As another school year ends, now is a great time for educators to celebrate successes.  However, the problem with doing so is that we don’t always see the results of our labor right away.  Oftentimes our efforts are laying a foundation or simply adding to the work of other teachers.  And since our end goal is to develop healthy, well-adjusted, educated kiddos who can transition into adulthood...

Teachers, the winds of change are blowing, ushering in summer and all manner of crazy and challenging behaviors. Though our students might not be able to articulate it in words, they sense the upcoming changes and are reacting as expected. Routines help ground us. When we get in the habit of doing things a certain way our brains can predict and anticipate what’s coming. This helps us feel safe...

The day a teacher becomes a mom she is forever changed. Because from this point forward she can’t help but see her own students through the eyes of both parent and teacher. This does not mean she accepts things like poor behavior or disorganization, but by having a dual perspective she automatically approaches and responds to these types of situations differently. Moms want teachers to see the...

Do you know any odd birds? Individuals in your life who you love, even though some of their behaviors can be unique and challenging? Or are you like me, the person who at times can relate to being that odd bird? Either way, there are lessons to be learned from this. I’ve spent the last week with family and friends on our annual beach vacation in Galveston, Texas. We started this tradition over...

It’s crunch time in schools right now, as many educators wait on results from their standardized tests. This got me to thinking; I find it fascinating and disturbing how much emphasis we place on paper/pencil evaluations in the school system when most job-related assessments are performance-based. I was one of those students for whom this misplaced emphasis caused huge challenges. I never...

Teachers, don’t feed the beast called drama.  In the spring semester it’s easy to be overtaken by the emotional climate of the school. Everyone is “on edge” and this can bring out the worst behaviors in even the calmest of individuals. The problem is that survival emotions bring out the survival emotions in others. And this type of negative energy can “suck the marrow right out of the bone”...

Around this time of year, it is important to remember that misbehavior in the classroom can be a sign that kids’ brains are on overload.  I have a Far Side cartoon that speaks to this issue. A student raises his hand and asks the teacher, “Mrs. Osborne, may I be excused? My brain is full.”   Teachers have a very difficult job.  Expectations are high, schedules are tight, and there will always...

Have you known students who didn’t do well in school, but turned out fine when they left the education system?  That would have described me when I was younger.  I really struggled – as evidenced by my report cards.  I’d post one, but it would be ugly.  In school I felt disabled.  A mere 14 months separates me from my youngest sister, who thrived in the school setting.  She picked up...

Did you know that most of the behavior strategies you use with kids also work with adults?  Behavior is behavior – and whether a person is five or fifty-five, I believe we all do the best we are able given the skills at our disposal.  So whichever side of Spring Break you are on, remember… Use fewer words when working with individuals who are upset.  In times of high stress words often...

Behavior is fascinating.  Just when I think I’ve figured things out, I either learn something new or remember something I’ve forgotten.  This week, it was the latter.  And in the process, I was also reminded about some basic universal principles on shaping behavior. On Tuesday we celebrated an educational milestone for the youngest member of our family.  LaRoux, our newest pet, graduated from...