“He doesn’t play well with others.” This was the phrase I overheard a teacher utter to a colleague in a workshop this week. Though she was referring to one of her new students, with the residual effects of the pandemic still lingering, I’m guessing most teachers are seeing this concern with many of their students. I understand this problem, personally. I was socially awkward had horrible...

Ever hear a song and find yourself transported back to prom or some other significant event in your life?  Yep.  That’s an emotional memory, which is a strong force in the brain.  Although some cognitive information fades, emotional footprints stick with us long after events have passed. Earlier this week I found myself in the Atlanta airport with several hours to kill, so on a whim I stopped...

If you’ve ever tried to change your behavior, you know it’s not easy. This is especially the case if you have several behaviors on which to work.  The same is true for your students.  Now that school has been in session awhile, it is a good time to work with your students on setting behavioral goals. Consider meeting individually with students and having each of them target one goal on which...

Hold that thought – three simple words; one underutilized strategy.  So often, in an attempt to prove a point, I make things worse by talking. I come by it naturally. My mother once told me, “Dan, God wouldn’t put people in the elevator with you unless he wanted you to talk to them.” The problem is that words have the power to bring out poor behavior in others. Several times this week I...

Cognitive Restructuring – Ever heard of it?  In simple terms, it’s a concept designed to help individuals recognize and understand their thought patterns, and accordingly, adapt them in positive ways.  Throughout my career I regularly worked with students on this concept.  We talked about how powerful the brain is and how important intentional thoughts are to our well-being.  Funny, as...

How’s the quality of your CCQ?    Have you noticed that when you walk into a room of people, you get an immediate feel for the emotional climate of your surroundings? And that the emotional climate directly impacts your behavior in that environment? Teachers, take heed. This small nugget of information has huge implications in the school setting. As students enter classrooms towards the...

Did you know anger is referred to as a secondary emotion?  It is usually triggered by other emotions, like fear or frustration.  Anger is part of our survival makeup, protecting and shielding us from other vulnerable feelings.  I have encoded this small piece of information into my long-term cognitive and emotional memory to help me deal with some fairly volatile situations – at times with...

Ever find yourself surrounded by tired, frustrated and grumpy people?  Welcome to the airport, folks. I was in a sea of individuals shuffling through the line waiting for the bags to pass through security.  Things were moving slowly, with several individuals having difficulty understanding the directions of the officer doing the screenings.  Continually having to re-run bags and stop...

With teachers and students heading back to school, it’s a great time to examine the double-edge sword of a habit.  The good news is that for students who have had positive experiences and interactions with past teachers and peers, they will most likely enter classrooms ready to develop healthy relationships accordingly.  Having experienced safety and belonging, they anticipate it, and...

One of the best ways to deter negative behaviors is to give students responsibilities.  Many teachers have classroom jobs, but I recommend taking this idea to a new level this school year.  How about having students go through an interview process?  Post a bulletin board outside your class with typed out job descriptions, and the caption, Wanted: Successful Students – Inquire Within.  Explain...