Take a look at the above picture of my daughter. It’s awesome, isn’t it? The expression on her face. The green ‘hair’ in the form of grass. It sits in our kitchen. And I smile every time I see it. […]
In Order to Keep Learning, Keep Curiosity
Tag: school
Embrace the Messiness of Character Education…
…for there will be hiccups When I was in ninth grade, I had a Math teacher, Mr. Phillips, who used to drive me nuts. After lunch some days, he’d be hanging out near the restroom where I always went. And […]
No, Students Shouldn’t Have To ‘Beat The Odds.’ There Should Be No Odds.
Georgia’s current school metric underscores how our education system is stacked against certain students. You can guess which students. In my hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio, our Cincinnati Bengals beat the odds. The Bengals, one of the worst teams in the […]
If you want all voices included, engage the ‘Outer Rim’
Toward the end of Damon Centola’s book Change: How To Make Big Things Happen, he shares the following anecdote about former president Barack Obama. Then-president Obama, facing a particularly difficult policy decision, wanted to make sure all voices were heard, […]
No, students shouldn’t leave their baggage at the door
Recently, I was speaking with a teacher about what we can do to help some of our higher-risk students succeed. We’d had struggles in the classroom with cell phones and outbursts. What was clear was that our students had difficulty […]
Write Kindness. Save Kindness.
Teaching is hard. It’s never been harder. Which is saying something. Because teaching’s always been hard. A couple years ago, I was talking with a friend of mine who’s a financial advisor. He was telling me that his day had […]
Want to prepare students for future success? Set aside the curriculum. Start with SEL.
My son is pretty bright. I don’t say this as some jaded father who thinks his kids are perfect (as you’ll soon see). But he’s always been pretty smart. He could string together full sentences before his second birthday. He […]
If you tell a student one thing this year, tell them ‘I’m Proud Of You’
Last year, I received a note from a student. It was a student I knew was struggling with some home issues, and it had leaked over into her school work. The usual, joyful student who showed up every day and […]
Even In A Chaotic Year, Resist The Urge To Hurry
I love running. My wife thinks I run too much, and this is probably true. But that doesn’t deter me. I find it a great way to collect my thoughts, process through the day and relieve some stress. Most of […]
25 Year Ago, A Teacher Took A Risk. I Still Benefit Today.
How one teacher’s chance on me kept me writing 25 years later As I look back on the greatest risk anyone took on me 25 years later, it still blows my mind. I teach 7th graders. I love teaching 7th […]