What is Strength Based Reporting? 

A strength-based reporting approach will emphasize a student’s capabilities and aptitudes. Comments regarding a student’s progress will be individualized, specific and may include the student’s own voice. This approach will define what works for the student and will build upon that student’s individualized strengths. 

Basic Requirements/Tenets 

• A shift in thinking about a student and the way in which we approach teaching and assessing the curricular and core competencies in our classrooms.
• Looking at students with a focus on the future outcomes and how to best use their strengths and abilities to promote progress. Teachers can use the student’s strengths to make a plan for supporting the areas for growth and ways to support learning.
• Having a belief that all students have strengths and abilities and a use of consistent and regular feedback to both student and parent will make a difference for the learner.

Why Strength Based Reporting? 

Kral (1989) “If we ask people to look for deficits, they will usually find them, and their view of the situation will be colored by this. If we ask people to look for successes, they will usually find it, and their view of the situation will be colored by this.” If teachers start by looking at the deficits of students, they may begin to only see the problems and not the possible skill building solutions. Once a negative label has been given to the student, it will often limit the potential options for both teacher and student. However, if a teacher begins to focus on what strengths a student possesses then they are more likely to see the possibilities for holistically helping each student to reach their potential.