The Most Important Responsibilities Every Student Needs to Own
Jalen is 17 years old and in his junior year of high school. Like many teens his age, he’s preoccupied with making good grades, taking the SAT and getting into a good college. When I asked him about other concerns normally on the minds of teens like him—he balked. Me: When did you get your driver’s license? Jalen: I don’t drive. I
How to Help Generation Z Break Free from the All-or-Nothing Mindset
Have you noticed what’s happening around our country? Psychologists call it all-or-nothing thinking. It’s when a person assumes: My life is either awesome or it’s terrible. My job is either fantastic or it’s disgusting. I am either beautiful or I am ugly. My classmates are either smart or they’re stupid. I am successful or I’m worthless. This year, we see it
Three Ways to Know If Your Kid Is Dealing with Loneliness
When both of my kids were young, they had no problem expressing what they wanted or needed. My wife and I would’ve sworn they were both extroverts, as they (like millions of other Millennials) let us know if they were hungry, thirsty, in need of a toy, or desiring a friend. Then they became high school students and later, college students. Eventually,
What Message are We Sending to Generation Z?
Note: Today's post is available for you to either watch as a vlog or read as a blog post below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKpI1sLoNs0 An NPR online report stunned me recently. I didn’t know whether to chuckle or to mourn our “snowflake generation.” And it’s not the kids—it’s the adults. Along with hand sanitizer and other disinfectants, toilet tissue has been increasingly hard to find at local markets,
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
How the Coronavirus Could Affect Generation Z
Every time period in history is shaped by the significant events that occur during that season. Each generation is marked by shared experiences, music, heroes, villains, tragedies, TV shows and economies. Let’s walk down memory lane: My parents grew up during the Great Depression and brought a “waste not, want not” mindset with them clear into the 21st century. Both
Changing the Way We Advocate for Students
Do you know parents or teachers who are so tired of bickering with their teens that they: Make a separate dinner for their children because they are a picky eater? Offer the answers to the test because it’s easier than insisting they study? Allow them to play video games all day, even when it becomes addictive? While moms and dads have
How to Encourage Healthy Vulnerability in the Most Private Generation
I spoke to a college freshman who is among a growing number of students who are getting off of social media. Yes—you read that correctly. She’s done with it. When I asked her reasons why, she confided in me, “I’m just tired of getting requests from people I don’t even know. I guess I am getting more…” She paused, then
Five Steps to Lead Students Wisely During the Coronavirus Pandemic
What most of us assumed would go away in a matter of days in China, has become a global pandemic, according to the World Health Organization. The Coronavirus is now headline news on every major network and on social media feeds everywhere. We can’t escape it. Sarah Sparks, reporter and data journalist for Education Week, writes: “Epidemiologists measure how contagious a disease is
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
What Employers Should Expect from Generation Z: Vocation Rotation
My head was spinning after talking to Zoe, a 21-year-old who’s quite ambitious. She is taking college courses, has a job on campus, as well as two-side hustles, one as an Uber driver and the other, an app-based non-profit leader Zoe started herself to launch her career. She has some “gigs” going and feels very empowered. This is what’s trending in the
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
Five Ways to Help Students Cure a Culture of Rudeness
A video sparked an online debate recently. In case, you didn’t see it, Wendi Williams, a passenger on an American Airlines flight from New Orleans to Charlotte, decided to recline her seat to rest after the food was served. When she did, she got a rude awakening. The passenger behind her immediately chose to display his displeasure with her decision by punching
Three Ways Generation Z is Breaking from Older Generations
Kids who’ve grown up in the 21st century have a different childhood and adolescent experience than previous generations, including the Millennials. Generation Z has grown up with: The Internet Smart technology Frequent mass shooting Terrorism Social media A polarized adult population Inspired by my friend, researcher, and educator, Corey Seemiller, author of the book Generation Z: A Century in the Making,
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
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.
