By Dana Asby, CEI Intern and Christine Mason, CEI Executive Director Editor’s Note: This is Part I of our series on transformational leadership However, in a culture and climate with a push to excel, staying humanistic and inspirational is not always easy. As Anthony Muhammad (2009) describes in his study of 34 schools, even with population shifts, including an influx of Latinos, and the persistent gap in resources available to whites versus other races in the US, our educati

By Maddie Pribanova, CEI Intern When we think of discipline, we think of authority, control and rigid rules. To be disciplined is often associated with thoughts or even memories of punishment as a way to correct disobedience and reinforce acceptable behavior. However, discipline plays a fundamental role in establishing healthy behavior and building important skills such as self-discipline, respect for others, and the ability to work in a team. A study in 2014 of almost 1,000

By Andrew Barnett Davis, CEI Intern and Christine Mason, CEI Executive Director How do your teachers address future orientation with students? Anthony Biglan, a senior scientist at the Oregon Research Institute, and Yvonne Barnes-Holmes, a professor at the National University of Ireland, in introducing a meta-analysis of future-oriented cultural practices, state: ‘our current scientific understanding of how to act in light of the future is limited . . . Societies are not as e

Reflective educators are effective educators For teachers and leaders to be at their personal and professional best, it is essential that they prioritize their own well-being. Mindfulness Practices, Take Time for You, and HEART! offer specific guidance and support for new and veteran educators through reflection questions, journaling activities, self-care practices, and more. Check out Solution Tree to order all 3 books.

By June Naureckas, CEI Intern Although school-aged children (ages 5-12) react to trauma differently from adults, their most likely symptoms are predictable and well-documented. According to the National Center for PTSD, children who have been traumatized are less likely than adults to have flashbacks or gaps in their memory but are equally prone to hyper vigilance. They imagine they can see the next traumatic event coming as a means to cope with a random world. The Center’s r

Bloomington, Ind. (September 6, 2018)‘”In Mindfulness Practices (published by Solution Tree) authors Christine Mason, Michele M. Rivers Murphy and Yvette Jackson detail how to build compassionate school communities that prioritize high levels of achievement and high levels of well-being. ‘Far too many children and adults carry an insurmountable weight of stress or past traumatic experiences that can negatively impact the way that they interact, learn, teach, lead, and live,’