Would You Do It For Free?

I recently attended an entrepreneurship gathering sponsored by a local university. The program allowed each attendee to speak for a few minutes about their company and services. The last speaker was a videographer and web marketer. He spoke with great passion about finding a voice and telling a great story, important components in today’s evolving marketplace. But the line that resonated most with me was his comment about why we are all doing what we’re doing.

Most people in that room had left an established, more guaranteed position in order to venture off into entrepreneurship and follow their dreams. This speaker spoke to a common chord within each of us when he said, “You all love what you do so much that you would do it for free.” That is, of course, if not for the fact that we must put food on the table.

Tips for a Successful School Year (For Parents and Teachers)

Children and young adults will soon be heading back to the classroom for another year of schooling, if they haven’t already. The excitement is palpable. Children and parents are busy purchasing and labeling school supplies, clothing, lunchboxes, and other related items. Teachers have been working diligently to ready their classrooms, organize materials, and foster an engaging, productive learning environment. Administrators have toiled throughout the summer to have everything in place for day one, including back-to-school programming for students and professional development for teachers.

6 R's of Summer School

While school administrators are typically not “off” from school to the same extent as teachers (there is still plenty of planning, ordering, interviewing and the like that occurs over the summer months,) the relaxed days of June, July and August present school leaders with a special opportunity that is unique to this time of year. I like to think of them as a principal’s own set of summertime “R’s.”

4 Learning Lessons from the Garden

My time outside gives me much opportunity to think and reflect. As a former educator, a few ideas come to mind. The first relates to the eighth identified intelligence – naturalist intelligence — from Howard Gardener’s famous list. In its most literal terms, a naturalist is someone who shows expertise in the recognition and classification of plants and animals. From an educational vantage point, it describes a child who possesses naturalist inclinations while sharing many traits of kinesthetic learners. These children flourish from being able to touch, feel, hold and try practical hands-on experiences, but generally prefer to do so outdoors, surrounded by nature and animals.

Asserting Parental Authority Without Being Authoritative, Part II

The second necessary component for parental success is influence.

Our job is to become as influential as possible in the minds and lives of our children. Here are three ways parents can become more influential:

Become great listeners and create a safe space for children.
Demonstrate love, not a desire for control.
Personalize relationships and approaches with each child.

Asserting Parental Authority Without Being Authoritative, Part I

Many of us hold a wistful view of parenting.

Back in the “good old days” childrearing was simple. Parents used an authoritative approach, and their kids would listen and comply. By contrast, today’s parents have it much harder, and must deal with a myriad of challenges that our parents never faced.

But that thinking, too, has its flaws. Until the 1960s, authoritarian parenting was the way to go. It started to fall out of favor as society became more democratic and respect for authority began to show signs of cracking.

Educational leadership in the age of online learning

As remote-work orders stretch into another month, new concerns about its long term-feasibility are being raised. Fatigue is one salient issue, but many are more concerned that continuous growth and development will stagnate in a world that lacks in-person contact.

The education industry in particular is among the most affected here in the United States, and questions about meaningful development are top of mind for teachers and educational leaders alike. How can remote learning practices be improved before students return to school? Is it still possible to improve practice as an educator while working from home?

5 Areas Where Teachers Need Support Right Now, Part II

A critical, “non-academic” area that teachers must master is their ability to teach and support students’ social-emotional needs and development, while growing their mindset and confidence to succeed. Let’s focus on the latter, our mindsets and the role they play in our success.

In her bestselling book Mindset: The New Psychology Of Success, Stanford Professor Carol Dweck talks about people’s mindsets with regards to their ability to perform new tasks. She describes people who stay squarely in their comfort zones and others that venture well beyond them. Dweck labeled these mindsets as “fixed” and “growth,” respectively.

5 areas where teachers can support students in learning, Part I

For new teachers, the process of getting ready for the school year can draw mixed emotions. On the one hand, it is exciting to don your creativity cap and consider new ways to make school and learning exciting. At the same time, there can be some nervousness associated with your preparation, particularly when you’re not sure what the new year will even look like, as in whether it will include in-person instruction, remote learning or some blended variation.

Make no mistake, this is by far the most uncertain start to the school year that any of us have ever experienced. We don’t know what form school will take in a couple of months and we must figure out how to close academic gaps that were created by the pandemic; deal with issues of mindset (student and teacher); provide opportunities for social-emotional learning; and be prepared for the residual (if not current) effects of trauma and more. All while still managing our classrooms effectively and providing our students with engaging instruction that is differentiated to ensure that all learners’ needs are met.

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