I have worked for fourteen years in public education. As part of my career as an educator, I have designed and delivered learning experiences for a variety of learners.
Outside of school, I enjoy eating good food and traveling with my wife, Lize. We welcomed our daughter into the world a year ago now, and she has taught me so much. I had no idea how much her sweet smile would melt my heart.
I am is currently serving as a computer science educator at a public high school in Kingsport, Tennessee.
I recently took the StandOut Assessment created by Marcus Buckingham. He worked with the Gallup Organization for decades helping in the creation of the StrengthsFinder assessment and the research behind it. The StandOut Assessment builds on this experience and measures fit within 9 roles. The top roles are the ones that are identified as strengths.
My top two strengths were Pioneer and Teacher. According to TMPC, these strengths can be summarized as follows:
Pioneer: "You see the world as a friendly place where, around every corner, good things will happen. Your distinctive power starts with your optimism in the face of uncertainty. "
Teacher: "You are thrilled by the potential you see in each person. Your power comes from learning how to unleash it."
I feel that these describe my strengths well. I love the thrill of a new challenge. This is where I feel the most confident and the most energized. I also enjoy developing people, and I think this is one of the reasons I enjoy being an educator.
StandoutReport.pdfDuring the Fall of 2019, I completed the StrengthFinder2.0 assessment under the direction of Dr. Debra Bentley. Identifying my strengths was eye-opening. For so long I had worked under a deficits model. After engaging in Tom Rath's work, I recognize the importance of investing in my strengths.
The following are my top five strengths and excerpts from my reflection on the experience.
Learner was my top strength. According to Rath (2017), this strength focuses on the process of learning. The content and the end product are not necessarily relevant. Rath proposes that for the learner, "The outcome of the learning is less significant than the 'getting there'" (Rath, 2017, p. 133). The learner finds opportunities to learn quickly and to develop mastery to be exhilarating. Working on new initiatives that require research is a perfect fit for this strength. Furthermore, he suggests that teaching could be a good avenue for utilizing the learner strength.
Ideation is the strength focused on generating ideas. Rath (2019) defines an idea as a connection of seemingly disparate concepts. Many times this strength is seen by others as creativity or innovative thinking. People high in ideation tend to have unique perspectives or viewpoints on a topic. New ideas provide energy and excitement. Upon reflection, ideation is a trigger strength for me. It is usually the activator of my other assets, and it is where I begin all tasks, both personally and professionally.
Intellection is all about thinking. Rath (2019) separates this from ideation and strategic thinking in that it focuses on being trapped in thought. Often the individual enjoys intellectual activity and introspection. Specifically, the reflection relates to practical circumstances and how to improve the situation. Other strengths and interests often predicate the topic of thought.
Strategic is a clarifying strength. According to Rath (2019), individuals high in strategic can "sort through the clutter and find the best route forward" (p. 165). Strategic individuals sort through ideas and select the best path forward. Additionally, Rath points out that individuals high in this strength recognize barriers early in the planning stage. They are quick to dismiss ideas that will be blocked.
The achiever strength is all about ambition. Rath (2019) suggests that individuals high in achiever strength will not be satisfied until they accomplish something useful each day. Achievers do not tend to experience burn out and find work pleasurable when it leads to finishing a task. Additionally, there is always ample energy to start new objectives. Rath describes achievers as "driven," but need to have a sense of accomplishment or closure to their tasks.
