In terms of education, more focus tends to be placed on what we as students cannot do. If we struggle on topics in a lesson, we must not be trying hard enough. Something must be broken within us, and it must be fixed. Maybe our brains aren’t wired properly enough if we cannot properly understand what is taught. This model of learning is described as the “Deficit Model.” On the other hand, education can focus on what students are capable of doing. It can focus on students’ strengths, skills, talents, and so much more; this is what’s described as the “Asset Model.” The deficit model is one that I believe is not allowing students to perform at their “full potential.” I believe that rather than just implicitly believing that those who learn differently are deemed “lesser,” educators ought to work with the students to find where their strengths are and how they can use those strengths to receive the high quality education they deserve.
So, how do we as educators tap into these “assets” and prepare students for a positive future? Renkly & Bertolini believe that when education focuses more on these assets, the community can become more involved with the school, providing different opportunities for students to build positive relationships with the community around them and to build important qualities such as leadership, good health, and support for their peers. In Renkly & Bertolini’s analysis of “assets” in young students, they found a large drop in assets around 7th-8th grade. However, many schools tend to provide fewer asset-building resources, especially in middle school (25). Middle school was found to be the deciding factor in high school success and likelihood of graduation, where students can either continue on their path towards success and achievement, or fall off track and progress towards failure and frustration.
(TW: Alcohol / drugs)
Hi Zach, thanks for sharing these reflections. I agree that middle school is a time where students can begin to experiment with more risky behaviors. It makes sense that if they are only hearing about what they can't do from adults that they would start to internalize these messages. I think as you move from middle school to high school and maybe to college, you need to have inner faith/recognition of your assets to keep you going. If you aren't taught how to recognize those at a younger age, it will be more difficult once you are older and are facing more challenges.
ReplyDeleteHi Zach! I really enjoyed reading your reflection. Middle school is definitely a time where students start discovering themselves and trying new things and a lot of the time, that does include alcohol and drugs. They are in a more risky stage of development which explains these experiments but I completely agree with you that if the system was positioned differently, they could have succeeded. I know that a lot of times when a student is marked as a "problem child" they will have that over their heads for the rest of their schooling. It's so hard for them to pull away from this label when students and teachers alike are looking at and monitoring them like they're going to cause a problem any second. If teachers were more willing to work with students and uplift them for their strengths rather than monitor them for trouble, they would probably be better off.
ReplyDeleteHi Zack,
ReplyDeleteI took the time to read your blog, and what struck me most were the questions you raised. The authors of the article may not have had the time, but I think this strengths-based model requires more than just a paradigm shift. Society is designed in such a way that the deviant behaviors of certain individuals are ostracized instead of receiving the care they truly need. The system is fundamentally discriminatory, which disadvantages some students from certain social classes. However, what the authors propose can be of great help if we manage to involve the community and develop skills in children so that they know they are useful and that society counts on them, and vice versa. This will allow us to lay the foundations for a more equitable and inclusive school system that meets the real needs of students.
Hi Zack, thanks for sharing your own personal references to the reading. Your reflection really shows why shifting towards an asset based model matters. Students deserve to have their strengths recognized instead of being defined by what they lacked
ReplyDelete(TW: Depression)
ReplyDeleteHi Zach, I relate to your reflection about middle school and seeing your friends struggle without proper support. The lack of mental health resources available in middle school is upsetting, especially when considering the onset of mental illness can begin as early as 14 years old. In middle school, I met a girl who quickly became my best friend. She was smart, funny, energetic, creative, and a great artist. Despite this, she struggled to care about school as she was dealing with serious depression without any support at school or at home. She sought out risky and destructive forms of relief, which ultimately led her down a bad path. If she had proper support that utilized her strengths to help her better understand her emotional needs and provided her with healthy outlets, her story could have been different.