How many positive comments does it take?
The Benefits of Creating a Positive Environment What do you do when someone makes a critical comment? Hide in bed with a pillow over your head? Make a snappy come back…several hours later? Repeat it over and over to yourself? Shawn Achor in his book– The Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That…
Read MoreSeize the Opportunity
What are you waiting for? I’ve spent a good deal of my life waiting. In fact, I could say that I’m seriously an expert at it. I know and have used all the excuses: waiting for the right time, waiting to be sure, waiting until everything is perfectly aligned, waiting for the right person or…
Read MoreCan you Defy Gravity?
Three Takeaways from Wicked, the Musical One of my favorite plays of all time is Wicked. I’ve seen it four or five times and have the T-shirt to prove it! I love laughing at the clever lines and humming the inspiring music. I eagerly anticipate the best part of the play when Elphaba the wicked witch sings…
Read MoreAustin Kleon and How to Steal Like an Artist
Don’t Worry–Everyone is Doing It A few years ago I picked up a clever book called Steal Like an Artist . The author, Austin Kleon writes about something that every creative ultimately comes face to face with. Whether you are a writer, or a painter or a designer or a creative soul of any kind, you…
Read MoreWho Do You Want to Be?
Mindset and Practice are Key A while back, I sent an email to a friend, encouraging him to join a writing critique group that I attended. I explained that it was a group of other educators and that many of them wrote young adult fiction, an interest of his as well. Guess what his…
Read MoreThe Greatest Gift a Teacher can Give
The Power of Mindset What is the power of expectation and mindset? It is not only huge but it trumps ability every time. In an education world that has become increasing obsessed with data, testing and assessment, what role does a teacher’s positive expectations play in a student’s performance? Apparently it is the greatest gift a teacher…
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