Teacher Talk
Teachers’ Transformative Work: Building a Supportive Community in the Classroom
On the night of July 12th, 2011, climber Dean Potter scaled Cathedral Peak in Yosemite National Park. Untethered, he then walked across a highline spanning two points at an elevation of 10,911 feet. Backlit by the rising full moon, Potter’s amazing 'Moonwalk' was...
The Role of Mindfulness in Enhancing Academic Performance
Have you ever tossed a stone into a still pond? The stillness is rumpled. The tranquility is broken. Human awareness is like this, too; it doesn't take much to shatter our attention. Whether it is a car horn, phone notification, doorbell, TikTok dance, or a clever...
Making Room for Empathy: Using Pro-Active Affective Questions and Statements to Support Trauma-Impacted Children
Two first-graders sit listening to a math lesson. One of the boys, Miles, is rapidly wiggling his legs, causing the boys’ desks to bump repeatedly against each other. When Jake, the boy next to him, nudges Miles to stop, Miles flares up and angrily shoves Jake to...
Navigating the School Year: A Teacher’s Guide to Mental Wellness
Use Caution: High-Speed School Year In Progress We blinked and it’s November. With the school year racing along and the holiday season quickly approaching, you might find yourself caught up in a whirlwind of activities and responsibilities. Remember it’s important to...
Leveraging the Power of “Friendtoring” in Education
Dr. Erika James challenged entering freshmen of The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania with these words this fall, including an unusual academic goal: intentionally find and become “friendtors:” friends who bring out the highest and best in each other as...
Navigating Back-to-School Stress: A Guide for Teachers
For most schools in the U.S., the first day of the new school year is just days away. No matter how much teachers may rest and prepare in advance, that first day feels something like a polar bear plunge into icy waters: jolting, exciting, numbing, and perhaps a little...
Teaching EQ to Our Youth: Why Emotional Intelligence Matters Now More Than Ever
“When you’re drowning in loneliness and your emotions get the best of you, everyone seems so far away…I needed a life raft. The reason I couldn’t handle these emotions was because I did not have high emotional intelligence.” These are the words of Maximilian...
Revitalizing School Environments: Creating Spaces Where Students Thrive
The Transformative Power of School Surroundings A recent TLC blog post explored the impact of strategically using a school’s physical surroundings to create an environment where students can thrive. In the article, former principal and "educational disruptor" Hamish...
Shaping Schools, Shaping Lives: Transformation Through Environment
The Power of Physical Environments "We shape our buildings, thereafter they shape us," asserted Sir Winston Churchill. Andrew L. Ross, Gary Grenier, and Frank Kros, transformational education experts, echo this sentiment in their book, Creating The Upside Down...
Summer of Self-Development: Creative Ideas for Teachers to Explore Personal Learning and Discovery
Summer is just around the corner, and as your classes wind down, it's the perfect time to seize the opportunity to develop yourself. If you're not required to focus on the technical aspects of professional development, summer may be a fantastic chance for you to learn...