Blog

Working in the school system, I often hear children being asked, “Don’t you know any better?” or “Why didn’t you make a better choice?” These questions are usually met with a confused expression. Then these children look at the ceiling or the floor, searching for a response that won’t get them deeper into trouble. The truth is that there are a lot of children who don’t know better. They have often made the best choice they could, given the information, skills, and resources the …

After a long and grueling school year, many teachers enter the summer feeling as if they have poured every bit of their soul into their students, only to enter their summer vacation feeling defeated and exhausted. Typically, I spend the first two weeks of summer sleeping in as late as possible and just getting back to ground zero. I find this two-week period is essential to the productivity of the rest of my summer. After I have caught back up on sleep and not thought about the classroom fo …

H-E-L-P. Four simple letters, yet one of the most difficult words in the English language to say.  From a young age, children are told to “shake it off”, “let it go”, or “get over it”, when they experience minor physical or emotional pain. These messages can come from parents, teachers, coaches, siblings and friends. But what do these messages really teach our children? Do they model compassion? Do they make them feel valued? Do they help them feel supported, safe and protect …

Excerpts taken from full article originally featured in Teach Magazine. Consider this: You are driving in traffic, it starts raining, and you can barely see in front of you. Your music is blasting so you turn it down to focus on driving. Your brain can only process so much sensory input at a time. In this scenario, your visual and auditory sensory systems are overloaded so you eliminate one (auditory) to focus on the other. This is what it is like for someone with autism who has diffi …

Two kids + 1 bottle of bubbles = BIG problem! Sound familiar?I watched from across the driveway as my granddaughters went at it! My first instinct was to go into the house and pull out another bottle of the bubbles that was stashed in the closet, then both girls could each have their own. Boy, am I glad I didn’t do that! A few minutes later, my son stepped in… “Hey girls, that’s enough. I think this bottle of bubbles wants both of you to have a turn. Let’s compromise and flip a co …

If you are in the field of Education, there’s no doubt you have heard the term Social and Emotional Learning (SEL). As a social scientist who has always been fascinated with people, cultures and emotions; the fact that this topic is trending in education excites me! But I also find myself imagining what my grandpa might have said if I tried to explain the importance of SEL to him. It would probably be something like, “Why do kids need to learn all that touchy feely stuff in school, w …

When children are young, we teach by showing. We show them what money looks like when we count it. We take more abstract concepts, like addition and subtraction, and physically show them how it looks to add one apple to a group of three or subtract two blocks from a group of five. Basic counting eventually turns into algebra, trigonometry, or calculus. So, too, goes the teaching of social skills or positive character traits like being kind to others. We start simply by showing them, a …

The feeling of accomplishment is something most people cherish. You did it! You got all the laundry put away! You organized your office! You worked out! You slept eight hours last night! You feel great! And, then, somehow it fades away. You have more laundry to wash and put away. Your office looks cluttered and you can’t find that paper you need. You’ve gone days in a row without exercising. You stayed up too late last night and you’re tired. What happened? Why didn’t the feeling of accomplis …

Certain social situations can be tricky. Working collaboratively with people who don't share the same opinion as you, telling the truth in a kind way, calming down in the face of frustration, and meeting new people are all scenarios that can challenge even the most socially adept adults. For kids, experiencing social situations like these for the first time can range anywhere from intimidating to impossible.The Boys Town Press titles for Spring 2020 are designed to tackle a number of these stick …

As the holidays approach, people often take a moment to reflect on the year and give thanks for the blessings they have received. Whether it’s going around the Thanksgiving table to say one thing you are thankful for or assisting your kids with a gratitude-themed assignment, gratitude seems to be on everyone’s brain. But gratitude can be more than just an exercise during the holiday season. Many people believe cultivating an attitude of gratitude is a valuable life skill that can hel …