Systems
Figuring out systems that make relationships happen
Homework stinks for some of my freshmen. When not in the presence of a teacher, the smelly homework is kept at a distance only to be shouldered the next morning in route to school. I have spent years
[...]Since the fall of 2008 I have sought to persuade freshmen to do their homework. As of today, I am looking to partner with them. The difference is dramatic and the results could disappoint. From the
[...]The student is called to our conference room. He enters the room and there is a slight hesitation as he sees four teachers and myself sitting at a conference table with an empty chair at one end
[...]I’m always amazed at what freshmen can do when the environment is right. We took 24 freshmen who are failing or nearly failing classes and gave them the option to stick around school for an
[...]Language matters. Language that is repeated is more impactful. We started with the Circle of Success and spent part of a school year boiling each idea down into the language that we could use in
[...]A number of years ago there was a sudden and significant outbreak of test anxiety amongst high school students. Parents were calling the school and asking for help. And they wanted it today. As I
[...]There are six realities that students who do well in high school understand: Eating, sleeping, and relaxing matter. Homework is more than an assignment and it’s every day. Obeying your teachers
[...]Most students want to graduate from high school. It’s a great idea! The difficulty is in the details. The cure to what ails struggling students can be summed up in The Six Realities of a High
[...]It’s a great place for any of us to be: In the Circle. We are inside of an arc that includes us! We want to be in a circle of friends. We want to be working on things in our circle of interest
[...]Disclaimer: This program is under construction. Implementation may cause sudden and significant changes. Buckle your seatbelts. If a freshman has straight A’s, he or she is on the right
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The Freshman Academy 