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I often hear from parents who want to talk with me about “a student” in their child’s class. You know the student; he has a colorful vocabulary, is an independent and divergent thinker, and at times can be very physical in expressing his emotions. The parent is concerned about how the needs of the entire class suffer due to the needs of this one student. I have dealt with this issue on every...

Do you present on mindfulness? SEL? resiliency? self-regulation? grit? empathy? These are common questions I have been asked over the years. And my answer is usually the same, “Yes. No. Well, it depends.” Although I might not tackle the topic directly, I do address the underlying concern. If you have been in education long enough, you know the buzzwords change, but the issues remain...

Today I am thankful for hesitation. When we hesitate, we afford ourselves time to think, reflect, and respond to situations rather than react. This week, hesitation helped me from getting into a power struggle, and ultimately damaging a relationship. After two days of working with a great group in Pennsylvania, I returned home quite late, and discovered Micah had not gotten home yet. Being...

Harvey made quite a splash in our area this weekend. And his impact will be felt for some time to come. Did I mention I’m a hurricane geek? Glued to the Weather Channel? Yes, I want to be Jim Cantore when I grow up. Of course, having been raised in South Louisiana, I’ve witnessed many a hurricane. And once again, be it Katrina, Ike or Harvey, I’m reminded how individual responses to...

Ever find yourself surrounded by people who are tired, hungry and a little grumpy? This seemed to be the emotional climate in the airport on my last trip. I was in a sea of individuals all shuffling through the line waiting for our bags to pass through security. Things were moving slowly, with several individuals having difficulty understanding the directions of the lady doing the...

“Dad, can we stop by Old Navy? I need some nice clothes.” This might seem like a normal request to some, but not for my second born son, who, according to our neighbors, regularly sat on our roof last year watching cars go by in a giraffe onesie. No – appearances have never held much weight for him. But lately, he seems to care a bit more about what he wears… and how he acts… and...

Hefty! Hefty! Hefty! Wimpy! Wimpy! Wimpy! It’s a 1984 TV commercial reference, but it conjures up a nice visual for the blog. Of course, the tag line refers to the strength of garbage bags. Do they hold in the trash or break open leaving a big ugly mess? What a great question. As I get older, I realize how important it is to pause and think before speaking. Inhibiting our words can be quite...

Stop the bus. I want to get off. Every have that discombobulating sense when you are bouncing from one thing to another? Welcome to my summer. Please understand – I’m not complaining. I have been beyond blessed to have a lot of work, travel a great deal, and spend great time with family and friends. However, I need some routine back in my life. Yes, I want a break from my break. This...

School’s out for summer. (Woo hoo!) “Step away”, I always say. Now is the time for educators to step away from school, paperwork, students, and administrative duties that often overwhelm and consume. Summer affords us the opportunity to take a break and gain perspective.   Disconnect – it is a beautiful thing. Of course, the “yin” of disconnecting comes with the “yang” of reconnecting. The...

Did you know the brain remembers beginnings and endings? The start and end of something capitalizes on novelty, which the brain attends to and better retains. If you have yet to finish the school year, you may want to use this tidbit to your teaching advantage. When I was at the store yesterday, I passed by a frantic teacher looking for small gifts to give her students. I assume it was...