Culture
Why Discipline Is Better Than Punishment
8shares Facebook Twitter Google+ Pinterest LinkedIn Some time ago, I spoke at an educator event in Missouri. During the Q and A period, a gentleman raised his hand with a deep concern: “Today, it seems like we’re quick to penalize (even suspend) students for wrong behavior more quickly than when I was in high school.…
Continue ReadingHow Generation Z Shops and What It Means for Us to Teach Them
8shares Facebook Twitter Google+ Pinterest LinkedIn If you are communicating with middle school, high school or college students, you already know they’ve grown up in the digital world. They are the Touchscreen Generation, also known as “screenagers.” It may surprise you to discover, then, that 98 percent of them still shop in brick and mortar…
Continue ReadingThree Ways to Beat Social Media Addiction
15shares Facebook Twitter Google+ Pinterest LinkedIn For three years, we’ve heard teens say in our focus groups that they are “addicted to social media.” In fact, it’s been said so often, it almost sounds cliché. Today, however, some of the early pioneers of social media platforms admit they purposely created features that not only lure…
Continue ReadingAre We Really Wasting Time When We Play?
5shares Facebook Twitter Google+ Pinterest LinkedIn Last month, I enjoyed hearing best-selling author Daniel Pink at our RoundTable for Principals in Atlanta. Dan shared some highlights from his newest book, “When,” which is all about the science behind the best ways to leverage our time. Part of his session was about when we (and our…
Continue ReadingWhat Effective Leaders Know About Handling Conflict
14shares Facebook Twitter Google+ Pinterest LinkedIn We live in a day of irony. When I look at our society, I see more conflict today than we’ve had in the past—politics, gender equality, racial equality, immigration, you name it. At the same time, it feels like we don’t know how to handle conflict in a productive…
Continue ReadingSeven Leadership Lessons from Mr. Rogers
34shares Facebook Twitter Google+ Pinterest LinkedIn In June, a movie was released in select theaters across the country: “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” It was a well-done documentary on the life and career of Fred Rogers, the man who hosted the show we came to know as kids—Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood. My entire family enjoyed the…
Continue ReadingThe Fine Line Between Free Speech and Inclusive Language
2shares Facebook Twitter Google+ Pinterest LinkedIn Earlier this year, a firestorm erupted between guardians of “free speech” and those who are trying to safeguard inclusive language. I’d like to hear your thoughts. A handful of students from Syracuse fraternity “Theta Tau” held a private “roast” this past semester. They lambasted others who were not present,…
Continue ReadingHappy Independence Day
4shares Facebook Twitter Google+ Pinterest LinkedIn Today we celebrate our past. Independence Day is a remembrance of our ancestors that make up American history. Forefathers like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry and Benjamin Franklin sacrificed their lives to live out what they believed. They fought for American independence and won our freedom in the 18th…
Continue ReadingThe Role of Social Emotional Learning in Overcoming Anxiety
3shares Facebook Twitter Google+ Pinterest LinkedIn Some who read this post know my story. Both of my kids are now fully-functioning adults, but each has had their wrestling match with anxiety and depression while they were in school. It impacted our entire family. Bethany was a fun-loving teen whose favorite pastime was laughter and whose…
Continue ReadingWhen You’re Angry With Students: Six Steps to Take
11shares Facebook Twitter Google+ Pinterest LinkedIn Two years ago, I was asked to speak at a high school, and arrived a day early for some meetings in town. While my colleagues got some work done, I chose to take an hour to visit the school, incognito, and observe a typical day on campus. It was…
Continue Reading