Teach With Your Strengths: How Great Teachers Inspire Their Students

Teach with your strengths is focused on a strategy of self-discovery first, teaching methodologies second. This may disappoint many who are looking for easy answers to becoming better teachers. However, I found it quite revealing and useful as an adult who teaches innovation and creativity in my professional life, and as an adult who teaches Christianity to adults in my personal life. The Gallup folks are trying to start a positive revolution in many people's lives by focusing on our strengths. Teachers are the prime movers and shakers in that revolution. I enjoyed it very much and look forward to even further materials from Gallup and these authors.

I was delighted to read a "teaching" book that was written in plain, useful, straightforward language and not just consultant blowhard speak. I learned my strengths and how to put those to use in the classroom. The strength finder described me spot on. I was excited to learn that I should not dwell on my weaknesses; it's futile and counterproductive. I would have liked a few more teaching ideas, but this book at least gives me food for thought. The Kindle version doesn't have an access code. Luckily, my school offered the "test."

While the first part of this book speaks generally about teaching, the second half addresses your individual strengths as found through the website Strengthsfinder.com and how they apply to teaching.In order to access this information you go to their website and type in the access code on the inside of the dust jacket. The access code can only be used ONE time, and evidently the person I bought the used book from had used the access code, so I was not able to find out my personal strengths. Consequently the book was of little use.This book is one of a series of books which use the Gallup Strengthsfinder website and happily I had purchased Strengths Finder 2.0 (by Tom Rath) new and the access code was sealed inside the book so I finally had access to the website.Once enrolled I took a preference test (about 20 minutes) and received information on my 5 strengths. These correspond for the most part with those listed in Teach With Your Strengths. This information on my strengths is not earth-shaking but it does support Gallup's contention that we shouldn't waste time or energy trying to "fix" our lesser talents but instead develop what we do naturally (172).As with anything it is not a magic wand, but instead an interesting way of thinking about maximizing our individual potential.

This hardback book arrived with no issue. The condition of the book is as expected. Thank you!

Do not bother to waste your money on this book!The book claims to help an individual learn to "teach with his or her strengths." However, the book really shills the highly questionable "TeacherInsight" assessment from Gallup which may be a contributor to the significantly high rate of teacher turnover that school districts are experiencing. Save your money. The book and the assessment are not just questionable but may be harmful to your intellectual health!What is "TeacherInsight"? Applying for a teaching job at a large suburban school district after years of highly successful teaching at another district, I was directed to take an online assessment entitled "TeacherInsight." Having also been an executive of an assessment company years before and being well versed in psychometrics as well as also having directed the assessment company's online initiative, I was dismayed at not only how poorly "TeacherInsight" is constructed but at the poor quality of its implementation online.Later I researched the assessment and realized that contrary to the theory on which talent assessments are based, "TeacherInsight" is not a tool for prospective teachers to determine if they possess the interest, workstyle, and capabilities for a particular job; but it is a tool to winnow out prospective job candidates. Assessments, such as "TeacherInsight," are developed, based on interviews with individuals considered exemplary in a particular field. The theory is that using this profile can help people determine if they are a good fit for that particular job. In others words, what is the likelihood that they will not only succeed but thrive and gain enjoyment and fulfillment.Too often these tests, such as "TeacherInsight," are now used as gatekeepers by HR personnel and others given the responsibility for hiring and advancing people. The tragic aspect of this is that, at least with "TeacherInsight," there is no solid data that the teachers hired based on a score on this test are superior to those who were never considered. The result is that many dedicated and highly effective teachers are never considered for a position.With the extremely high turnover in teachers who remain less than five years in the profession and the extreme cost associated with teacher turnover ($6,000 per lost teacher in a small district and upwards to $25,000 per teacher in a large district), relying on such assessments as "TeacherInsight" may make the screening process easier, but in the long run not only more expensive in teacher turnover but also in lower student achievement.School districts using "TeacherInsight" are remiss if they do not demand that Gallup, the company that developed and markets "TeacherInsight," permit a comprehensive evaluation of the assessment by a reputable third party research company in order to document the validity, reliability, and impact of "TeacherInsight."In the meantime, purchasing this book only validates the theory and puts money into the pocket of those how help perpetrate this folly.

Teach with your Strengths is an inspiring, research-based guide to improve teaching and learning for teachers at all levels. It is very practical in that it helps teachers to identify their strengths and how to use them in a classroom. The impact on student learning is far-reaching. Our staff will be reading and implementing the concepts in Teach with your Strengths this school year.

The book came with my top 5 strengths. I was very impressed by the accuracy of my strengths. I will recommend this book to others.

This marvelous book offers not just insight into teaching, but insight into learning and life lessons. I bought it for my mother, who has been involved in education for 60 years (and still at it!) She recently learned her Strengthsfinder strengths, and the content in this book supported her understanding of her results. Lovely book, so helpful. Imagine if all educators understood the strengths-based approach to success!

Good Book!

I am very inspired by this book. It helps me to see my strengths as a teacher, but also helps me in how to relate to colleagues who have very different strengths.