Strengths Before Struggles

In this episode of Let’s Talk Teacher to Teacher, Dr. Gina Pepin invites you to rethink how we approach data-driven intervention. Too often, data becomes a spotlight on what students can’t do—overshadowing the many things they can do.

Join Dr. Gina as she explores how shifting to a strengths-first mindset can transform your intervention practices. You’ll hear how to use student strengths as powerful entry points for growth, create a more balanced view of assessment data, and build confidence while building skills.

If you’re ready to see your students through a brighter lens—and spark more meaningful growth—this episode is for you.

🎧 Listen in and start turning data into a tool for building, not just fixing.

Check out more at www.ginapepin.com

Transcript

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Welcome back to Let's Talk Teacher to Teacher. I'm Dr. Gina Pepin, and today I want to dive into something that's both a challenge and an opportunity in our classrooms, how we use data for intervention while keeping a true strengths-first mindset. Now, here's the tricky part. Data is powerful. It helps us to see where students struggle. It helps us to pinpoint those patterns and guide interventions. But what if we're not careful? The numbers can start to feel like a spotlight on deficits. And of course, we end up spending most of our time talking about what a student can't do. The shift I want us to think about is this. What if we use the same data to look proportionately at what students can actually do? For example, maybe a student scores low in decoding, but shows strong comprehension when listening. Or maybe their phonemic awareness is inconsistent, but their vocabulary knowledge shines. That's not just a side note. That's actually like an entry point. When we start with strengths, students feel seen for what they bring to the table, not just for the gaps that we're trying to fill. It's kind of like being a coach. If you only tell your team where they have missed those shots, you'll never win a game. But if If you notice who's great at defense, who can set up plays, who motivates teammates, you're not just fixing weaknesses, you're actually building a team that plays to its strengths. So here's a little challenge for this week. The next time you're in a data meeting or you're looking at assessment results, try making two lists. One that outlines the students' challenges and one that highlights their strengths. And then ask, how can I use what they're good at to support what they're working on? Because when we look at students through a strengths-first lens, interventions don't just become about fixing They actually become about building. And that's where growth really, really takes off. Thanks for joining me today on Let's Talk Teacher to Teacher. Remember, data is a tool, but how we use it really matters. Let's choose to see the whole child starting with their strengths. Until next time, keep noticing, keep lifting up, and keep connecting teacher to teacher.