Leadership
Six Ways to Help Students Make Good Summer Decisions
7shares Facebook Twitter Google+ Pinterest LinkedIn With summer upon us, many parents are processing how their kids can best use their time. It’s a difficult balance to strike. Too often, a typical school year consists of mom rushing her kids through a drive-through, grabbing some chicken nuggets and hustling over to a practice or rehearsal.…
Continue ReadingMental Toughness Exercises for You and Your Students (Part Two)
6shares Facebook Twitter Google+ Pinterest LinkedIn Yesterday, I offered four simple exercises for students to grow their “grit.” Today, I will offer four more, in Part Two of the Eight Ideas to Develop Mental Toughness list. Before I do—consider the day we live in. When we reflect on the realities that Generation Z grows up…
Continue ReadingMental Toughness Exercises for You and Your Students
19shares Facebook Twitter Google+ Pinterest LinkedIn Did you know some of the greatest examples of “mental toughness” are unlikely heroes who failed or performed poorly prior to their rise to achievement? In other words, they all experienced a setback before they made a comeback: Roger Federer, the greatest tennis player in history, with seven Wimbledon…
Continue ReadingThe Role of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Student Athletes
11shares Facebook Twitter Google+ Pinterest LinkedIn I just spent some time with athletic coaches from the Southeastern Conference. These are stellar people, many of whom have coached for decades. And they are coaching at the Division One level, the highest tier for student-athletes. So, I was a bit surprised when three of them spoke to…
Continue ReadingHow to Teach for Meaning Not Memorization
15shares Facebook Twitter Google+ Pinterest LinkedIn A few years ago, I spoke to a large audience of high school faculty in Kansas. During a question and answer period, one freshman algebra teacher raised his hand to ask, “How should I respond when a student asks me if he’ll ever use this subject after graduation, and…
Continue ReadingTwelve Ideas for Students to Try During Summer Break
17shares Facebook Twitter Google+ Pinterest LinkedIn Summer is upon us. The time when school is out for a few months (although it seems shorter every year) and kids of all ages—even teens—have to figure out what to do with their free time. Some, of course, have it all mapped out in the spring. They plan…
Continue ReadingLeadership Lessons from Three Heroes at a School Shooting
5shares Facebook Twitter Google+ Pinterest LinkedIn Can you believe it? Another school shooting took place last week. Although youth violence has gone down over the last three decades, we still hear of too many tragic episodes like the one that took place just 20 minutes from my former home, in Highlands Ranch, Colorado (just south…
Continue ReadingWhat We Can Learn About Leading Students from Instagram
13shares Facebook Twitter Google+ Pinterest LinkedIn Angela is in the sixth grade. Her parents have chosen to not purchase a smart phone for her yet, because they see the anxiety social media platforms cause Angela’s peers. When my teammate Andrew McPeak asked her if she wishes she had a phone, her response was insightful. She…
Continue ReadingFive Ingredients to Build a Culture of Ownership on Your Campus
11shares Facebook Twitter Google+ Pinterest LinkedIn When Akbar Cook took over Westside High School in Newark, NJ, it was a mess. Students were divided into cliques that never interacted; teachers did their work in silos; and an attitude of distrust prevailed on the campus. Further, it was a low-income area, with 85 percent of the…
Continue ReadingSix Steps to Help Young Team Members Manage Expectations
5shares Facebook Twitter Google+ Pinterest LinkedIn As Generation Z moves from school to career, many of them enter their first job with different expectations than those of their employers. They want to move up the organizational chart faster than their manager believes they are ready for that move. “More than 75% of Gen Z members…
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