The Teach Out Project: Proposal

CHOOSE A TEXT:

An article that has stayed with me and continues to inspire me is "Shifting the Paradigm from Deficit-Oriented Schools to Asset-Based Models: Why Leaders Need to Promote an Asset Orientation in our Schools" by Shannon Renkly and Katherine Bertolini. In their article, Renkly and Bertolini argue that schools must shift their focus toward identifying and building upon students' strengths in order to support positive development. Too often, schools operate from a deficit model, which is emphasizing what students lack or the risks they exhibit, rather than adopting an asset-based approach that recognizes students' talents and competencies. To make this shift, school leaders must embed the asset model into the school's shared vision, model it with faculty and staff, and foster strong community-parent-school partnerships. Research consistently shows that supportive adults and positive relationships are among the most powerful asset-building tools available to young people. I frequently observe students being defined by what they lack rather than what they bring, and I believe sharing this text with my colleagues has the potential to open the eyes of others the way it opened mine.

WHO DO YOU WANT TO SHARE WITH?

I would like to share this text with my colleagues and other teachers and faculty at my place of work. We all teach at the middle school level, which is a particularly critical time in adolescent development. Middle schoolers are still figuring out who they are, and the messages they receive from the adults around them during this period can have a lasting impact. As educators, we have the greatest influence over how students are seen and supported daily, and I believe this article could spark meaningful conversations about shifting our collective mindset toward a more strengths-based approach — one that helps our students feel recognized and valued during one of the most formative stages of their lives.

WHAT FORMAT MIGHT WORK FOR YOU?

I plan to use two formats: pamphlets and individual interviews. The pamphlets would serve as an accessible, shareable summary of the article's key ideas, something colleagues could read at their own pace. The individual interviews would then allow me to have deeper, one-on-one conversations to gather their personal reactions and reflections, and to collect data (I LOVE DATA!) on how the asset-based model resonates within our specific school community.