Dr. Seuss's New Book

You might want to get a copy of What Pet Should I Get to add to your collection of Dr. Seuss books AND for sharing with little ones. Here is a review from a recent NYTimes Book Review.

Good Job

According to Alfie Kohn in this recent Washington Post article "Things We Say to Kids That Sound Positive But Can Be Detrimental" sheds new and interesting light on the value of saying "Good job" to children. Here is a quintessential Kohn quote from the article:

“How can we help children grow up to be happy? That’s an important question, but here’s another one: How can we help children grow up to be concerned about whether other people are happy? We don’t want our kids to end up as perpetually miserable social activists, but neither should we root for them to become so focused on their own well-being that they’re indifferent to other people’s suffering. Happiness isn’t a good thing if it’s purchased at the price of being unreflective, complacent, or self-absorbed.”

To my CMSM colleagues, be sure to read the entire article.

Humanize <- Jamie Notter -> When Millenials Take Over

I had the good fortune to hear Jamie Notter speak at the American Montessori Society Summer Symposium for School  Administrators held in Salt Lake City, Utah. Topics addressed were conflict resolution, millennials, and social media. Have him come to speak at your school/organization. Here are steps he offered in his talk on conflict resolution that can help and guide educators, parents, and trustees.

• Know what you're fighting about.
• Know yourself.
• Humans are emotional.
• Move toward the conflict.
• Put learning first (questions).
• Value stories over truth.
• Feedback and requests.
• Change you, not them.

For All Educators -> Leadership: The Power of Emotional Intelligence

Because all educators are models for their students, colleagues and parents, this is a must read.

Daniel Goleman's book is an easy and clarifying — yet not necessarily obvious to many leaders — read on leadership and the power of emotional intelligence. Here are several of many excerpts that I use in my talks on leadership:

"Moods, the Yale study found, influence how effectively people work; upbeat moods boost cooperation, fairness, and business performance."

"As the head of research at a global executive search firm put it, 'CEOs are hired for their intellect and business expertise – and fired for a lack of emotional intelligence.' ”

"The best bosses are people who are trustworthy, empathic and connected, who make us feel calm, appreciated, and inspired. The worst – distant, difficult, and arrogant – make us feel uneasy at best and resentful at worst."

"In this sense, leadership boils down to a series of social exchanges in which the leader can drive the other person’s emotions into a better or worse state. In high-quality exchanges, the subordinate feels the leader’s attention and empathy, support, and positivity. In low-quality interactions, he feels isolated and threatened."

When Jonathan Kozol Was Fired as a Teacher

Take three minutes to view this powerful video of Kozol reading from his book Death at an Early Age.

You may also want to hear npr's Claudio Sanchez's interview with Kozol, "Frozen in Time, Remembering the Students Who Changed a Teacher's Life." It begins with 78-year old Kozol telling of his dismissal as a teacher at the age of 28 because he was reading to fourth graders from Langston Hughes's poem "The Ballad of the Landlord."