Because of Covid-19 and the staggering amount of preparation time required to start the new school year—whether online or in person—teachers are under enormous stress. There is so much to do, and not enough hours in the day to do it. There is, however, … Read more
Studies show that Black students are disciplined more severely than their White classmates for the same misbehavior. And the most common classroom management methods used today—with their subjective interpretations of misbehavior, token economies, and manipulative practices—are at least partly to blame. They’re rife with … Read more
I don’t read professional teaching books. I haven’t for many years. The reason is to keep my writing as authentic and untainted as possible. It must be based on what I see, what I experience, and what I have success using myself. Otherwise, I … Read more
Ever since schools shut down in mid-March, a small group of teachers, sprinkled here and there throughout nearly every school, has become even more overbearing than they were before. You know the ones. They dominate every meeting. They brag about and must share the … Read more
For the past several weeks, and as part of a new book I’m working on, I’ve been reading through the entire SCM archive of 560 articles. And I noticed something unusual. Every year or two there is an article that bombs. And not just … Read more
In David Epstein’s recent book Range, he makes the case that most breakthroughs in science, art, technology, medicine, music, and sports come from those with a wide range of interests and abilities. For example, Nobel laureates in science are 22 times more likely than … Read more
We’re all aware of the many health benefits of exercise, which include improvements in: cardiovascular fitness. blood pressure. muscular strength. weight management. bone density. blood sugar and insulin levels. mental health. sleep quality. physical appearance. biological age. But exercise can also make you a … Read more
There is a phenomenon common among many who teach in the toughest schools. It’s something that skews their perspective. It tricks them, lies to them, and pulls them down into a state of pessimism. As they walk the hallways, overhearing ‘F’ bombs, put-downs, and … Read more