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...

Have I mentioned how much I love spring?  January and February are busy months for work, so I’m excited when March arrives and I can spend time in our yard – which I did yesterday.  And I’m happy to report that after 12 hours of scrubbing and power washing, our hardscapes are clean. Power washing is a very cathartic activity.  Have you ever tried it?  It’s amazing.  Just point and shoot, and...

And with a final fanfare this evening, the flame will be extinguished and another Olympic adventure will come to an end.  I’ll admit it – I’m captivated by the pageantry, pride, thrill of victory, and yes, agony of defeat of the games.  My heart skipped a beat on several occasions when competitors had unfortunate falls.  Teammates and rivals, for a brief moment, forgot about allegiances...

Having worked at an early childhood center for 18 years before retiring, I discovered a predictable pattern regarding former kindergarten students and the memories they had of me once they moved to a new school. First graders easily remembered me from the year prior; second graders looked at me and knew they knew me but couldn’t always connect the dots; and once kids got to third grade, the...

Sometimes, despite our best efforts, unplanned obstacles are thrown our way and we must deal with them. Since I’m a person who loves to plan, this drives me crazy. I don’t mind impromptu challenges – as long as they are mapped out on the calendar and I can see them coming.   Sadly, this was not the case last weekend when Covid caught up with me. Unexpectedly, I had to rework my schedule...

This week I was reminded that behaviors are triggered by feelings. Excitement, frustration, stress, euphoria, overload and exhaustion represent some of the emotional states I encountered. Presentations cancelled due to Covid, (sorry, Kearney Nebraska) flight changes, recordings, deadlines, new puppy fun, changes in the weather, paperwork – my cup runneth over. Sadly, I’m not alone. For...