What Are We Responsible For?
What is the definition of the word “worry”? Any thoughts? Worry occurs when we assume a responsibility that we were never meant to have. How often do we worry about things that are just out of our control? I do it all the time. But, what responsibilities are ours and...
read moreStay Away From Gossiping And Complaining
Complaining about students in the faculty room does nothing to support the educational environment. Once you find other teachers who enjoy complaining about students, it becomes much easier to get into a routine of complaining to each other. This then makes it easier...
read moreThey Walk Amongst Us: A Reprint With An Additional Article On The Parkland Florida Shooting
Originally Published September 26, 2013 Tell me how we miss these people; enough already. Let’s start at the beginning: A general discharge from the Navy indicating eight to ten events of misconduct, a discharge that the system converted to an honorable discharge,...
read moreThe Root Problem
Often, we observe behaviors in children and begin to label them as “lazy,” “unmotivated,” and “stubborn.” What we are observing are really only the symptoms of what is actually going on within the hearts and minds of our students. When we treat the symptoms with...
read moreWhat Do People Fear The Most?
As our students move forward in life, their desire to have meaningful relationships with the opposite sex intensifies and dating becomes a real novelty. Discussions in high school, and even middle schools, are continually taking place about who is seeing whom, and who...
read moreSignificant Others
“It doesn’t mean that much to me to mean that much to you.” Neil Young sang this verse in his song “Old Man.” Significant others. We all have them, and we all have had them: those that have impacted our life in such a way that we can still hear their voice calling us...
read moreDocumentation
Documentation Whether or not bullying is a problem in your classroom, you should keep anecdotal records of students’ behavior. If you have students who are or who might become potential bullies, anecdotal records are even more important. If a student has more than one...
read moreConduct Problems And Respect
Kids who have conduct problems should not be confused with kids who have Oppositional Defiant Disorder. Kids with this disorder are lacking an important piece of their personality: a conscience. These kids say and do things and can justify and defend their position to...
read moreClinical Issues And Responsibility
Visit My Store Bullies and victims suffer from clinical issues all the time. Depression, anxiety, and mood swings all are part of the bully/ victim dynamic. As these issues become more and more obvious, the natural tendency of parents and educators is to lower their...
read moreIf Everybody Wins Nobody Wins
Visit My Store Kids today can feel good about themselves for no apparent reason. No one is allowed to fail, even if they do. Everyone wins, even if they lose. Often, the truth is bent a little too much giving kids a false sense of security in their abilities...
read moreIf You Hear It Or See It You Own It
Often times when we hear things or see things that require us to take action, we become fearful and can often rationalize it away. This can be done by convincing ourselves that it is not as serious as we thought, the kids were only kidding, or worse yet,...
read moreInstruction, Warning And Correction
Visit My Store When we give instructions to a student, we make two very important assumptions that may or may not be true. We assume that (1) they heard us, and (2) they understood us. Dealing with student behavior requires as much instruction as does the academic...
read moreThey Just Don’t Know
Trying to explain to a child, or even at times an adult, the reason “whys” or “why not’s” related to certain behaviors can at times can be frustrating (and with our own children can be frightening.). “Don’t drink and drive,” “don’t smoke,” “watch who you pick as a...
read moreWhat Are You Paying Attention To?
The brain is a wonderful organ and it can be programmed by us and by others. The words that people say to us and the things that are done to us can produce a private logic that can either be believed or stricken from our conscious mind as being just or untrue. Your...
read morePrinciples Of Spiritual Maturity
Visit My Store Self AcceptanceSpiritually mature people have learned how to like themselves and value the differences between themselves and others. They have an understanding that they were created in a unique way. They don’t wish for what they don’t have, and...
read moreSpiritual Maturity
Visit My Store Going to a Catholic Church and to a Catholic School were all an important part of my up bringing. My parents raised me as a Catholic and we went to church every Sunday. It didn’t matter if my parents had a brawl the night before, or even if they had a...
read moreIndependence and Interdependence
Visit My Store Independent people know how to do things on their own, and interdependent people know how to do things with the help of other people. Emotion-ally mature people know how to do both. They can function on their own but still understand that other people...
read moreThe Lost Principle of Managing Criticism
Visit My Store An emotionally mature person knows how to admit mistakes and can accept criticism with grace and humility. Emotionally mature people listen to criticism and ask themselves if what they are hearing is true. They do not get defensive or angry when someone...
read moreThe Lost Principles (Compliance)
What does it mean to be compliant? Most people would say it means that you do what you’re told when you're told to do it. That’s about right, but not quite. Emotionally mature people have the ability to do what they're told, when they're told to do it, with a good...
read moreThe Lost Principles (Honesty)
John Bradshaw, the adult child of alcoholic guru, spoke this very telling comment about the truth. “Telling the truth prevents future pain.” Great principle. So why doesn’t everyone tell the truth? The answer is very simple. It takes a tremendous amount of emotional...
read moreThe Lost Principles (Respect)
I had a friend whose son was getting ready to go off to his freshman year of college. We drove him up to his college and we intended to stay up there for three days. During the five hour car ride there, he kept insisting that we leave after we dropped him off. We told...
read moreI Fight Authority and Authority Always Wins
As a young boy I always had a fear of authority. I don’t mean the police, I mean adults other than my parents. There was always some authority figure who was correcting me in the community or in school. Since my father was the owner of a pretty popular bar in a very...
read moreFeatured Course of the Month!!
Watch Our New Video
Anti Bullying 101 Click to Order
Facebook & Twitter
