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....
Read MoreThere 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 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 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 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...
Read MoreHere is the honest truth about “self-regulation.” Children do not flip an internal switch and suddenly calm down because we told them to (unfortunately – ha). In early and middle childhood, regulation develops through co-regulation,...
Read MoreIf you’ve ever sat in a PD session about motivation or behavior, you’ve probably seen the pyramid. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is everywhere! The color-coded layers stacked neatly from “basic needs” at the bottom to...
Read MoreSomething powerful happens when play shows up in a classroom. The mood shifts. Students relax, start talking, and connect in ways that don’t always happen during a typical lesson. When we lead with curiosity and...
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