Strength Finder Test

I should probably begin by saying that I was not surprised in the slightest about my strength finder test. My results came back in the following order; Achiever, Intellection, Discipline, Input, Competition. One could read that list and immediately assume that I am a cold hearted, isolated individual that seeks success and is addicted to the high-strung American business culture. Before jumping to that conclusion, I took the time to reflect on what each strength means and how they work collectively. As an achiever, I have a fire that burns within me to constantly keep going and to never settle for less. Intellection is an appreciation for intra-personal dialogue and an appreciation for deep reflection. Discipline offers strength in establishing order and following routine. Input focuses on being inquisitive and attempting to absorb understanding with regard to world around oneself. Competition is the self-motivation that fuels the fire that I have as an Achiever. 

Collectively, I feel that these are actually a strong balance of strengths to have. My traits that drive me toward success and achieving goals are paced and balanced by my traits that beckon me to reflect and inquire about the nature of such success. While one personality drives me, the other slows me down, rendering my movement as an individual to a steady pace.

Having taken this strength finder, it is actually quite interesting to see how these strengths come into play with my teaching style. I love routine, especially in the classroom. My students know that when they walk in, they will be answering a Do Now, followed by discussion, followed by notes, followed by an activity, and concluded with reflection and independent practice. Discipline not only extends to routine, but also to class room atmosphere. I am beginning to grow into my discipline style and my students are beginning to learn what is and is not acceptable during the class period. Achiever is also quite prevalent in my teaching, as I seem to have something inside of me that always says that I am not doing enough. I really seek my student’s success and satisfaction in my teaching. I am always trying to incorporate something new, something they can gravitate towards, so that I can watch them learn the material more completely. I even see my Intellection trait in my teaching style. Much of my homework is reflection based and the homework is then openly discussed and shared the following morning. My questions are geared towards students’ inner thoughts and promote metacognition and self-awareness.

All this being said, I would like to try and tap into my other two strengths; input and competition. I feel that input is difficult because it is an intrinsic motivation. The students have the majority of control over whether or not they are inquisitive with the material. However, I think I could tap into this strength by offering suggested extra-credit book/article readings for students desiring to learn more about the subject material. As well, I feel that Competition is an extremely valuable resource when trying to promote intrinsic motivation. Competition has the potential to drive individuals above and beyond their own expectations and self-made limitations. I feel that could incorporate competition in the classroom by offering either privileges or extra credit to high-performing students during class activities like debates and mock trials. All this being said, I am glad that I took the strength finder test. I feel far more equipped as a teacher to help my students, simply because I better know myself.