“Kids can be mean. Really mean.” Those words from a sixth grader prompted Dr. Scott to issue this announcement as a public service.

Whether it’s a woman’s crown or a young girl’s tiara, a cute hairstyle matters. No one is fond of a bad hair day, but for children, even as early as seven years old, appearance begins to take on new meaning.

A bad hair day can lead to all sorts of other things, from mood swings, questions from supervisors (in the case of an adult) or teachers (in the case of students), especially for school-rule violations. Worse yet, it can lead to bullying.

In this episode, Dr. Scott shares an experience with a middle school student who was willing to risk disciplinary measures to shield her hair from public ridicule.

Mean kids often grow up to be mean adults. If not checked, we run into a litany of problems. Using other humans to find humor in our day is not okay. Personal attacks based on one’s physical, often unalterable appearance (or features) are not okay.

Dr. Scott reminds us that telling a child, “You don’t have problems; wait ‘til you get grown” does not solve the very real challenges kids face every day. Their bodies and souls can only withstand so much. Let’s not trivialize those experiences.

Are you among the 32% of people who feel uncomfortable talking about money with your significant other?

Hello listeners and Happy New Year! If you’re subscribed to Paging Dr. Scott, you know she believes strongly in giving equal attention to all aspects of life and living; that includes financial wellness. This topic is so important, because after raising three well-rounded children on a single mother’s budget (if you’re a single parent, then you know), Dr. Scott understands how important money matters are.

Dr. Scott’s guest is Waymon Jordan, financial advisor, Regional Vice President and owner of Jormac Enterprises. Waymon has clients across the United States with services ranging from mortgage loans, life insurance and investments, legal services, wills and more.

Listen in as he tells us why money should not control us, govern our decisions, or shift our mood from happy to stressed.

Don’t be among those who argue about money 58 times a year! Take out your recorder or your notepad and pen and get ready to walk away with new knowledge and a mindset shift in your DAILY journey to financial freedom.

We are the 20%!

Shielding Ourselves from Workplace Scourges Take a deep breath for this one, guys. In today’s episode, Dr. Scott pays homage to a former co-laborer in service to students and staff in higher education. As we approach the anniversary of the death of Dr. Antoinette Candia-Bailey, we listen in as Dr. Scott lays bare many of the issues in workplace dynamics, promotions and advancement, mental health, FMLA, ADA and the impact of favoritism in the absence of a system of checks and balances. Did you know Dr. Candia-Bailey? Possibly not. Still, listen for the ways in which you can relate. Listen for opportunities to learn something new. Listen for the chance to offer your insights, personal experiences, or professional expertise. What happened to her should NEVER happen to anyone else ever again.

As a consultant and academic coach, Dr. Scott has heard it all. In this episode, she reflects on a teacher complaint that he “Can’t do 20 things at once.” Many classrooms have taken on the appearance of a living room where students let themselves in and make themselves at home. In such an environment, students decide the agenda, seating arrangements, meals and level of socialization.

Dr. Scott distinguishes between a “home” environment and a classroom environment conducive to learning. A lackadaisical classroom environment opens the door to bullying, distractions, learning gaps, sub-par instruction, roaming, revolving-door entry and exit (bathroom, snacks, daily visits to the clinic, water fountain, etc.).

Sadly, conscientious, well-behaved students often pay the price for the students who are late, off task, on vacation in the back of the classroom or on a date in the corner. Dr. Scott advises there should be systems in place for every movement, stemming from a consistent routine established on Day One. Without it, we are inadvertently honing a student's ability to distract the leader in the room. Bottom line: “If you’re not doing many of the right things at once, you are not teaching.”

Have you ever felt bombarded with a litany of tasks handed down from your administration or, worse, your district leadership? Leaving you wondering how you will complete it all and still teach? What about the realization that your kiddos aren’t prepared with the foundational knowledge they need to be successful in your classroom? It makes the concept of Gradual Release of Responsibility a lofty goal, doesn’t it? When all you have is 45 minutes to teach 25 kids, is there enough time to reteach as well as teach? Dr. Scott says, "Yes!" It will take strategy and intention, but it can be done.

As educators and leaders in secondary public schools, we all share a common goal: helping our students achieve academic success. However, the path to success is not always smooth. Many students face barriers that can prevent them from reaching their full potential. On this Teaching Tuesday, Dr. Scott explores seven key obstacles that stand in the way of academic achievement and discusses how they impact our learners. Listen in to better understand these challenges and consider steps we can take to support our students

Have you ever had a change of heart about a person? Not based on your personal experience, but the experience and judgement of someone else? Was it warranted? How do you know?

In this episode of Teacher Tuesday, we tackle the elephant in the room: procrastination.

Believe it or not, procrastination is arguably the #1 cause of teacher disorganization and classroom chaos. It's difficult to trace it back to procrastination, but it really is the evil twin to a classroom conducive to learning. Dr. Scott walks us through ways to combat this to make life, instruction and learning a lot easier. Let's start at the very beginning, shall we?

Parental Discretion is Advised

The realization that women are still misinformed about feminine hygiene came as shock to Dr. Scott. Myth: It is impossible to clean the entire body and rid it of "certain" odors. Fact: With proper diet, cleansing practices and basic knowledge of female anatomy, body odor can (and should) be a thing of the past. Let's find out how!

Note: Pressure washing, as used in this episode, means "to give the body and its parts a thorough yet gentle cleansing to ensure optimal health."

We all know the #1 rule to establishing rules: Keep it to a minimum, ideally 3-5 rules for a classroom. Dr. Scott and her students broke that rule one year and it was the most productive and successful year her students experienced. In business, strategic planning (SP) is the norm. It is systematic, intentional, collaborative and time sensitive. Dr. Scott adopted SP strategies to create classroom rules everyone could live with. Listen in!