Teaching Students Subjects That Don’t Come Natural for Them
One of the most frustrating experiences for a teacher or a parent is trying to teach something to a young person—something we know will help them succeed later—and finding them unresponsive. It matters not what the subject is: Math Reading Science Changing a tire Work ethic Writing and communication I spoke to a history teacher recently who said she was “at
Seven Ideas to Help Student Leaders with Cognitive Bias
Some of you may be leaders of the emerging generation. You lead schools, businesses, sports teams and families. Many of you who work with student-leaders want to help them navigate the privileges and responsibilities of their position. I recently sat in on a Student Government Association meeting on a college campus. It was immediately clear these were intelligent and active university
How Involved Should Parents Be in Their Child’s Education?
During the past month, I found myself speaking to more than 6,500 parents in various locations across the U.S. I never have a more engaged audience than when I’m interacting with moms and dads. That month, I found the most popular question was—how do I support my child in school? Behind that question are looming thoughts like: My daughter is so stressed
Two Common Attitudes That Sabotage a Leader’s Effectiveness
No leader begins their journey with the words: “I want to become a leader, so I can feel overwhelmed.” Or, “I want to become a leader because I love feeling exhausted.” Or, “I want to become a leader, so I can lose sleep at night.” Unfortunately, that’s exactly what happens to most of us. To followers, leadership frequently looks quite glitzy. It
Why Tough Grading Teachers Produce Better Learners in the End
This may not surprise you, but a new study found that students perform better on standardized tests each year when their teachers are tough graders—and argues that when students have the mindset that says “everybody gets a gold star,” it does “more damage than good." The report, published by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, found this effect holds true for students across
Five Steps to Help Students Avoid the Comparison Trap
Over the last five years, I’ve heard dozens of authors and speakers talk about the “comparison trap.” I believe it’s because people are not only prone to compare themselves to each other, but social media has exacerbated the problem. The student focus groups we hosted two years ago illustrated this challenge for teens. Here are some of the statements we
How to Lead in Times of Change
As a kid, I vividly remember getting my first cavity. I had never heard of such a thing, but the dentist explained that I had a hole in my tooth’s enamel that needed a filling. If that news wasn’t bad enough, he went on to ask, “Do you think you and your mother can stay a bit longer today, so
Four Steps to Helping Students Make Good Decisions
Alex is a college student I enjoyed a coffee with recently. Our discussion revolved around all the options he was staring with next semester, including courses and jobs, clubs and other extra-curricular activities. Like so many others, Alex is suffering from “decision fatigue.” It’s the experience of being worn down by making lots of choices in a short amount of
Parents: Why You Need to Stop Doing Your Kid’s Work
The latest example of the new way parents view their children just occurred. It illustrates our shift from equipping our youth to cope with adversity, to seeking ways to reduce the adversity. Instead of believing they’re strong enough to face tough times, we look outward for an answer. It happened the week following Kobe Bryant’s tragic helicopter crash, killing all nine
How One NASA Intern Used Their “Rookie Smarts”
You won’t believe what happened on the third day of Wolf Cukier’s short internship at NASA over the summer. This 17-year old high school student from Scarsdale, New York was given an assignment to check images from a super-strength satellite. That’s when it happened—and it surprised everyone, including Wolf. This teenager discovered a new planet. This yet to be discovered planet by
How to Motivate Students Who Don’t Want Responsibility
My friend, Zach, told me about a recent project he gave to a freshman college student. Zach mentioned he’d heard me talk about how we must give ownership of a teen’s learning to them. So, he discussed this project with the student and saw his eyes light up when he added: “And you can decide how you want to solve
The Top Five Issues Generation Z & Millennials Say They Care About
I asked an 18-year old high school senior what she cared about most. “I don’t just mean your family and friends,” I clarified. “I mean what issues and concerns do you think about most.” She blinked and stared at me for a moment, then replied, “No adult has ever asked me that question before.” Our interactions with focus groups reveal to us