Author: 4ckn8

“Have these people lost their minds?” It’s a question I’ve asked myself on several occasions this week. Novelty escalates behavior – and with our norms being tossed out the window, everyone seems to be scrambling to find stable ground. But sometimes a hint of calm can surface in a sea of crazy.   Yesterday it was cold and rainy – which I normally love – but given the weather,...

Today marks the Ides of March – so, beware. How fitting this is. You might recall in the play Julius Caesar, a soothsayer warned of impending doom and gloom. Okay, I’ll admit. Caesar got stabbed roughly 23 times, so in that instance, pushing the panic button was appropriate. However, given our current health crisis, I offer a different warning.   I was scheduled to present in Ohio...

“Welcome back, brother.” These were the words that greeted me as I was reacquainting myself with the city of Edmonton, in Alberta, Canada. I had just told the Uber driver it was my third time visiting. The friendly greetings did not stop there.   On several occasions throughout my stay, individuals offered a smiling face and kind words. What caught my attention, however, was the number...

Behavior change takes time – and sometimes the process moves along so slowly that we can’t even see it when it is occurring right before our eyes. Add to this the fact that the changes are often more evident in our internal mindsets than our outward behaviors and it is understandable why teachers often get frustrated with the seemingly lack of progress some students make. This past week I had...

I work with students regularly on the concept of cognitive restructuring. Students repeat the mantra, “”I can train my brain”.” We talk about how powerful the brain is and how important intentional thoughts are in the process of strengthening behavior. Funny – as much as the brain can help, it can also be the main source of our problems. Human brains worry, overthink, and...

Behavior mainly occurs in a relationship.  That’s the first of my nine Positive Behavior Principles.  You want to change someone’s behavior?  Strengthen the relationship.  When we connect with others we take into consideration their feelings when we make choices.  Today, as I watch the Superbowl, I do so knowing that one of my choices has been influenced by my connection with others. Though at...

Little things mean a lot – things like giving a purposeful and genuine smile or look of concern, noticing differences, remembering small details, or simply acknowledging someone by name.  Actually, these things might be “little” when given to others, but as I discovered this week, they are really big things when one is the recipient of them.  Last Sunday I headed out from the Port of...

If we want to build students’ internal self-worth and help them get into the habit of evaluating their own choices, we might want to rethink the way in which we provide feedback. Just as I don’t want students making good choices out of fear of punishment, I also don’t want them doing the right thing out of an expectation of being praised. Though well intentioned, I believe we are too...

I believe too often we underestimate the power of our presence.  This weekend I was reminded that just as a person can get a feel for the climate of a room by walking into it, so too can one change the climate by doing the same.  I spent the last two days at the California Kindergarten Conference in Santa Clara with about 800 educators from around the state and beyond.  There was an...

And, we’re off. For many teachers tomorrow kicks off the second half of the school year. I find we usually get about a 24-hour reprieve before students come out of their vacation stupor and kick into full “game on” mode. I hope you enjoyed your break as much as I did and are ready for the adventure. As you head back I encourage you to put on your team jersey and not go at it alone. We know...