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Making the Shift from “Teacher” to “Coach” Pays Huge Dividends in the Classroom

July 8, 2014

When you decided to become a teacher, what visions did you have for your future? Was it an inspirational tale of you awakening minds? “Ah-hah” moments from students spread throughout each day? Perhaps you were inspired by a movie, like: Dead Poets Society, Dangerous Minds, or Freedom Writers. Perhaps you instantly connected with those visions…

Malcolm Gladwell’s Gift to Detroit: A Language for Success!

June 10, 2014

The Power of Language Two nights ago, my ten year-old son, Mark, was getting very upset over simple things. After the second meltdown, I knew something was up. Me: “Sit down. Tell me what’s really going on?” Mark: “I spilled my drink!” Me: “I know that’s upsetting. But you’re having a ‘ten-mile reaction’ to a ‘two-inch…

The Plight of Teachers in 2014

April 14, 2014

Last fall, Microsoft asked me to share some thoughts about changes in education. Naturally, about technology. But, as I explained below, the cascading effect of technology on students will have an impact on teachers…. For the better! Like many educators, Susan Kruger was inspired to help students through her own school experience. Kruger struggled to…

Letter to My Younger Self

February 25, 2014

Today is a very special day for me. It’s my 10th anniversary as a parent! Yes, today is my son’s 10th birthday. In honor of my (er, uh… his) special day, I wanted to share a letter written to “my younger self,” just days before my son was born. Last October, I had the privilege…

6th-Grade Boy Describes the Impact of Study Skills

January 7, 2014

Happy post-holiday season! Or, for those of us in the midwest and northeast, it’s the holiday season that won’t end! Schools have been called off in our town, just north of Detroit, for six consecutive days due to weather. But, I want to share something that stretches a-l-l-l-l-l-l the way back to the eve of…

Vocabulary and Differentiation: Larry Says, “Just Deal with It…”

December 16, 2013

Two weeks ago, we published an article about learning vocabulary words (available here). It was my answer to a question from Jean, a concerned parent whose son was struggling with an on-going vocabulary testing situation. Immediately after we published that article, we received a response from Larry M. Here’s what Larry had to say: Hi…

How to Learn Vocabulary Words

December 2, 2013

We received an e-mail from our client Jean: I’m wondering if you can help with a recurring problem. My son, Daniel, gets 20-25 vocab words every couple of weeks for his Language Arts class. For the test, he has to pull the words out of his head, spell them correctly and write the correct definition.…

Understanding the Needs of the 21st Century Learner

October 21, 2013

In anticipation of the upcoming Microsoft’s Partners in Learning webinar on October 23, 2013, I was interviewed by Microsoft to get my take on the state of education in our country. Read on to see the interview. What drew you to the field of education? Why is it important to you? I went to a…

Tips from an Award-Winning Teacher

September 30, 2013

I was happy to have the opportunity to talk with Elisa Collins, an excellent (and now award-winning) study skills teacher at Oasis Middle School in Cape Coral, Florida. It was an exciting chance to talk study skills and pick up some new teaching tips. In 2012, Elisa was one of four teachers to win the…

The SOAR® Manifesto: A Near-Disastrous Moment at Age 17 Is Now the Foundation of SOAR®

August 26, 2013

When I was 17, my mom (a physician), invited me to be her guest at an invitation-only “cocktail party” for a new physical therapy (PT) center.  In reality, it was an open house for doctors and other health care professionals who might refer patients to the new center for PT. Mom’s invitation was like a…

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