In a season filled with stories of change and transformation, Tiny Tim’s enduring spirit from “A Christmas Carol” offers a powerful lesson for instructional coaches. His character reminds us that the smallest strengths can have a powerful, lasting impact on ourselves and those around us. What if we focused on teachers’ strengths, like Tiny Tim, to build resilience, self-efficacy and sustainable growth through strength-based instructional coaching?
What is strength-based instructional coaching?
Strength-based coaching is a learner-centered approach that focuses on identifying, celebrating and expanding teachers’ strengths and skills to reflect on and amplify what they already do well to achieve goals.
Rather than primarily identifying areas for growth and closing gaps based on a largely deficit-based approach, which most instructional coaching or cycles of continuous improvement models do, this approach leverages what teachers already do well to foster growth, resilience and confidence, using strengths as a foundation to tackle challenges and enhance overall practice.
In a traditional coaching setting, teachers may feel like they are constantly working to overcome challenges or deficiencies, which can sometimes feel like a “fix-it” model. While this approach does drive improvement, it can sometimes feel like a focus on what’s “missing” rather than what’s “working,” and at some point, it may become a sustainability or motivational issue.
However, a strengths-based instructional coaching model offers a more empowering experience by framing the conversation around what teachers do well and how they can use those strengths to enhance their practice. This model promotes lasting growth rooted in teachers’ unique abilities.
A common misconception about strength-based coaching
The misconception that strength-based instructional coaching doesn’t lead to teacher improvements or glosses over challenges overlooks its core benefit: building on existing strengths to drive meaningful growth. Focusing on teachers’ skills and successes fosters confidence and encourages teachers to apply their strengths to tackle challenges. Far from ignoring areas for growth, it repositions them as opportunities to deepen what’s already working, leading to sustainable, effective improvement that feels authentic and empowering for teachers.
3 examples of structured strength-based coaching meetings
Example 1: Strength discovery and goal-setting meeting
- Focus: Develop and identify educator strengths.
- Purpose: To help the teacher recognize their core strengths and set a goal to build on them for professional growth.
- Structure: 30-minute meeting outline using targeted reflection questions.
- Warm-up and positives (5 minutes)
- Ask the teacher to share a recent success or a moment they felt effective in the classroom to help highlight a strength they may already be aware of.
- Strength identification (10 minutes)
- Use reflection questions to explore the teacher’s strengths and discuss specific examples.
- Strengths-based goal setting (10 minutes)
- Work with the teacher to set a short-term goal that builds on an identified strength. For instance, if they excel in student engagement, set a goal around expanding interactive elements in their lessons. Outline one or two actionable steps to work toward this goal.
- Wrap-up and affirmation (5 minutes)
- Recap the key strength(s) identified and the goal set. Encourage the teacher to embrace their existing strengths.
- Warm-up and positives (5 minutes)
Example 2: Reflecting on strengths in practice meeting
- Focus: Acknowledge educator strengths.
- Purpose: To reflect on how a teacher’s strengths impact their classroom and explore ways to expand on them.
- Structure: 30-minute meeting outline using reflection, observation, and/or video.
- Strengths check-in (5 minutes)
- Start the check-in by asking, “What’s one thing you feel went well this week in your teaching?” This prompts the teacher to think about recent successes.
- Strengths in action (10 minutes)
- Reflect together on how specific strengths contributed to those positive moments. Ask questions like, “Which of your strengths do you think made that moment possible?” Use this time to reinforce the teacher’s awareness of their strengths and how they impact student engagement and learning.
- Expanding strengths (10 minutes)
- Explore ways to apply these strengths more intentionally. For example, if they have a strength in building rapport, discuss how they could use this skill to support a quieter student or foster group collaboration. Together, set a small, realistic action step that they can try before the next session.
- Wrap-up with reflection questions (5 minutes)
- End with a reflection question, such as “What would you like to build on for next time?” to keep them focused on strengths. Reinforce the teacher’s growth by acknowledging the impact of their strengths on the classroom.
- Strengths check-in (5 minutes)
Example 3: Strengths-based problem-solving meeting
- Focus: Allow educator strengths.
- Purpose: To address a classroom challenge by leveraging the teacher’s strengths.
- Structure: 30-minute meeting outline around a teacher’s challenge.
- Challenge identification (5 minutes)
- Start by asking the teacher to describe a challenge they’re currently facing. Frame the conversation positively by emphasizing that strengths can be useful tools for solving challenges.
- Strengths application (10 minutes)
- Reflect on how the teacher’s strengths might help address this challenge. Use questions like, “Which of your strengths could help in this situation?” or “What’s a time when you successfully managed a similar challenge?” Discuss specific examples where their strengths have been useful in other contexts as assets.
- Action planning (10 minutes)
- Collaboratively brainstorm one or two actions based on their strengths to address the challenge. For example, if their strength is organization, create a plan that leverages structured routines or checklists to manage the issue. Agree on a realistic, immediate action step to try over the next week.
- Closing and encouragement (5 minutes)
- Reinforce that their strengths are powerful tools for growth. Offer to follow up on their progress and celebrate their actions to reinforce confidence and resilience.
- Challenge identification (5 minutes)
Inspired by Tiny Tim, we see that even the smallest strengths can lead to significant transformation and strength-based coaching cultivates growth, resilience and confidence. Let’s foster a coaching approach this holiday season that uplifts teachers, building on their strengths to create meaningful change in the classroom and sharing their strengths within the school community.
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