When our students were little, they had a fairly easy time being themselves. By late elementary school, groups started to form such as the popular kids, the athletic kids, the kids who sat alone, the rich kids, the bullies, the smart kids, etc, and they wondered, where did they fit in? Some of them started […]
How to Navigate Disappointment
So much is not happening right now! Events that were coming soon have been released into an unknown future and some are gone forever. It’s the stuff of great disappointment. We are collectively mourning. And that’s the way it is. For now. It will pass. But until it does pass, here’s what we can do […]
4 Techniques to Make the Pandemic an Exercise in Personal Growth
Almost everything stopped and we all fell off the roller coaster that was our lives this year. We didn’t ask for this, but now we get to peek behind the curtain and see ourselves more clearly (perhaps too clearly at times) without the rushing around and the usual distractions. As I’m sure you know, our […]
The Key to Combating Hate in Today’s Divided World
When I was a little girl, I had a recurring daydream: The earth was inhabited by joyous, peaceful people. We sang and danced and lifted each other up as we celebrated life. Love was ALWAYS in the air. I wanted my daydream to be real so badly. But instead of finding this imagined utopia, I […]
3 Ways to Foster Family Emotional Health During This Pandemic
My thoughts raced as I made my to-do list. Stock up on medications, check food supplies, cancel almost everything. When I have a task or project to do, I’m on it. In normal times, I go about my life in a basically balanced way. These are not normal times. I slowly but surely lost my […]
From Awfulizing to Imperfectly Awesome
Many of our students react to uncomfortable situations by turning them into catastrophes. It’s easy for teachers to dismiss this as drama on their part. In a way, it is. And it also isn’t. It’s a “socially acceptable” pattern they’ve adopted to avoid uncomfortable feelings. Their story expands and gathers momentum as it’s shared with […]
How to Use Improv to Teach Students Mindfulness
Want your students to be more mindful and present? Try some improv! The brain is very efficient. Our students learn to pay attention to what’s necessary. They notice the steps ahead, the moving cars in the parking lot, the people in their way. They learn the patterns and the important signals that the people around […]
How to Prevent Your Students From Spiraling
When our students struggle with self worth and resilience, any setback can become a downward spiral. An incident that doesn’t go their way becomes the truth of their lives. If a friend can’t come over, that generalizes into, “No one likes me” or “I can never count on friends.” Wow. That’s a heavy thought to […]
How to Teach Students Empathy
Empathy can be taught. The opportunity to imagine what life is like for someone facing difficult challenges, activates the compassion response. By conjuring up the image of someone your students already care about and basking in the feeling of that glow, your students can then be encouraged to share that sentiment with people who are […]
The Magic of Conversation Circles
Circles promote belonging. They have no beginning and no end. Everyone is visible. No one has their back to you. Everyone can be seen. You belong to the circle community. You can voice your truth or be silent. Being seen and belonging to the group are the two things our students really want. So how […]