It was one of my most depressing moments ever as a teacher. I’m in front of the room, my mouth was moving, but every student was frozen as if their brain was on screen saver. Maybe you also have memories of sharing content with your class, but your students just stare back at you. Glazed eyes, nothing’s happening, they are zoned out. This has happened to the best of us, at least once. I will give ...
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A very long time ago, I searched wide and far for role models. I just plain needed someone to believe in. At one point, I heard my role model say, “The quality of your questions will become the quality of your life.” I was, of course, a bit immature, full of myself, and definitely younger back then. I said to myself, “Yeah, sure. Sounds like a lot of Philosophy 101. I’ll pass on it.” Little did I ...
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What is your morning routine? Why does it matter? For some, the morning routine begins with hitting the snooze button for an extra 10 minutes of sleep. For others, it begins a predictable roller coaster with a high-stress march and ending with a run out the front door. If your morning routine is a bit sketchy, you’ll be delighted to learn you have more to do with how your day turns out than you pr...
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Have you or your students changed over time? It sure is tempting to say ‘yes.’ We hear about more kids staying indoors, fewer two-parent households, and more screen time. Today, our kids grow up with fridges, cell phones, microwaves, Netflix, and maybe a car. Have we just all gotten soft and lazy? Is teaching grit to our students a lost art? Interested in how to foster a stronger mental toughness ...
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Catching Your Students Up? That sounds like a line out of a comedy routine or science fiction! After all, not long ago, educators (just like you) believed IQ was fixed. They said, “You either got it or you don’t.” Times have changed, so it’s time for an update. Today we say, “Either you are a lifelong learner, or unfortunately, you’re just getting older.” Interested in teaching strategies that can...
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The correct answer for you is… it depends. Every teacher, student, school, and community is different. So let’s re-introduce you to your “Top 5 Brain-based Paths” this month. These are what your students need most (you may already be engaging several of these options). But it’s the one you’re missing that will matter the most. Background Here is this month’s insight. The human brain can put up wit...
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It’s time for our summer BrighterBrain® health issue. It’s likely you get more than your share of advice about health; friends, family, and the internet all have their opinions. But what if there was just one thing for you to pay attention to and manage from now on… Interested? If so, this issue is for you. Background In this post, we will discuss inflammation. Unless you lock in on this issue and...
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We have all had the experience of sensing when we were wrong about something. Maybe it’s our conscience speaking; but often we just let it go. Time heals all wounds. Others will figure it out. Right? But what if we are wrong twice? Wrong to hide the mistake and wrong to assume it will go away? Life happens pretty fast; let’s learn how to deal with mistakes and apologies a bit better. A more joyful...
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How well do you remember the student who threw tantrums every day in your classroom? What will you remember about the pandemic of 2020 (wearing masks, social distancing, scrambling to get distance learning going)? Will you remember it as an awful, wasted year of your life? Maybe you’d like to have uplifting memories in your life instead of unhappy ones. Keep reading… it may be easier than you thin...
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Having the ‘voice’ in your head is nearly universal. Maybe you just said to yourself, “What voice?” Yes, you have that voice. For some it is a never-ending inferno of misery and for others, it’s a daily friend and valued conscience. A quality inner voice can be a valuable asset in your life. It is literally the difference between the slippery path downhill or a solid, joyful life. Interested in kn...
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