Our Role in Student Strengths

One of the many ways we can support our students is by helping them identify their strengths and then build upon them. Through classroom lessons, small groups and individual sessions with our students, we are constantly building connections with them so that we can get to know them on a personal level and help to create a safe and trusting environment for our them in our schools.

As counselors and educators, we have learned from Maslow’s hierarchy of needs that once we help to meet our students’ basic physiological needs, we are then able to create a safe learning environment. This allows our students to feel loved and gain a sense of belonging in our school community. Once each of those needs are met, we can build strengths our students have within themselves.

We help meet our students’ physiological needs by checking to make sure they are fed at the start of each school day, and by connecting their families to resources for food, clothing and shelter when needed. Our schools provide a safe environment for our students when they are physically with us and we help to connect their families with any health resources needed to keep them well. Through classroom lessons and lunch groups, we teach students how to identify healthy versus unhealthy friendships and provide opportunities for them to form healthy friendships. Once our students feel connected to others at school, we start to see an increase in their level of positive self-esteem and an increase in their confidence in their own abilities. In supporting students, we can help them focus on what they can do, what they are good at, and in what areas they excel. We can also help our teachers and staff see these strengths and focus more on what our kids are able to do, compared to their deficits. This will help our students feel seen and feel valued in their classrooms.

As school counselors, we strive to build connections with our students and help them reach this level by being present. We need to be visible to our students so they know we are there to support them, no matter where they are on Maslow’s hierarchy when they enter our doors each day. We will continue to meet our kids where they are and help build better humans who are confident in knowing their strengths, so they are able to move to the highest level of seeking to become the best versions of themselves.  

Paige Pendery is an elementary school counselor at Northwood Hills Elementary School in Richardson ISD, where she is starting her 21^st year in education and her 13th year as a school counselor. Currently serving as the Elementary VP for the Lone Star State School Counselor Association, Paige enjoys connecting with and supporting counselors across the state!