Myths come in all shapes and sizes, from UFOs in Roswell and Elvis in Vegas, to whether a tomato belongs in the fruit or vegetable section of a market. Yet, most unexplained phenomena are straightforward; you either...

In 2015 I attended a leadership training with Tony Robbins. It was a rare experience that changed both my lens on leadership and my personal life. The four days of 10-14 hours per day were high energy and filled with...

What is middle school philosophy and how does it compare with or differ from a middle school mindset? A philosophy can be summarized as a system of principles used to guide one's practices; whereas a mindset can be...

Many people have a misconception that administrators are the only definitive leaders in a school, and while they do hold degrees in leadership, they do not hold sole possession of the trait itself. Rather, in...

Eleven years. That is the number of years I taught seventh grade before even thinking about delving into administration. The thought of moving my home base out of the classroom and into the office had always given me...

"What's the point, Mrs. Adams?" asked Brian. I will never forget the confused yet honest look on my 8th grade student's face when he asked me this question after I had concluded my riveting lecture about the causes...

Peer-to-peer sharing is one of our most meaningful and effective kinds of professional development—and it's so easy to do. Whether it's presenting at a meeting or conference, writing an article, or participating...

When my wife and I were thinking of names for our children, and yes, our dogs, they were difficult conversations. As you probably understand, some of the students I've taught through the years were particularly rough...

Cultivating, building, and sustaining relationships is not guaranteed in all learning environments; however, just as we help students develop cooperative and communication skills, we can adopt and hone collaborative...

The best leaders learn as much as they can about those who are different than they are. The more we experience different countries, cultures, languages, religions, and people, the broader our world view becomes and...