The Secret to Leading Poorly Performing Students Well
If you’re like me, you’ve attended countless webinars on leading students during a pandemic. You’ve probably read so many articles on COVID-19 you feel like a cross between a therapist and a physician's assistant. You’ve likely been on video calls so much your eyes are blurry and you’ve contracted Irritable Zoom Syndrome. (Just a little humor there.) On top of that,
Helping Generation Z Use Self-Awareness to Create Self-Confidence
It didn't take long for people to recognize that Babe Ruth was a special athlete. The Sultan of Swat was a natural baseball player, better at hitting and pitching than most ballplayers in his time. In fact, at one point, a researcher from Columbia University coaxed him to undergo an experiment that would reveal what made him so different. Ruth
How Emotional Intelligence Increases Students’ Influence
Chuck was a bully on my high school campus. Back in the day, everyone in our class dreaded encountering him. On a good day, he was merely rude or offensive. On a bad day, he’d be downright abusive or violent. Chuck came from a troubled background but knowing that didn’t change the way peers felt about him. The entire tone
Educators: The Most Important Leadership Trait You Can Teach This Year
A young couple recently moved into a new house. While eating breakfast their first morning, the young woman saw her neighbor hanging her wash on the clothesline in her backyard. “That laundry looks dirty. She doesn't know how to wash correctly. Maybe she needs better detergent,” remarked the wife. Her husband looked on, but remained silent. Day in and day out,
Two Ideas to Enable Students to Engage and Retain a Virtual Lesson
Public education has been founded upon memorization and testing for over a century. While we all agree we must do more than drill our students to memorize curriculum, remembering information will always play a role in learning. Today, millions of teachers face an even more arduous task of doing all of this remotely. So, what can teachers do to help kids
Four Huge Mistakes Schools Have Made Over the Years
I sat in a well-lit room, full of colorful posters on the walls. Twelve people from four generations sat in a circle. Our goal was to discuss how our world had changed over the decades and if we felt those changes made us better or worse. You can imagine our discussion was as colorful as the posters on the walls. It
What Parents and Teachers Can Do That Google Cannot Do
Many parents fret that they’re not having the same conversations with their children that they did with their parents when they were kids. Teachers fret that engaging students in the classroom is tougher today because they compete against YouTube, Netflix, and Tik Tok. Coaches and youth workers fret that keeping a student athlete’s attention is tough because they’re up against Madden NFL
How this Pandemic Could Change School for the Better
Most of us have mourned what the COVID-19 quarantine has stolen from our teens. Less class time, more screen time, more boredom, and both students and teachers who are uncomfortable with the new normal. Many traditions were removed like sports games, recitals, school plays, proms, and marching bands on Friday nights. But I’d like to focus for a few minutes on
Why Social-Emotional Learning Should Be a Top Priority When Going Back to School
Tomas Macaluso is a principal at North Valleys High School in Reno, Nevada. He and his team have become passionate about establishing social and emotional learning into the 2,200 students who attend NVHS. While Tomas knows academics are important, he is committed to graduating students who are ready for real life. Many of the administrators and teachers we work with think
Why Some Nations Are Figuring Out How to Open Schools
We’ve actually heard some good news from European countries like Denmark, Germany, Austria, and Norway. These nations have figured out ways to reopen their schools, some as early as mid-April and early May, without seeing significant increases in COVID-19 cases. And, according to the New York Times, “Experts are cautiously optimistic that sending children back to school may be relatively safe.” The
Two Important Decisions School Administrators Must Make This Fall
History is full of stories of leaders who each faced a crucial fork in the road and made a courageous decision. Want a few modern examples? Admiral Jim Stockdale chose to injure himself by cutting his face and butchering it with a stool so he could not be portrayed as an unharmed, healthy Prisoner Of War in Vietnam. Dr. Martin
Educators: Five Ideas to Overcoming Burnout Without Quitting
“COVID-19 has been a blessing and a curse,” Jared told me frankly. Jared is a high school principal who finished his 20th year as an administrator this past spring. He went on to say his teachers have enjoyed the change of pace that the quarantine offered everyone but that he’s also seen a rise in teacher burnout. An average of 16
Five Ideas to Overcome the Challenge of Virtual Learning This Fall
Most of us weren’t quite sure what would happen when the nationwide quarantine was mandated and both parents and their kids found themselves attempting to work from home. What we now realize is that those students and their parents agree on one thing: Virtual learning didn’t work too well. Most moms and dads agree there is a huge problem with distance learning.
Five Changes Schools Plan to Make This Fall
At Growing Leaders, we have the privilege of interacting with lots of school administrators, athletic directors, and department heads. Obviously, with such a strange spring semester behind us, these leaders are planning for a new normal this fall. No one I have spoken with plans for life to go completely back to how it was in 2019. One high school principal put
Life Skills: The Class Some Students Are Asking for
After teaching the art of communication to some high school seniors, I turned them loose to apply what they’d learned. In groups of three, students stood up front to speak on a topic they felt passionate about. One group specifically caught my attention. The group members spoke about how much they wished for a class on life skills. Respectfully, they praised their
Seven Practical Strategies to Talk About Mental Health with Your Kids
Even though mental health issues are on the forefront of our minds today, the topic still carries a stigma for many. Talking about depression can be hard. Trina, a sophomore in college, recently said to me, “We look around us and everyone else seems happy, and we feel we must be the only ones who struggle with mental health problems.” So,
How Schools Can Practice Good Timing This Fall
Did you notice that people experienced an ebb and flow to their emotional state since we were all quarantined in March? I sure you did. At first, we were refreshed, by not having to drive to work or even get dressed up for Zoom meetings. Then, we declined a bit emotionally when we all got nervous about how long this
Survey Says: Teachers and Parents Will Handle the Fall Differently
Here are some icebreaker questions for you: Why have people today felt the need to: Hoard toilet paper at the grocery store? Keep their automobile gas tanks as full as possible? Purchase enough masks to keep their faces covered for a decade? The answer is the same for all the questions: uncertainty.
Helping High School Grads Make a Plan for Next Year
Melanie, an 18-year old high school student, told me recently, “I am a planner, but these days I can’t really plan.” Such is the world for high school upperclassmen, especially seniors. As we leave behind the month of May, the time when schools typically host graduation ceremonies, students either experienced a virtual ceremony or they are having to wait until August.
How to Help a Student Who Just Lost their Senior Year
Members of our team at Growing Leaders went and asked students how they’re handling the quarantine. One group of high school seniors offered the most telling insights on their final year of school: “It’s definitely not how I’ve pictured it all these years. I’m missing my senior track season, probably prom, maybe graduation, and the last couple weeks, I’ve missed school.
Six Ideas for Utilizing Technology to Teach
When I recently spoke to a group of eight students ages 17 to 22, I asked them what the biggest surprise was that they received since returning home to finish the semester online. I got my own surprise from most of them. Their top answer? How little their teacher knew about online learning. Apparently, many faculty members struggled to get up to
How to Embed Social and Emotional Learning During This Critical Time
A teacher called me a few weeks ago to talk about how to manage this stressful time. She was teaching her students online for the first time and attempting to manage her own children who were home all day. It’s quite a workload. When I suggested she find ways to embed social and emotional learning into her virtual classroom time—she hesitated.
Increasing Engagement with Students Who Don’t Fit the Mold
Did you see the movie The Peanut Butter Falcon? It was one of my favorite movies last year. It’s the story of three outliers who didn’t fit into the mold their situation demanded of them. All three were rebels, but one of them, Zak, a 22-year-old with Down syndrome who lived in an assisted living facility in North Carolina, was only a
What Parents May Learn from Teaching Their Own Kids
One of the many viral Facebook posts spreading around the country is a note an eight-year-old boy named Ben wrote about how things were going at home now that his mom has assumed the task of being his teacher during this period of social distancing. To sum it up, Ben’s not so sure his mother is cut out for home-schooling. Young
The Six P’s of an Amazing School Culture
I just finished reviewing my notes on colleges and secondary schools I’ve observed since 2005. The schools are located in Singapore, Canada, England, Germany, Egypt, India, Brazil, Mexico, and the United States. I’ve listed below the “best practices” in those schools. Obviously, a key requirement when applying best practices to organizations or schools is the ability to balance the unique
The Power of “Good” Referrals with Students
I love the story of the 7-year old girl who grabbed her baseball bat, her mitt and a ball and asked her dad if they could go outside and play some baseball. She then followed her request with some clear instructions for him: “I’ll hit the ball, and you say, ‘good job.’” It has been said, “Encouragement is the oxygen of
New Study: Students Who Can Manage Emotions Do Better Academically and In Life
It was a tense moment in the classroom, as two students saw each other’s grades after a mid-term exam. Lamar and Jason had both studied hard, so it was crushing for Lamar to see that he’d gotten 78 percent on his test, and Jason had scored 93 percent. Jason tried to lighten up the tension a bit, by saying, “Well, at
What We Can Learn from the Summerhill School Experiment
Back in 1921, a radical experiment was launched in the United Kingdom. It was a school, if you can call it that, that was so unorthodox, it instantly created debate and controversy. It was called the Summerhill School experiment. Began by Scottish educator, Alexander Sutherland Neill, this school empowers students to choose what they’d like to learn, to experiment, explore and
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
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
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
Are We Talking Too Much in Our Classrooms and Our Families?
Last fall, I observed four high school classrooms in a single day. I saw four teachers offering instruction to four groups of students on four different subjects. After the first class, I made an observation and came up with an anecdotal hypothesis that I decided to test in the next three classrooms. I took my phone out and opened up the
Four Traits of a Self-Care School
The Associated Press recently reviewed, data from more than three dozen public universities and discovered what I’ve suspected for years. The number of students seeking treatment for mental health problems has almost doubled in the past five years, while overall enrollment has stayed about the same. Did you catch that? The students seeking help has nearly doubled. Some educators explain the increase by
Five Questions Every Student Needs You to Answer
A faculty member and university dean just told me one of their best students got expelled from school. They were baffled by a poor decision he made—and said what we’ve all said too many times: “How could such a smart kid do such a stupid thing?” I reminded them it was likely a matter of the heart and had nothing to
Why Colleges Should Not Drift from Their Original Mission
In forty years of teaching and leading university students, I’ve seen the college campus evolve in a tangible way. I love some of what’s happened… but mourn other changes. Many schools that were once incubators of inquiry and critical thinking — willing to debate any and all ideas — have now become places of emotion over intellect. Often, the faculty can
Three Priorities of the 2020 Principal of the Year
Last month, one of the administrators we work with and admire was named the 2020 National Principal of the Year by the National Association of Secondary School Principals. Her name is Kerensa Wing. She has served as principal of Collins Hill High School in Gwinnett County for the last five years but has worked as an educator in Gwinnett County
How Maker Learning Can Transform Your Classroom
Abbey Fleck was just 8 years old when she and her dad were cooking bacon in their microwave oven. It wasn’t until they finished that they noticed they didn’t have any paper towels to lay the bacon onto to soak up the grease. That’s when Abbey got an idea. She asked her dad, “Why don’t we hang the bacon up while it
Changing the Way We Communicate with Generation Z
Did you know that public educators are quitting their jobs at a faster rate than some schools can replace them? As of last year, “public education employees are leaving their jobs faster than ever recorded,” reports government data reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. “Teachers, janitors and other education professionals departed their jobs at an ‘average rate of 83 per 10,000 a month’ in
Three Ingredients That Influence Students to Take Action
Any parent, teacher, or coach has experienced the frustration of attempting to motivate an unmotivated student to act. Don’t forget to apply for that scholarship. Please pick up your clothes in your room. Have you interviewed for any jobs this summer? When are you going to write that paper? Millions of teens are notorious for apathy—and they have been for centuries,
Four Things You Should Watch to Better Understand Generation Z
Today’s blog is from Andrew McPeak. Andrew is a next gen researcher, speaker and the Vice President of Content for Growing Leaders. He is also the co-author of Generation Z Unfiltered: Facing Nine Hidden Challenges of the Most Anxious Population. When I’m on the road and in conversations with leaders of various backgrounds across the country, I find that two perspectives
The State of Today’s Students Around the World
Three years ago, our organization, Growing Leaders, hosted focus groups of international leaders called Global Voices Gatherings. More than 30 leaders of youth organizations and educational institutions from 10 countries (including Singapore, Great Britain, Brazil, Ethiopia, Mexico, Canada, Egypt, South Africa, Italy, and the United States) joined us in Atlanta. Over the course of three days, I was consistently surprised by
The Truth and Myths About Student Learning Styles
Judy Furlich has taught high school students for 18 years. She still considers herself a “young educator” even though she’s older than the millennials. She told me for the first decade of her teaching career, she felt connected to her students. She was able to engage them in classroom discussion and elicit good performance from them. At some point in her
How to Keep Rewards from Backfiring with Students
Fourteen thousand students in California were surveyed recently. Each of their schools had given out awards to students for school attendance. The goal, of course, was to highlight the importance of showing up every day. What researchers discovered, in retrospect, was enlightening. Many of the students who received the award, started attending school less often. In other words, the reward did not
The One Question You Never Want to Hear from Students
Parents tell me that their kids are asking them far fewer questions than they used to ask their parents when they were growing up. There’s nothing scientific about this observation, but I tend to believe them. Why? Because kids today have a portable device. They can Google. They can YouTube. I loved the questions my kids asked me as they grew up. I’m
Why the Government is Investing in Social and Emotional Learning
I recently read a report that congress passed legislation this summer for landmark spending on social and emotional learning for American students. It represents $260 million in what congress calls the Whole Child Initiative. This means our federal government believes it needs to spend money on kids beyond the education of reading, writing and arithmetic alone. This is amazing. In an era
Three Leaders Who Made a Difference for Generation Z
Jacob and Alexa are both sophomores in college. They’re like millions of other 19-year-olds in the U.S. They’re savvy to what’s happening in culture. They are smart and make good grades, and they plan to, one day, own their own company. Unlike millennials, however, Jacob and Alexa don’t feel they need to finish college to begin a start-up. They are both from
Three Ways to Help Students Choose the Right Major
If you asked the average high school student from Generation Z about their plans after graduation, they’d likely say: I plan to go to college, then start my own company. However, if you could fast forward to see what actually happens, it’ll likely be: I changed my major a few times. I transferred to a different college. I did not
10 Tips for Handling Difficult Conversations Between Teachers & Parents
It’s September and already, I’ve heard from a teacher who was ambushed by an upset parent in a hallway after school. Students and faculty were all around when an argument surfaced that failed to reach any resolution and, in fact, only built walls between the teacher and parent. All they accomplished was venting. Most of the time, both teachers and parents