People tell me CONSTANTLY that they believe in SEL, just don’t have time for another program or curricular initiative. Most teachers aren’t skipping SEL because they don’t value it, but the day is already packed....
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There is a phrase I come back to often when teachers feel stuck with behavior that feels relentless, attention seeking, or exhausting to manage: unconditional attention. This idea is simple, but it is uncomfortable if...
Read MoreThis post contains affiliate links. Most teachers already believe emotions matter – you probably don’t need a training to convince you of that. You see it every day in the way a rough morning...
Read MoreHere’s the thing about the Winter Games: kids are already curious, adults are already half-watching, and the sports are… kind of weird in the best way. Luge? Biathlon? Mountaineer skiing? Most of us couldn’t explain...
Read MoreI no longer talk about Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) the same way I used to. And honestly? I am behind the times. This shift didn’t come from being “soft,” trendy, or anti-accountability. It came from...
Read MoreThe post “Using MagnaTiles in the Classroom” includes affiliate links. Weirdly enough, MagnaTiles are not a toy in my classroom brain. They’re a classroom tool that just happens to look like fun. Which is honestly...
Read MoreLet me guess: you absolutely love teaching, but feel oddly disconnected from it at the same time. Yep, you’re not broken. And if the idea of adding one more strategy, meeting, or initiative makes your...
Read MoreThis post contains affiliate links. I recently shared a blog post about how to teach brain science to kids, because social emotional learning sticks best when kids understand what is happening inside their brains. Once...
Read MoreIf you have ever tried to explain brain science to kids, you already know the look. The wide eyes. The slow blink. Kids are curious about why they feel big feelings or why their bodies...
Read MoreWe have all heard the quip that kids are “so resilient.” Usually this is said in a meeting right after you’ve watched a student go through something genuinely hard. And while kids are wired for...
Read MoreUnfortunately, I am certain that you know that perspective taking is a skill that does not magically appear just because a child can recite the classroom rules. Thaaaat would be too simple. Some kids are...
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