The Term That’s Taking the Education World by Storm: Podcast #46
Today, I’m excited to share with you a conversation with Andrew McPeak. Andrew is a next gen researcher, speaker, and curriculum designer with Growing Leaders. He also is the coauthor of our newest book, Marching Off the Map. Here are some highlights from our conversation. Andrew McPeak: Tim, I am excited for this conversation today because we are really talking about
The Part of Leadership Students Usually Don’t Embrace
Leadership is a buzzword on campuses today. When I began formally studying the topic among high school and college students, only 70 universities across America had programs for leadership development. Today, more than 1,000 colleges have formal programs and courses and even majors or minors in leadership. Leadership is now a category in the minds of millions of young adults. Yet, while
Three Surprising Issues About Today’s Youth Culture
I recently attended a symposium on how our youth are faring in our world today. While there was great anticipation on how students will re-invent the marketplace as they enter their careers, there were three huge issues that sobered every attendee. I felt these issues would be helpful and relevant to you as you develop students. I encourage you to
Four Paradoxes Today’s Students Experience
Sophie, a 17-year old junior in high school, said it best: “I think I would have preferred growing up in the 90s.” Today’s teens are the newest demographic with a label. They’re called Generation Z, the Centennials, The Pivotals, the iGeneration, the Mosaics and the Homelanders. According to British news source The Guardian, “They’ve grown up with social media, a constant
Why Kids Need to “Think Rich”
Napoleon Hill wrote a classic book years ago, called “Think and Grow Rich.” Others have come along and re-written his thoughts that are based on timeless principles and universal truths about success. Hill suggests in his book there is a “rich” way to think and a “poor” way to think. And it’s not just about money. It’s an entire worldview that informs
Eight Action Steps for Managing Team Expectations
When we work with athletic departments, under the leadership of J. T. Thoms, we almost always take surveys of both coaches and student athletes. They provide us with data that informs our events and ensures that our partnership is guided by their pain points. These surveys also furnish us with a clear picture of what teams need. May I unveil a
The Missing Ingredient in Today’s Parenting Journey
In recent years, I’ve spent countless hours with groups of parents, faculty, coaches and youth workers. Each conversation becomes a candid disclosure of the fears, the struggles and the preoccupation adults have with today’s youth. It has become clear that over the course of their kids’ childhood, parents experience various stages as they guide and lead their child. (For that
Three Steps to Develop Grit
I just finished watching Ron Howard’s latest film on The Beatles. Those four pioneers of rock and roll (who America got to meet in February 1964 on the Ed Sullivan Show), have a mystical aura to their story. Lots of legends surround their emergence as a musical force fifty years ago. Today—I’d like to clear up some of that mystery and
The Quality That Develops Initiative in Students
I watched as a Dean for Residence Life spoke to a college student recently. The dean was concerned about the lack of initiative the student was showing while serving as a Resident Advisor in her hall. The conversation went something like this: Dean: Why didn’t you talk to your residents about the electrical problem? Student: I didn’t know you wanted me to. Dean:
How to Balance Tech Time and Tree Time
For the last few years, Americans have experienced an epiphany. Parents and educators realized our young adults have remained indoors in front of a screen for far too many hours. So now—we’ve begun to do something about it. According to a report from Kampgrounds of America (KOA), an organization of privately owned campgrounds, more and more Americans are now spending their
Four Ideas to Teach Students Who Can’t Sit Still
I just returned from a trip last month, after observing classrooms in a K-12 school. Two realities struck me most vividly: How many hours the students were required to sit in a classroom. How difficult it was for at least half of them to do so. Did you know that the number of kids who are diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit
The Biggest Shift We Must Make to Win the Hearts of Students
Last month, I spoke to a student athlete and her coach in two separate conversations. Hannah (not her real name) had just quit her soccer team. Her reason? “I just couldn’t handle the yelling and anger from my coaches any more.” When I spoke to Hannah’s coach, he said, “I yell because I just don’t see any grit in these athletes.