Creating a Motivating Culture of Respect is as Easy as ABC Many educators are looking for ways to support students and build relationships that foster high levels of student learning. Some have even studied the concept of the ABC’s and how Autonomy, Belonging...
The Best Way to Build Relationships on Campus When I was in grad school for professional counseling, I had the opportunity to intern under Dr. David Ferguson. In that internship, he taught me the single most powerful way to develop healthy relationships. It quickly...
4 Ways to Help Teachers Inspire Students I believe in educators. I believe in their power to impact students not only in learning content but also in their attitudes about themselves as learners. Inspired educators produce inspired learners. We are inspired when who...
2 Of The Best Ways to Avoid Teacher Burnout Teaching is hard. Often we find ourselves struggling with a dichotomy; we love our jobs yet the intensity of the work leaves us feeling burnt out. In the classroom, I have days where I daydream about a job that I could...
2019 Has Been An Amazing Year We are on the road finishing our last few assemblies, summits, and trainings, and you know what? I think you and I need to pat ourselves on the back a little! I’ve been working in schools since 2006, and I can honestly say that 2019...
How to Inspire Passionate Learning A Kind Word is Never Wasted: a plaque with these words has always hung above the door of my classroom. I believe it to my core, but today I learned that there is science behind the phrase. Today I watched a presentation by...
3 Ways to Boost the Spirit of Giving on Campus We are now in the midst of the holiday season. Parties, decorations, sweet treats, and of course the most important thing GIFTS. Adults are dashing around town trying to find the perfect gift for everyone on their list...
The 2 Cheapest and Easiest Ways to Build School Culture Before I tell you two very simple strategies to build school culture, let’s acknowledge that being “seen” can sometimes be the best part of someone’s day. We all move fast, and have so much to do. How often do we...
The Power of Being “Seen” on Campus My daughter is a young cyclist. She first started racing as a mini miss on a little strider bike with no pedals. She would ride around the grass as her daddy would compete in bike races. Now that she is older, she is able to...
3 Simple Ways to Cultivate a Culture of Gratitude After 16 years in education I can honestly say that November is my favorite month. It’s not because the weather is perfect, that I made it through the first few months of school alive, or even that winter break is...
3 Strategies to Help Stop Teen Suicide The first time I contemplated suicide was in 2004. I was 29 years old. My first marriage had crumbled. I was extremely embarrassed by such a public failure. I felt like I had nothing left to live for. If you’ve read my book,...
3 Ways to Help Students Define Themselves Here is a true and personal story about my life. As a kiddo, I LOVED school. It was a safe, stress free place where I found a sense of community. I was successful at school and it made sense to me. I was outgoing and...
3 Strategies for Developing a Suicide Awareness Program This past week I spoke with a mother who had lost her son to a completed suicide the week before. Her main reason for calling me was to share names of her son’s closest friends that attended his vigil and were...
The Most Powerful School Culture Idea Ever! As educational leaders, we are always looking for that edge – that special concept that can turn the tides on school culture and tip our schools toward success. We research about other schools for the best ideas, we...
What Would Happen If… We Focused on Learning Instead of Teaching? As a kid, I played on a fairly successful basketball team in middle school. We would pack up and drive to tournaments all over the state. We all had sweet matching sweatsuits (from the early 90’s =...
Extremely Powerful School Culture Activity Mandatory staff development days are always a little tricky. Administrators do their best to welcome everyone and provide motivation and encouragement, while trying to push the 100+ powerpoint slides full of information that...
How Can You Get It All Done? Your family needs your time. Your staff needs your time. Your students need your time. You’re spread so thin! So how can you get it all done? School culture! After visiting 1,000+ schools I can confidently tell you that school...
Ready to Calm Those First Day Jitters? I remember my first varsity football game in high school. I honestly felt like I was going to throw up. I felt like I had no business starting as a sophomore, and I was scared by the sheer size and number of the opposing players....
What comes to mind when you think about New Year’s Eve??? Is it something like fresh-start, clean-slate, new beginnings, or resolutions? Every December 31 we gather together with family and friends to reflect upon the past 12 months and celebrate the new year we...
Overcoming First Day Jitters: Embracing New Beginnings Summer is winding down. School supplies are prominently displayed in the front isles at the store and educators are beginning to shift their mindset from Summer to Fall. Social media memes showcase educators...
9-Steps to Building a Great School Slogan This could be the most important blog I write all year!!! After working with over 1,000 schools, I have come to believe that school slogans are the cheapest and most direct way to drive school culture. But even if you have...
How to Be the Influencer You Need to Be I hear the word “influencer” a lot these days. They have thousands of followers on Facebook and rep big brands on Instagram, but their influence usually tops out at hocking free hotel rooms or promoting product deals at...
Self-Promotion: An Important Skill for Any Educator As you soak in the rays of summer and enjoy your well-deserved time off to rest and rejuvenate, I thought I would throw a concept your way: Self-promotion May not be a term you would immediately associate with...
School Improvement From The Inside Out I have heard it said that, “There isn’t a problem that cannot be solved by the collective knowledge of the professionals in the room.” I have not tested this theory and I am not sure if it can work with every problem. However, I...
