3 Fantastic (But Overlooked) Opportunities to Thank Your Students
So often what children learn is caught rather than taught. Gratitude is one of the skills that is both taught and caught. We teach children to say thank you, but...
Stop Nagging and Ask This Question Instead
Have you ever had one of those moments when something that is commonplace to you seems amazing to someone else? There are all sorts of insights you can glean from...
5 Things You Can Do Late in the School Year if You Feel Your Classroom Management has Derailed
As educators we start the beginning of every school year with the best of intentions about how we intend to “manage our classroom.” And by that I really mean, how...
5 Hard Truths to Teach Children About Leadership
I fear we have given the next generation a false idea of leadership. Schools reinforce students as “leaders” when they are the captain of a football team or when they...
14 Ways to Manage Spring Fever in Your Classroom
Two of the most exciting times of the school year are the first day of school and the last day of school. In between those 2 days are another 178...
Are You Doing for Children What Children Can Do for Themselves?
What if some of the strategies teachers use are actually doing things for children that children can do for themselves? What message are we sending to children about their capabilities...
5 Ways to Make Your Classroom a Danger Zone
Most teachers want to create an environment that is warm and welcoming to the students who enter the doors of their classroom. As educators, we know that children learn best...
Obedience, Respect & Honor–What’s That?!
Have you ever given a direction to a student or reinforced a rule or procedure only to be on the receiving end of a set of rolled eyes or a...
How Praise is Crushing Self-Efficacy
Walk into any teacher store and you will find a slew of colorful stickers—Wow! Amazing! Great Job! You’re #1! Excellent! Smart Cookie! Good one! A++! We add brightly colored stickers...
6 Strategies to Avoid Making Decisions You’ll Regret
Teachers make hundreds of decisions every single day—from the most trivial to the most consequential. Does the number of decisions we make have any impact on the quality of our...
