1. Building a World Class School
Teaching with your Strengths
Loretta Abbasi
Al Ihsan School of Excellence
Cleveland, Ohio

2. Teaching with your Strengths
Action Research Study of Teacher Efficacy
Teaching with your Strengths Workshop
Teacher Supervision Model

3. What makes a World Class School?
Qualified Teachers
Institutional Integrity
Good Curriculum
Strong Leadership
Resources

4. the biggest problem facing America is a lack of qualified teachers.
73% of Americans believe
the biggest problem facing America
is a lack of qualified teachers.

5. What do great teachers do differently?
“While their styles and approaches may differ, all great teachers make the most of their natural talents”
They discover what they do best and they do it continuously.

6. Purpose of the study Need for Effective Teachers
Need for Qualified Teachers
Keep them!
Strengths Based Supervision Model

7. Can teachers develop a better perception of self-efficacy when they learn to apply their natural talents and strengths?

8. Review of the Literature
Self Efficacy
Teacher Efficacy
Student Efficacy
Collective Efficacy

9. Self Efficacy
A person’s judgment about his or her capability to organize and execute a course of action that is required to attain a certain level of performance.
Mastery Experience
Modeling
Vicarious Experience
Verbal Persuasion

10. Teacher Efficacy
A teacher’s belief in his or her capability to organize and execute courses of action required to successfully accomplish a specific teaching task in a particular context.
A teacher’s level of TE effects their student’s level of SE.
Teachers with high levels of TE exert more effort.
Teachers with high levels of TE are more persistent in times of difficulties.
Teachers with high levels of TE are more resilient.
Teachers with high levels of TE cope with stress.

11. A student’s belief or judgment that she/he can learn.
Student Efficacy
A student’s belief or judgment that she/he can learn.
Students with high levels of SE have higher academic achievement.
Students with high levels of SE have higher motivation.
Students with high levels of SE select more challenging tasks.
Students with higher levels of SE put forth more effort.
Students with higher levels of SE have a higher rate of persistence.
Students with the same academic skills perform better with High Efficacy.

12. Collective Efficacy
The perceptions of teachers in a school that the efforts of the faculty as a whole will have a positive effect on students.
Institutional Integrity
Collegial Leadership
Teacher Affiliation
Academic Emphasis
Resources

13. Methodology Teaching with your Strengths Collaborative Teacher Retreat
The Q12
Teacher Efficacy Scale

14. Teaching with your Strengths
Positive Psychology
Clifton Strengths Finder
Strengths Based Schools
Team Building

15. The Q12 Do you know what is expected of you at work?
Does the mission of your company make you feel your job is important?
Do you have a best friend at work?
Are your associates committed to doing quality work?
In the last year, have you had opportunities at work to learn and grow?
In the last 7 days, have you received recognition or praise for doing good work?

16. At work do your opinions seem to count?
In the last 6 months, has someone at work talked to you about your progress?
Does your supervisor, or someone at work, seem to care about you as a person?
Is there someone at work who encourages your development?
Do you have materials and equipment you need to do your work right?
At work do you have the opportunity to do what you do best?

17. The Gallup Engagement Hierarchy
Q12. Opportunities to learn & grow.
Q11. Progress in last six months.
Q10. I have a best friend at work.
Q09. Coworkers committed to quality.
Q08. Mission/Purpose of company.
Q07. At work, my opinions seem to count.
Q06. Someone at work encourages my development.
Q05. Supervisor/Someone at work cares.
Q04. Recognition last seven days.
Q03. Do what I do best every day.
Q02. Materials and equipment.
Q01. I know what is expected.
Growth
Teamwork
Management
Support
Basic Needs

18. The Gallup Path

19. Lack of Cohesiveness

20. Teamwork

21. Supervision Model
Managers who create environments in which employees are able to make the most of their talents have more productive work units with less employee turnover.
Studies show that strengths-based development increases self confidence, direction, hope, and altruism.

22. Participants 10 Teachers from Al Ihsan School
9 Teachers from Universal Academy of Pittsburgh
1 Parent Volunteer / Gallup Consultant

23. Findings

25. Teacher Interviews
Has your teaching changed after discovering your strengths and attending the workshop?
More Cooperative Behaviors amongst Teachers.
Higher Feelings of Teaching Methods Knowledge.
Show Promise in Desire to Learn & Grow.

26. Limitations Teacher Efficacy Survey Lacks Clarity
Two Factors are Problematic & Unstable
Efficacy Measurements are not Specific
Better Measures Need to be Developed

27. As a result, they may develop higher levels of Teacher Efficacy
Conclusions
Teachers may be able to understand student strengths and individual needs as a result of understanding their own talents and strengths.
As a result, they may develop higher levels of Teacher Efficacy

28. Future Implications
Explore effects of teacher efficacy and teacher attrition.
Explore collective efficacy and external factors.

29. The Bottom Line
Research has shown that the single most important factor in teacher retention and teacher effectiveness is a high sense of teacher’s self efficacy.
(Johnson, 2005)