Seven Ideas to Build Perseverance in Students (Part One)
Recently, I was privileged to speak to the faculty and administration at Darlington School, an incredible private school in north Georgia full of caring educators. One hot button issue that day concerned perseverance in students. Kevin Ivester, a math teacher at Darlington, blogged about the need for tenacity and good attitudes, based on discoveries made in Singapore students. I wanted to share
What Can We Do to Help Our Teens?
This month, we are celebrating the four years since the release of our book Generation iY—Our Last Chance to Save Their Future. In that time, I’ve been interviewed on multiple occasions over what can be done to empower teens today. Here are three of the biggest questions both parents and teachers ask today about helping our teens mature into adults: 1.
A Study of Contrasts with Students From Generation iY
Some month’s ago, I tuned in to ABC’s program 20/20 and heard the stories of two extreme parenting styles. Each represents a different mindset adults hold today. Amber and Trent Johnston The first story was about the Johnston family, from Barnesville, GA. They’re extreme in many ways, being a “big, little family.” Standing no more than four feet tall, they are the
Would an Athlete Prefer a Silver or a Bronze Medal?
Did you happen to notice the faces of the medal winners after several competitions in this year’s Olympic games? For instance, the faces of our women’s hockey team, or the face of South Korea’s Yuna Kim? They had just won the silver medal, which meant they scored the second highest in the world in their event. But the tears on their
Questions Students Ask at Each Stage of Their Journey
It’s been interesting to watch Megan grow up, from an elementary school student all the way to today, as a college student. I’ve watched her mature through the typical stages a kid goes through—where she seemed to almost change personalities and move between extraversion and introversion—through her teen years. Megan actually inspired the thought I’m sharing in today’s blog. Since 1979,
One Big Question I Asked Generation iY Students
As our team worked on the new e-chapter for the book Generation iY, one thing we wanted to do was feature input from students themselves. So I asked a question I felt would help us understand these young Millennials—one that allows them to clarify who they are and how they are different. It’s simple and to the point: What do you
Conversations with Generation iY Students
This summer, we celebrate the fourth anniversary of the book Generation iY—Our Last Chance to Save Their Future. Amazingly, it continues to sell better now than when it was first published! It’s all about the young Millennials, and it seems adults everywhere are seeking how to better connect with young people, engage them, and help them become ready adults. After
Growing Leaders at Kennesaw Mountain High School
I wish you could meet Billy Richardson, Vice Principal at Kennesaw Mountain High School. More than that, I wish you could meet the teens that attend there. They experience such an incredible culture on this campus, I just had to share it in a blog. For years, the administration at KMHS has been determined to deepen character and cultivate leadership
The Inverse Relationship Between Empathy and Narcissism
Do you remember the character in Greek mythology named Narcissus? He was the handsome man who, because of his indifference and disdain toward others, was punished by the gods to fall in love with his own reflection when he looked into the water. In fact, he so enraptured by his beauty that he was unable to pull himself away from
Students Need Push Time and Pull Time
You've probably read how American students continue to fall behind their international peers in many academic subjects, especially math. In the most recent Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), U.S. students ranked 26th out of 34 countries in math. Many assume math isn't our students' strong suit. I don't believe it. I simply believe we have not developed them well. Students are Underestimated
An Update on Generation iY: The Trust Factor
For four years now, I’ve written on the second half of Generation Y (aka “Millennials”), the young adults who are just now entering adulthood. Sociologists have attempted to help the rest of us understand this new breed of digital natives who are the first generation to grow up online and not have to adapt to technology. I’ve mentioned a variety
One Secret for Moving Students From Childhood to Adulthood
The news these days is filled with stories of students who get stuck in childhood, even though they’re old enough to be responsible for their behavior. More and more university students are saying to their teachers, “I pay your salary, so you should give me what I want.” Think this is strange? Thirty percent of college students polled feel that they
Resourcefulness: Why It’s Needed, Why It’s Hard for Kids
A university faculty member shared a recent conversation she had with a student. After failing an exam, her student approached her to negotiate the grade. This is nothing new. What was new was the student’s complaints: “You didn’t give us enough time. The test was way too long.” “Why didn’t you tell us the exam was comprehensive?” “We didn’t have
Where is Charlie Ward Now?
Just over twenty years ago, Charlie Ward was celebrated around this country. He was the star quarterback for Florida State University and had just won the Heisman Trophy for his performance on the field. What’s more, Charlie not only won the Heisman that year, but he led the Seminoles to their very first national championship, defeating Nebraska 18-16 in the 1993
My Prediction Has Come to Pass
Are you keeping track of the protests and demonstrations around the world today? It’s reminiscent of the 1960s, when America was first introduced to “Baby Boomers.” Then, it was the result of a huge population of youth, who—due to their sheer size, their parents, and their confidence—found a voice in culture, which often led to violence. Let’s look at what’s
Out of Africa: Ordinary Leaders Changing Their World
Yesterday, I blogged about how our team just visited Egypt, whose people are in a crucial time in their nation’s history. We met with several leaders who confirmed that now is the time for Egypt to capitalize on new opportunities. They also wanted the world to know the true story of what’s really happened over the last three years. On our
Egypt Today: Updates You Won’t Hear on CNN
It seems like everywhere we look in our world today, we’re reminded of tragedy and crisis: the missing Malaysian Airline jet; the mudslide in Washington; turmoil in the Ukraine; our national debt; you name it. Last week, part of our team at Growing Leaders traveled to Egypt—another region that’s recently experienced turmoil—to meet with key educational leaders and to train 450
Training Kids Without Stressing Them Out
Trevor was an elementary school student whose days were full, Monday through Friday. When school got out, he went straight to tutoring sessions with Ms. Malcolm, followed by soccer practice, dinner and finally, his community karate class. Trevor enjoyed each of these activities (well, except for the school tutoring), and didn't want to miss out on them because he had
The Inverse Relationship Between Technology and Soft Skills
I’m hearing stories from students these days that I would never have predicted fifteen years ago. Females in a sorority recently said they all shower with their cell phones. Yep. They put them in a plastic bag and place them on the soap dish so they don’t miss one text, Instagram or Snapchat. Most students I know sleep with their
Five Lessons We Can Learn From the Greatest Generation
The themes for my blogs are generally about leading the next generation well. Today, however, I’d like to explore what we can learn from an elder age. Tom Brokaw’s 1998 book declared the generation that suffered and persevered through America’s Great Depression and then went on to fight World War II was America’s “Greatest Generation.” The common theme for those among
The Rules We Create When We Lack Emotional Intelligence
Consider the strange new “rules” our society has created over the last two decades when it comes to managing kids. First, we decided to not keep score at games. We felt losing would become too traumatic for them to handle. Then, it was kids getting to swing at the ball as many times as they want until they hit it.
Five Qualities Google Looks for as They Hire New Grads
Once students finish school, do you ever wonder: Did we prepare them for a career in the real world…or for more school? Tune in all teachers, coaches, parents and employers. One of America’s most admired companies, Google, recently acknowledged what they look for when they hire a graduate. It actually has nothing to do with GPA or what school they graduated