Our Child Strengths Guide
Any child’s strengths can be cultivated from a very young age. In a school setting specifically, leadership qualities are very important. Not only because children learn about using these, but they also learn more about themselves in the process.
Some of the most important qualities that leadership teaches children are:
Delegation
Empathy
Communication
Strategic thinking
Innovation
Responsibility
Accountability
Vision
Assertiveness
These are only a few of the qualities leadership experience should help instil in children. There are of course various platforms for children to practice leadership skills. This can be in the classroom as a class captain or group leader. Also in the school structure as a prefect, head boy or head girl or on the sports field.
The child’s own personality will have a big influence on what kind of leader they would be. It is a common misconception that introverts, for example, don’t like to be leaders. They might just approach the position differently. The same goes for a less academic child.
Qualities of great leaders will in fact focus on:
Firstly, self-awareness and self-development
Encouraging strategic thinking
Developing others
Communication with different people
Understanding individual differences and the individual strengths of those individuals.
Therefore great leaders are not always the loudest or strongest academically. Instead, communication and understanding are more important in an effective leader. However, guiding children in what makes a good leader is imperative in creating a society that is supportive and progressive. Strong communities are built on effective leadership.
Our child Strengths Tests
The Career Strengths Test assesses the most suitable inteliigence types which should guide your future career choice.
It is based on the following seven types of intelligence:
- Self-Growth / Self-Growth Intelligence
- Emotional / Emotional Intelligence
- Logical Reasoning / Logical Intelligence
- Kinesthetic / Kinesthetic Intelligence
- Spatial Reasoning / Spatial Reasoning Intelligence
- Numerical Reasoning / Numerical Reasoning Intelligence
- Verbal Reasoning / Verbal Reasoning Intelligence
You can take the Intelligence Strengths Test here.
Intelligence Strengths Test Feedback
Here is the link for completing your Intelligence Strengths Test.
Are your answers mainly (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f) or (g)? You will find that you have several Intelligence Strengths. Here is a quick summary of what characterizes mainly (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f) or (g).
Intelligence Strengths Test
Mainly (a)’s – Self-Growth Aptitude / Self-Growth Intelligence
Highly independent, these people are also very independent in their thinking and actions. For example, many entrepreneurs have the strength of Self-Growth intelligence. Typically prefer to solve their own problems – valuing as they do, spending time to think on their own. Acutely aware of their own strengths and weaknesses, such people have plenty of self-motivation to achieve their personal goals and enjoy using challenges for self- development.
Mainly (b)’s – Emotional Aptitude / Emotional Intelligence
Individuals with an emotional aptitude understand what makes other people “tick” and appreciate others’ emotions, motivations and attitudes. Excellent listeners and strong communicators, such emotionally intelligent individuals enjoy spending time with other people. Excellent networkers, such people like to be around others as much as possible in order to talk and to share thoughts/feelings.
Mainly (c)’s – Logical Reasoning Aptitude / Logical Intelligence
Logically intelligent individuals prefer to think things through logically, going through the information step by step in the correct order.
Intelligence Strengths Test
Mainly (d)’s – Kinesthetic Aptitude / Kinesthetic Intelligence
Typically, those individuals with a kinesthetic aptitude have excellent control of their limbs and body. They often, therefore, enjoy sporting activities and being outdoors generally – anything active that requires their superior control of movement. They, therefore, prefer to be physical involved in tasks – to get stuck in.
Mainly (e)’s – Spatial Reasoning Aptitude / Spatial Reasoning Intelligence
People with spatial reasoning intelligence are good at visualizing issues in their heads – as well as understanding maps and diagrams. Their preference is to visualize the inter-connecting components of problems in their head.
Intelligence Strengths Test
Mainly (f)’s – Numerical Reasoning Aptitude / Numerical Reasoning Intelligence
Valuing numbers and numerical reasoning, those people with a numerical reasoning aptitude like to manipulate numbers and are quicker at doing mental arithmetic in their heads. For example, accountants and bankers often like working with numbers because of the structure and the order found in data and financial records.
Mainly (g)’s – Verbal Reasoning Aptitude / Verbal Reasoning Intelligence
Being gifted with verbal intelligence is shown in effective spoken and written communication. Such fluent speakers also enjoy reading the work of others and indulging in wordplay/word games.
Intelligence Strengths Test
Situational strengths test example
You mention in passing to a colleague that you believe there are some financial risks associated with a financial product that’s about to be launched to customers. In a team meeting later that week, your colleague shares this information with your manager – without mentioning your name. How do you react?
You are then asked to select your most preferred and least preferred responses
(a) Apologise on your colleague’s behalf for their poor explanation.
(b) Suggest that your colleague does their own research.
(c) Ask your colleague to also include you in future.
(d) Check that your manager understands the risk involved.
By using real-life scenarios, the idea is that employers will get a better understanding of how you might operate in the workplace.
Intelligence Strengths Test
Learning to Read
Reading is such a fundamental starting block for any learning. It is the main channel for learning in most schools or educational settings and a necessity for future academic achievement in mainstream education.
Children are however not always ready for the world of reading by the time they go to school. The reason for this is as important as the solution. Some of these reasons or causes for why they may not be susceptible to the world of reading are exactly what you need to identify in order to find the best solutions.
A younger sibling might feel intimidated by the reading ability of the older. Best solutions would include reading separately with the younger sibling to build their confidence.
Advice about Learning to Read
- A child may not be developmentally ready for reading. Ways to help with this is to
- Make sure your child knows their sounds. This can be tricky as English is not a phonetical language. Find games, whether on screen or paper to help them learn the rules. Teach Your Monster To Read has been a favourite for us.
- Start off with pictures, discussing the story told by these and developing a curiosity for the story and expressing themselves in language.
- Follow your child’s reading with your finger to give them a point to focus on.
- Find stories that interest them. Whether they are into dinosaurs or princesses. Topics that interest them is the key.
Always remember not to put pressure on your child to start reading. We all do things in our own time, but a negative feeling towards reading can last a lifetime. Instead, focus on creating a love for readingby reading them stories from a young age. When they are ready they will want to carry on finding the stories they love. Children will more readily follow what you do, so also make sure to show them that you make time to read your own books.