Page 147 - Ana Kozina and Nora Wiium, eds. ▪︎ Positive Youth Development in Contexts. Ljubljana: Educational Research Institute, 2021. Digital Library, Dissertationes (Scientific Monographs), 42.
P. 147
char acter strengths of first-year student teachers and the 5 cs ...
framework in first-year student teachers. Certain intervention strategies
should be developed for fostering specific character strengths to promote
positive development. Moreover, student teachers should identify their own
character strengths in order to become aware of them, especially their “sig-
nature strengths” – those they possess, celebrate and frequently exercise;
and feel fulfilled and excited while engaging them (Peterson & Seligman,
2004). Student teachers should be encouraged to reflect on how they can
harness their signature strengths to achieve positive development follow-
ing the proposed Aware-Explore-Apply model (Niemiec, 2013). One stu-
dent’s insight holds considerable meaning: “When I am aware of my charac-
ter strengths, it increases my self-confidence. I become happier when I realise
that I am using my strengths in a good way, such as doing something good,
taking care of my loved ones, or volunteering. It makes me happy when I get
a kind response from others, when others notice my kindness, and when I no-
tice that my actions have positive consequences”.
PYD interventions stress the role of matching young people’s needs
and skills with the support and opportunities provided by their setting
(Tolan, 2014). This casts a spotlight on university teachers, who are impor-
tant sources of potential support for first-year student teachers who need
to integrate into a new ongoing social and intellectual life (Tinto, 1993).
Further, university teachers are important role models for student teachers.
Our society needs teachers who lead fulfilling lives, are satisfied, feel that
teaching is a calling and are aware of their impact on generations of stu-
dents. Namely, teachers’ professional development begins in their first year
of studies, a period crucial to shaping teachers’ future professional role.
Only student teachers who are systematically supported and encouraged
during this period will experience positive personal and professional devel-
opment; with this in turn leading to them making a positive Contribution –
the sixth C – to themselves, society and their future students.
Some limitations of the study should be acknowledged. This study was
exploratory in nature and aimed to examine the relationship between two
theoretical frameworks that overlap in several respects. The students were
not introduced to the PYD framework before completing the PYD ques-
tionnaire, in which they assigned particular character strengths to the 5 Cs
categories. Prior knowledge of PYD might have influenced their respons-
es about the character strengths–5 Cs relationship, yet we wanted to ex-
plore the intuitive congruence between the two concepts. The 5 Cs were
described very briefly, suggesting that broader definitions of the Cs may
147
framework in first-year student teachers. Certain intervention strategies
should be developed for fostering specific character strengths to promote
positive development. Moreover, student teachers should identify their own
character strengths in order to become aware of them, especially their “sig-
nature strengths” – those they possess, celebrate and frequently exercise;
and feel fulfilled and excited while engaging them (Peterson & Seligman,
2004). Student teachers should be encouraged to reflect on how they can
harness their signature strengths to achieve positive development follow-
ing the proposed Aware-Explore-Apply model (Niemiec, 2013). One stu-
dent’s insight holds considerable meaning: “When I am aware of my charac-
ter strengths, it increases my self-confidence. I become happier when I realise
that I am using my strengths in a good way, such as doing something good,
taking care of my loved ones, or volunteering. It makes me happy when I get
a kind response from others, when others notice my kindness, and when I no-
tice that my actions have positive consequences”.
PYD interventions stress the role of matching young people’s needs
and skills with the support and opportunities provided by their setting
(Tolan, 2014). This casts a spotlight on university teachers, who are impor-
tant sources of potential support for first-year student teachers who need
to integrate into a new ongoing social and intellectual life (Tinto, 1993).
Further, university teachers are important role models for student teachers.
Our society needs teachers who lead fulfilling lives, are satisfied, feel that
teaching is a calling and are aware of their impact on generations of stu-
dents. Namely, teachers’ professional development begins in their first year
of studies, a period crucial to shaping teachers’ future professional role.
Only student teachers who are systematically supported and encouraged
during this period will experience positive personal and professional devel-
opment; with this in turn leading to them making a positive Contribution –
the sixth C – to themselves, society and their future students.
Some limitations of the study should be acknowledged. This study was
exploratory in nature and aimed to examine the relationship between two
theoretical frameworks that overlap in several respects. The students were
not introduced to the PYD framework before completing the PYD ques-
tionnaire, in which they assigned particular character strengths to the 5 Cs
categories. Prior knowledge of PYD might have influenced their respons-
es about the character strengths–5 Cs relationship, yet we wanted to ex-
plore the intuitive congruence between the two concepts. The 5 Cs were
described very briefly, suggesting that broader definitions of the Cs may
147
