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I found that teaching naturally or allowing your strengths to become evident by teaching the way you would comfortably, is the key. As many others have mentioned, the dynamics in our professional field alter not just on a yearly, but a daily basis as well. The lessons and how you present them are what make the difference. The topic of "timelessness" really lets you know when you have really found something truly engaging. When you see that the children aren't continuously glancing at the clock and wondering what time recess, lunch, etc. is, that's when you know you have done a great job in capturing and containing the students' interests. Presenting your lesson in a fashion that naturally relays the importance of its content and how fun it can be to apply it to real life is what I take out of many points in this book because that is one of my natural strengths, but like always, tweaking can always be done.
Valentine

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"Some of my best ideas for the classroom come to me while I'm teaching , right as I'm up there at the board. If I'm tied to a schedule or calendar, I won't be able to implement them."

I feel this statement is more me each year I teach. Teachers have to be fluid with their teaching or teachable moments can be missed or lost forever just because some one tells us we have to stay "on schedule" or stick to a scrip!
-Warren

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As educators, we should realize that there is no specific way to teach or that there is no specific template in which to teach. Each student and each year will bring out specific characteristics and bring about new challenges. It is important to recognize that we do not possess a general template in which to teach the challenges we will face. It is imperative that you trust yourself and YOUR unique set of skills. When we are aware of our specific strengths, we are able to authentically engage with our students. At times , we're too focused on the THINGS we may not do so well, which is clearly counter productive and not our that many strengths that each of us have.

In addition, I find this excerpt quite interesting, considering the changes we're embarking on as a nation. This can be found in the "Belief" sections and this was also one of my strengths. I went back and read and felt instantly connected to this whole section. Explains me to the core (but not so much on the student side-more in regards to adults.

"We live in a world that is characterized by rapid and extensive change. Some of the students you teach will experience anxiety and fear as they face an uncertain and unpredictable future. Make your students aware of the unchangeable values that they can always count on in your classroom. The stability of the environment you provide will lead to a sense of safety and greater productivity." pg 83

Miller

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It is the human condition to feel inadequate.  Focusing on our strengths encourages us to be more effective as teachers and to focus on our student's strengths as well. 

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It is the human condition to feel inadequate.  Focusing on our strengths encourages us to be more effective as teachers and to focus on our student's strengths as well. 

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Burke

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I feel more than ever, we as educators are teaching in a world that is forever changing. I see changes in my students  in ways such as showing and expressing fear and anxiety. It is important to keep 

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I feel more than ever, we as educators are teaching in a world that is forever changing. I see changes in my students  in ways such as showing and expressing fear and anxiety. It is important to keep 

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fills us with a positive charge and energy that fuels our ability to connect with students, colleagues and administrators, whereas focusing on our weaknesses can leave us feeling drained and inadequate and therefore less effective.
Teaching our students to focus on their strengths can help them develop the confidence they need to overcome challenges.
Schulze

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My Students help me identify my strengths

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My Students help me identify my strengths

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Being able to empathize with and understand student strengths and challenges enables me to use my teaching strengths to the best of my ability in the classroom. When I understand my students and their relationships with school and learning, I can understand my personal challenges and strengths. It is a collaborative effort. They help make me a better teacher. When I quit overanalyzing my teaching, I could concentrate on what I do well and do the best for my kids.
Graham

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Knowing our talents and applying our strengths make us better teachers.Share your talents and strengths so we all are stronger. When you uderstand your talents, you can better share. Don't waste time trying to "fix" your weaknesses; just grow your strengths!
Atherton

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We should use our strengths and work with others who have different strengths.  This collaboration will make us a stronger more effective team.

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We should use our strengths and work with others who have different strengths.  This collaboration will make us a stronger more effective team.

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"When people partner their talents with those of others, they create an even more powerful dynamic." (p.172)

Kramer

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This book asks, “What makes a teacher great?” Great teachers have something that less effective teachers don’t—innate talent for the job” (p. 16). Great teachers focus on the areas that they are weakest in and try to improve those things. They also found that great teachers recognize and disregard misinformation about teaching and students. Once great teachers discover their talents, the journey is not over.                                    Wilkinson

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Great teachers are able to create flexible structure, share classroom control and express their emotions. Not everyone has a talent to do all things. Instead of focusing
on the areas that we are weakest in and trying to improve those things, we
should instead focus on our strengths. We should know what we do well and
build on those strengths to become truly great.

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Application of strengths to all spheres of our lives

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Application of strengths to all spheres of our lives

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I started looking at other areas of my life thru the lens of my/others strengths.  Did anyone else apply this to personal life?

Davis

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"A Strength is a combination of natural ability, education and training."

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"A Strength is a combination of natural ability, education and training."

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We spend so much time focused on the weaknesses/areas of growth for students, I wonder how education would shift if we started by assessing our students strengths.
Davis

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Identifying our natural strengths will help us better engage with our students and therefore produce better lessons. 

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Identifying our natural strengths will help us better engage with our students and therefore produce better lessons. 

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Traudt

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Teaching is all about the connection. To learn how to deeply connect with students and build a safe classroom, you must first go on a journey of self-discovery. You might find out what you do well and focus on that, rather than what you might not do so well. You will begin to radiate positivity when you feel good about what you have to offer. This will filter out onto your entire classroom and school community, strengthening relationships and openings kids up to more engagement and higher learning.

Roch

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As educators, we are not defined by our weaknesses, but by our strengths. One of the best ways to engage with our students' and their successes is to be aware of our very own natural strengths. Our learning community not only begins to focus on strengths, but begins to connect with them also - nothing but goodness can come from that! 

# data[].attributes.subject
As educators, we are not defined by our weaknesses, but by our strengths. One of the best ways to engage with our students' and their successes is to be aware of our very own natural strengths. Our learning community not only begins to focus on strengths, but begins to connect with them also - nothing but goodness can come from that! 

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"In fact, the underlying similarity of all great teachers is that they capitalize on their teaching talents and develop strengths. Strengths are powerful, and the more you use them, the more powerful they become - just like a muscle in your body."

pg 57

- Pittman

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Talents are an innate part of who we are as a person, as are weaknesses.  Focus on adding knowledge and skills to your innate talents to find and develop your strengths.  Fixing a weakness is impossible.  Instead, find a management system for weaknesses or find a partner that can help you with your weaknesses and vice versa.

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Talents are an innate part of who we are as a person, as are weaknesses.  Focus on adding knowledge and skills to your innate talents to find and develop your strengths.  Fixing a weakness is impossible.  Instead, find a management system for weaknesses or find a partner that can help you with your weaknesses and vice versa.

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"Ultimately, however, fixing weaknesses is impossible.  Weaknesses are your brain's rough roads and overgrown paths, and trying to make them useful usually isn't worth the effort, especially when an eight-lane superhighway is a few neurons away." pg 53

Nichols

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We try to emphasize our students' strengths and successes but sometimes forget that to be the best teachers, we should work on our own strengths and successes also. 

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We try to emphasize our students' strengths and successes but sometimes forget that to be the best teachers, we should work on our own strengths and successes also. 

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"You build on their big and small successes, you build on their strengths. When you point out what they are doing well, they do that much better." pg 27

Grotte

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Great teachers are authentic, focus on innate talents and  strengths, as opposed to fixing weaknesses, and understand the value of nuance in connecting with students.  

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Great teachers are authentic, focus on innate talents and  strengths, as opposed to fixing weaknesses, and understand the value of nuance in connecting with students.  

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"The difference you can attribute to experience will fade away and will no longer affect performance.  What will become important will be mental ability, personality and conscientiousness - personality traits." (Kindle Location 98 of 1521)

Sheri Donovan

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Teaching with your strengths and talents is a journey; not a destination.  

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Teaching with your strengths and talents is a journey; not a destination.  

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"The first step of the journey is being aware of your talents, and the rest of the journey is learning to own and apply them.  Every day will bring new challenges, new opportunities, and new ways to understand how to use your talents."  pg.171
Kolander

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This method of teaching challenges teachers to look within themselves and focus on further developing the positive things they are already doing.

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This method of teaching challenges teachers to look within themselves and focus on further developing the positive things they are already doing.

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"Everyone already has a unique set of talents that are tremendously powerful and the potential basis for strenghts." Page 53

-Parcell

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Teaching, from a strengths based psychology, studied through identified dominate traits (across professions) provides the foundation for training, developing and sustaining an effective workforce/team.  

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Teaching, from a strengths based psychology, studied through identified dominate traits (across professions) provides the foundation for training, developing and sustaining an effective workforce/team.  

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"To understand the best, study the best. That's why Gallup has conducted so many interviews-- to find the best and determine what makes them alike, not what makes them different from lesser performers. Success and failure are not opposites. Always study the best." pg 46

Jackson