Blog

The Base of the Learning Pyramid

Posted: November 18, 2020

As coronavirus cases continue to spike and we inch closer to a holiday season we may not be able to spend with our loved ones, I worry about how students are experiencing this pandemic and whether they were taught the skills they need to process and manage these difficult times. We know they are learning how to solve complex math problems and how to read and to write as a regular part of their school day, but what about coping strategies and stress management? What about the ability to persevere and pursue meaningful goals despite the hardships this year has thrown at us? It is more important than ever for our youth to learn these skills, making the need for required daily life skills instruction a must.

Read More

What I Wish I Had Been Taught In School

Posted: October 27, 2020

When I reflect on elementary, middle, and high school, I remember that my teachers spent a large portion of time preparing us for the standardized state exams. While it’s important to do well on these tests to move on to the next grade, it is also crucial to remember the additional skills that students need to learn.

Read More

Future You Will Thank You

Posted: September 15, 2020

One of the biggest things your students can do to help pave a path to success is to set goals. Not only is it rewarding to accomplish a goal, but it also just feels good to be able to look back and see how much we grew during that time.

Read More

The Butterfly Effect

Posted: August 19, 2020

It may be difficult to appreciate how much of a difference good deeds and a life skills education make in individual lives, communities, and our world at large. Those of us familiar with science fiction or philosophy have likely heard of the concept known as “the butterfly effect.” The idea behind the butterfly effect is that even something as seemingly insignificant as the beating of a butterfly’s wings affects events going into the future.  A different way of thinking about this concept is that everything affects everything else. All actions and moments matter.

Read More

"IF"

Posted: August 4, 2020

When I was 13 years old, my mother gave me a small book containing one of her favorite poems, “IF” by Rudyard Kipling. At the end of the poem were the words “man” and “son” – she crossed them out and wrote “woman” and “daughter.” My mother told me to read the poem often and try to live by its words. Almost 40 years later, as she was dying, my mother asked me to give copies of “IF” to all of her grandchildren. I did.

Read More

Featured Posts