On average, students spend about 1/4 of their waking hours in school, which means what they do in class greatly impacts their overall health. Traditionally, schools mainly focus on students’ academic achievement. However, many schools are seeing academic, social, and emotional benefits when students adopt a growth mindset and there is a focus on student…
“American children are starting 2022 in a crisis,” New York Times reporter David Leonhardt said. His article, No Way to Grow Up, pub. Jan. 4, 2022, gives a heartbreaking summary of how pandemic restrictions’ have hurt children in the U.S. The devastating facts he reported are enough to make you sick. “I have long been…
In this digital age, schools are seeing more behavioral problems due to bad social media influence. Violent ‘Devious Licks’ TikTok school challenges are the biggest concern, with many superintendents across the nation saying they cause harm to employees and facilities and take away valuable classroom time. Here are some preventative measures you can take against…
As a school administrator, it’s not always easy to have a growth mindset about your work. The combination of external expectations, an overwhelming list of needs, and a shortage of energy and time all threaten to topple you over. However, recognizing milestones and setting small goals can help you see the progress along the path…
When you hear social-emotional learning (SEL), you may think of helping students overcome depression and anxiety and improving classroom behavior. But did you know SEL can also prepare students to change the world through civic engagement? Educators and researchers affirmed the power of SEL in civic engagement education at the 2021 SEL Exchange Virtual Summit.…
An inclusive classroom environment means every child, no matter what their individual needs or barriers to learning, has equal access to high-quality education and opportunities to succeed. It is about creating an environment that works for all students, whether English is their first language, or they come from a minority group, or their socio-economic status.…
Anyone who has played a game of telephone knows effective communication is crucial to an organization’s success. According to a study by Economic Intelligence Unit, poor communication resulted in: added stress (52% of the cases) failure to complete projects (44% of the cases) low staff morale – (31% of the cases) barrier to innovation (20%…
“Inquiry is training for life,” Dr. John Lee explained at the 2021 Studies Weekly Educator Summit in October. Lee continued with a quote from John Dewey in his 1916 book, Democracy and Education. “No thought, no idea, can possibly be conveyed as an idea from one person to another. When it is told, it is,…
What do students need to excel in school? Your first thoughts may be intelligence, knowledge, or a good work ethic. But what about their ability to work well with others or control their emotions? Students achieve academic success and have better mental health when they develop interpersonal and self-management skills through social-emotional learning (SEL). The…
“Never kid a kid who hasn’t had his recess.” – T.J. Detweiler, Recess cartoon Do students really need recess, or is it better to give them more class time? It’s a question educators, parents, and school boards discuss frequently. With all the standards and testing requirements students need to meet, some feel it would be…