Dear colleagues, As I argue in Strategy #1 of The Will to Learn, it is wise to systematically pull each of our students aside (once per month or so) and speak with them for 30-90 seconds. These moments of genuine connection (MGCs) cultivate Credibility and Belonging and form the bedrock of classrooms and schools in […]
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The Miraculous Power of Words
Dear colleague, Words are in the top tier of human superpowers. Using them well must be apprenticed to for a lifetime; wise are those who undertake such an apprenticeship. When it comes to wordsmithing, class is always in session. You can glean a tip or two from the podcasts you listen to, the comedians who […]
The MGC Cheat Sheet
Dear colleague, In my PD work with schools during the last two years, I’ve been fortunate to have a handful of schools where the scope of the work is longer than a single-day PD. In these places, I’ve gained systems-level, boots-on-the-ground insight into how the methodology in The Will to Learn works. One thing that’s […]
The Tires I Fix 🛞🔧
Dear colleague, I’m not a mechanic, but I can change a flat tire. I don’t know how to fix a transmission or build an engine, but if you’re stranded on the side of the road with a popped tire, I got you. My work as a writer is a lot like that. I can’t figure […]
Let’s Talk *Sustainable* Teacher-Student Relationships
Dear colleague, I’m the last person that’s going to tell you school is all about relationships. Because it’s not. It’s all about advancing the long-term flourishing of young people by teaching them to master things that, apart from school, they’d be unlikely to master. That said, few factors are as critical to long-term student and […]