Ever since I read Your Child’s Strengths: Discover Them, Develop Them, Use Them
I’ve practiced “focusing questions” to help Darla consider what it is about activities that she enjoys. Here was a conversation last weekend, when Darla started talking about how she volunteers in her brother’s classroom:
Me: Why do you like it so much?
Darla: I don’t know - it’s fun to write on their assignments.
Me: So you like to write the scores on their papers?
Darla: Well - I draw little google-eye faces and write special words when they do well.
Me: So you like the fun drawing?
Darla: Yeah, but Mrs. Penn says the kids really like it - they can’t wait to find out what I wrote
Me: So you like to make them happy?
Darla: Yes, that’s fun, but I like to tease Game Geek (this is one of Craig’s best friends). He always gets really good scores. Last time I wrote a whole paragraph in a spiral so he’d have to turn the paper around and around to read it. At the end I wrote, “I can’t believe you just read all this. What a waste of time;)”
Me: So you like to have relationships with the kids in the class.
Darla: Yes, but mostly I just like to be with Mrs. Penn. She is so happy I come to help. I like spending time with her.
Me: You like to do things for people who appreciate you.
Darla: Yeah.
I’m seriously loving the Strengths Movement.
You can join me each week by sharing a time kids make you proud, or a way adults are teaching, sharing — passing the torch. Blog your story or share it in comments.Former PTT posts.
Strength Movement Series:
Your Child’s Strengths Review and Giveaway
Passing the Torch by Focusing Strengths
Positively Speaking - Your Child’s Strengths
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9:44 am
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10:52 am
This is so great! I’ve recently been working on communication exercises that are similar with my daughter - taking turns explaining what we heard and what we wanted the other person to hear. It’s such a simple thing that makes an amazing difference. We all to really be heard and know someone cares enough to keep asking us until we know they understand better. I too love the strength concept. The one I wish I knew how to help strengthen in my daughter is her incredible processing speed. In school it’s a demon for her because it’s all about slowing down, building foundations. But she always does better when she’s allowed to move at her own speed - the problem is she gets to most places accurately but by skipping (truly an amazing strength to me! D is such a caring kid and I can totally see her writing that message in a spiral!
Hugs,
Holly
8:54 am
Jumping in…
http://twolittlevikings.blogspot.com/2008/03/pass-torch-tuesday.html