Created for a purpose : implementation and evaluation of the Lighthouse Programme. Student talent identification and exploration as a means of increasing collaboration and lifting academic self-concept

Abstract

‘Lighthouse’ is a strengths-based programme aimed at students with 9 – 13 year old cognitive learning levels which, through the use of a Lighthouse metaphor representing self, leads students through a nine week journey of discovery, designed to expand thinking around their natural talents, aid the development of those talents into strengths and collaboratively encourage enhancement of student academic self-concept within a classroom environment. The programme applies [George] Gallup’s philosophy within its creative methodology as means of developing student strengths and improving academic self-concept. The traditional paradigm of perceiving the process of teaching as the imparting of knowledge from one more knowledgeable source to another has been challenged. The research undertaken demonstrates the power of student self-talk around talent and how raising student voice from its obscure status to its utilisation in building collaborative classroom relationships, benefits students, teachers and the learning process. As results of this evaluative research indicate, connections between student perceptions of talent and the formation of academic self-concept are strong and highlight the need to reject single minded focus on subject performance in favour of the Lighthouse Programme’s balanced approach where talents are used as a potential pathway to address behavioural and academic standards required for development of healthy, happy, collaborative and resilient young people.