that choice with their peers, administrators, and maybe even with parents. The good news is that strength-based teaching can be balanced with academic standards.
Click here to download our “Educator Worksheet: Empowering Every Student: Strength-Based Teaching Strategies.“
Conclusion
Teachers should be comforted and find strength in the knowledge that strength based teaching can be transformative. They should also be encouraged by the fact that they can start small and build. There is no reason or expectation for teachers to be perfect at being strength-based educators the first time they start to build this practice. We encourage educators to complete our educator worksheet linked above to help build a strong and sustainable strength-based educational practice.
References
Brightwheel. (2025, April 10). Strength-based approach in early childhood education. Brightwheel Blog. https://mybrightwheel.com/blog/strength-based-approach
Galloway, R., Reynolds, B., & Williamson, J. (2020). Strengths-based teaching and learning approaches for children: Perceptions and practices. Journal of Pedagogical Research, 4(1), 31–45. https://doi.org/10.33902/JPR.2020058178
Moses, A. (2025). Informed and guided by context: Strengths-based teaching and learning. Young Children, 79(3). National Association for the Education of Young Children. https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/fall2024/intro
Patterson, J. (2022, June 9). New focus on strength-based learning. National Education Association. https://www.nea.org/nea-today/all-news-articles/new-focus-strength-based-learning
Seligman, M. E. P. (2011). Flourish: A visionary new understanding of happiness and well-being. Free Press.
Yosso, T. J. (2005). Whose culture has capital? A critical race theory discussion of community cultural wealth. Race Ethnicity and Education, 8(1), 69–91. https://doi.org/10.1080/1361332052000341006
Further Reading
The Best Educators Strive to Create quity-Centered Classrooms
Unlock Your Doctoral Success: Coaching & Resources That Work
Unleash the Fire Within: Maya Angelou’s Lifegiving Wisdom for Educators
About the Author
Dr. Janeane Davis is Founder and Principal Consultant at Janeane Davis and Associates: Educational Consultants. She celebrates educators as architects of possibility—designers of futures, keepers of story, and leaders of change. Her writing honors the beauty, brilliance, and bravery of teaching.
Joy in the margins. Gratitude in the lines. Always honoring.