Tips for Families During Uncertain Times Guest blog by Nicole Vidiri Silva As we are all too well aware, we are facing an unprecedented challenge as global and local communities react to the coronavirus pandemic. In
Sarcasm in the Classroom...Just Don't I was lucky enough to see Hacking Questions author Connie Hamilton do professional development around her book with a group of educators that represented over 18 school districts in New
Shaming Students Is Never Acceptable I am a co-author of Hacking School Discipline and also serve as an administrator in the Facebook group of the same name. I have seen a lot of things in
The Empathy Crisis Nicole Vidiri Silva, M.S., LMSW Put simply, empathy can be defined as “the ability to understand and share the feelings of another”. Yet how does one more completely describe
Wisdom of a Young Teacher Jason was driving the young teacher crazy. He seemed to bounce off the walls, and wouldn’t sit still. And when his teacher confronted him about his behavior, the situation
Restorative Practices Work With Primary Kids! Restorative practices have become increasingly popular in the last few years, but not everywhere. Through our local, national, and international travels to help schools implement restorative practices, we have observed
Let's Try Box: A New Tool for Regulation A big part of my job as an administrator is working with students who struggle with regulating their emotions based on any number of events. As anyone who has ever
A Teacher's Journey Through Hacking School Discipline As a veteran teacher, I am constantly trying to find ways to grow and change so that I can become a better version of myself each year. I am also
Circle Up for a Better Climate and Culture Holding a circle is a great tool to build community, climate, and culture. Circles can provide intentionality to building social and emotional skills. We have seen circles work in K-12
Saying 'Yes' as a Strategy One of the best things that we can do to help students that have experienced trauma is to maintain a positive learning environment. Students need to feel safe, welcomed, and
Behavioral Data is as Important as Academic Data (maybe more) Schools need a consistent system for collecting data and managing student behavior, as well as establishing school-wide measures of success. This system needs to be easy to understand, easy to
The Behavior Gap Superintendents have immense pressure from national, state, and community entities to increase test scores. This pressure trickles downhill to building administrators and teachers, even being part of their formal evaluations.
The New Privacy Law That Will Protect Students An exchange student uses your school's website to apply for admission. An alumnus who lives in France responds to a reunion. A faculty member spends a sabbatical in Germany and
Social-Emotional Growth Maps The end of the school year comes with many mixed emotions. The teachers, parents and students are all looking forward to the fun and relaxation that summer brings, but they
behavior Spark Intrinsic Motivation with this Simple Two-Minute Conversation Once this cognitive dissonance comes to light- the student now has the intrinsic motivation to change- without coercion and utilizing just a simple question.
Is PBIS Creating Extrinsically-Driven Students? PBIS Can Be a Carrot and Stick System PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention Supports) has exploded in popularity in recent years with educators wanting to recognize students for positive behaviors (the
Restorative Practices DO Include Accountability Measures Restorative justice practices have been increasing over the last decade, but many school leaders remain hesitant to implement them. The co-founders of BehaviorFlip, Brad Weinstein and Nathan Maynard, believe that
Discipline 101: Stop Making Empty Threats Class starts off pretty normally with kids filing into the room and finding their seats. The teacher talks for a few minutes and gives the students a few directions on
The Relationship Between Behavior & Academics A huge factor of both teacher and administrator job dissatisfaction— we would even say the bane of our existences— is challenging student behaviors. According to the Primary Sources: 2012 report,
Four Grading Practices That Discourage Growth Mindset A very popular buzz phrase on the education scene for a while now is growth mindset. We reference it repeatedly. We tweet about it and try to instill the value
restorative justice Repairing the Harm Typically, schools and teachers know how to dish out consequences and punishments to students that misbehave. The challenge is finding an effective way of addressing recidivism. The same students seem
The Key To Success in School? Don't Give Up! Picture this… The teacher is doing a lesson on something new and you are sitting there wondering if your classmates are also a little confused. Of course, you assume that
Retakes Support Growth Mindset Do you promote a growth mindset in your classroom? If so, students must get chances to fix mistakes!
Education How to Reach the Unreachable If you fall into the trap of processing with a student that is stuck in the Limbic System or Reptilian Brain- you could just make the situation worse.
