IDEAS ON HOW TO EMBED CHARACTER STRENGTHS INTO YOUR SCHOOL CULTURE Charlie Scudamore & Justin Robinson

GGS Model for Positive Education

Character Strengths – GGS language All 24 strengths exist within each of us Your strengths are stable and dynamic You can develop strengths that you value Be wary, you can overuse, misuse and underuse your character strengths

V.I.A VIA Strengths are not what you are, but they are what you do!

Character Strengths metaphors You are the conductor of your strengths master

Wheel of Character Strengths We encourage our community to think of their 24 character strengths existing in a wheel formation rather than a vertical ranking from 1 to 24.

Character Strength activities #1 – Exploring character strengths #2 – Owning your signature strengths #3 – Community signature strengths #4 – Nurturing character strengths #5 – Spotting character strengths #6 – Using your character strengths

#1 – Exploring character strengths Strengths focus Fun games – Charades, Taboo, Pictionary… Think of a scenario requiring this strength How could you action this strength? Writing your own definitions Designing your own VIA survey questions Understanding the 10 strength criteria

#2 - ‘Owning’ your signature strengths To assist individuals to really ‘own’ their signature strengths we ask them to get a range of perspectives Starting with a ‘gut feel’; followed by the perception of – family, friends, teachers; then complemented by the VIA survey Encourage students to sign their signature strengths

#3 – Community signature strengths Groups within the school are encouraged to explore the collective signature strengths of its members This activity promotes rich and valuable discussion about shared strengths and individual contributions Groups think of creative ways to represent their strengths

#4 – Nurturing character strengths Individuals choosing a strength to nurture Keeping a strengths log Brainstorming ideas to build strengths Having a strengths prompt – Wristband, Card in pocket/wallet, Calendar Groups choosing to nurture a strength

#5 – Spotting character strengths Teachers spotting strengths in students Students spotting strengths in teachers Students spotting strengths in students Teachers spotting strengths in teachers Parents spotting strengths in children Spotting strengths in challenging students and challenging colleagues

#6 – Using character strengths Thinking of your strengths as resources available for you to use Using strengths in difficult times Using signature strengths in a new way Reflecting on recent strengths use

Implicit Teaching of Character Strengths All academic departments are infusing the language of character strengths into their curriculum How can you use your strengths to support your growth in this subject? How can this subject nurture your strengths? Character analysis through strengths

Some questions students ask What if I don’t like my signature strengths? Are strengths only good? Do only my top strengths matter? Am I meant to ignore my weaknesses? Are my bottom strengths my weaknesses? Is it more important to know my strengths or to know my weaknesses?