When is going against the crowd the right thing to do?

Peer pressure is real. Many students choose to follow the crowd to avoid the repercussions of not following. They feel safer, less alone. It doesn’t mean the followers fully "buy in" to the crowd beliefs or actions, but the act of standing outside the crowd feels scary. Is there a good time to face that fear and go against the crowd? How does one do it and avoid being ostracized or humiliated by the crowd?

Join Steve and Dan Fouts and special guest educators, Jim Plaza, Jason Janczak, and Paul Solarz, for an unforgettable conversation that you can recreate in your classroom.

Whether you are a teacher, school leader, or simply someone interested in experiencing the joy and fulfillment of challenging kids with big ideas, join our worldwide Community of Educators FREE for 30 days. Membership includes access to our robust library of resources, conversation plans, and lively discussions among teachers and faculty.

Image source: Pixabay

Are role models healthy for us?

The old adage "Just be yourself" looks good on paper, but gets pretty scary in the real world when we must rely on our own instincts to make decisions. Dangers abound. What if we make a mistake and hurt somebody? These fears - fueled by lack of confidence - cause us to look to other people to do the thinking and acting for us. Our role models inspire us to be better, but sometimes they become convenient ways to escape the responsibility we have to be the best version of ourselves.

Join Steve and Dan Fouts and special guests, Mary Ellen Wessels and Elizabeth Burgos, for an unforgettable conversation with great ideas for how to use Teach Different's 3-Step method for the classroom.

Whether you are a teacher, school leader, or simply someone interested in experiencing the joy and fulfillment of challenging kids with big ideas, join our worldwide Community of Educators FREE for 30 days. Membership includes access to our robust library of resources, conversation plans, and lively discussions among teachers and faculty.

Image source: Pixabay | Flybynight

What in life is actually in our control?

The power of self-awareness isn't obvious to us. We may feel ourselves at the mercy of life, that life just happens to us. When things don't go our way, we may throw our energies into changing other people and events to make things right. But, maybe our efforts to change the world are futile. Maybe what we need to do is change our attitude about what happens, and that is the grandest expression of strength.

Experience Teach Different's 3-Step conversation method with Steve and Dan Fouts and two veteran educators, Herb Baker and Carol Kravetz. See if you agree that happiness and strength are found in your own mind, not the outside world.

Whether you are a teacher, school leader, or simply someone interested in experiencing the joy and fulfillment of challenging kids with big ideas, join our worldwide Community of Educators FREE for 30 days. Membership includes access to our robust library of resources, conversation plans, and lively discussions among teachers and faculty.

Image: Pixabay | Serghei Topor

What makes somebody a hero?

Everybody respects heroes because they rise above and do extraordinary things. Common wisdom sees heroism as something you attain from serving others. Think of the firefighter who saves lives, or the patient who fights off illness. But, maybe heroism doesn’t require such remarkable effort. Maybe if we put trust in who we are and emanate confidence, then that will make us a hero.

Join Dan and Steve Fouts with guests, Joanna Wassillie and Josh Flug, for an unforgettable conversation about self-trust.

Whether you are a teacher, school leader, or simply someone interested in experiencing the joy and fulfillment of challenging kids with big ideas, join our worldwide Community of Educators FREE for 30 days. Membership includes access to our robust library of resources, conversation plans, and lively discussions among teachers and faculty.

Image source: Library of Congress

What is the best way to overcome our fears?

Fear is a force that can be debilitating for kids and adults alike. Fear obstructs clear thinking and fuels anxiety in a way that makes it hard to work and be successful at anything. Uncertainty is often behind our fears. When we don’t know what to do, we become afraid of what the future has in store for us. Yet, sometimes knowing what to do actually inspires our fear. Successful management of our fears is a life-long challenge.

Join Dan and Steve Fouts with Shaun Moriarty for a memorable conversation about fear.

Whether you are a teacher, school leader, or simply someone interested in experiencing the joy and fulfillment of challenging kids with big ideas, join our worldwide Community of Educators FREE for 30 days. Membership includes access to our robust library of resources, conversation plans, and lively discussions among teachers and faculty.

Image source: Wikimedia

Can we really make a difference in the world.

When students are told they can change the world, many don't believe it. They think making the world a better place is for the people who are in power, not the average person, but doing small things can make a big difference.  What a person does in the classroom at his/her school, or in the community, can provide the soil for real change. It's hard work and it requires patience, hope, and faith in the future - virtues that can be difficult to cultivate.

Join Steve and Dan Fouts with Karina Isley and Danielle Durbin for a memorable discussion about Anne Frank and civic engagement.

Whether you are a teacher, school leader, or simply someone interested in experiencing the joy and fulfillment of challenging kids with big ideas, join our worldwide Community of Educators FREE for 30 days. Membership includes access to our robust library of resources, conversation plans, and lively discussions among teachers and faculty.

Image source: Flickr | Greger Ravik

Should we strive for perfection?

So many of our students feel pressure to be the perfect athlete, student, or friend. This feeling is accompanied by a pervasive fear of failure and the possibility that they might let others down. When we fall short of perfection, students have important decisions to make about whether to keep pursuing it or be okay with something less. The decisions they make shape their sense of self-worth and draw the contours of their relationships.

Join Dan and Steve Fouts for a conversation about achievement using the Teach Different 3-Step Method.

Whether you are a teacher, school leader, or simply someone interested in experiencing the joy and fulfillment of challenging kids with big ideas, join our worldwide Community of Educators FREE for 30 days. Membership includes access to our robust library of resources, conversation plans, and lively discussions among teachers and faculty.

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

Do you have to go through bad experiences to be a strong person?

Everybody experiences struggle. Sometimes the struggle ends up making the person more self-confident, stronger and better able to move forward to the next challenge. But other times adversity breeds fear and inaction. Every struggle is an opportunity for students to make an ethical choice on how to respond in a way that helps them cope with the challenges they will face.

Join Steve and Dan Fouts for a conversation about education using the Teach Different 3-Step conversation method. 

Whether you are a teacher, school leader, or simply someone interested in experiencing the joy and fulfillment of challenging kids with big ideas, join our worldwide Community of Educators FREE for 30 days. Membership includes access to our robust library of resources, conversation plans, and lively discussions among teachers and faculty.

Image source: Pixabay

How do we know when to trust other people?

Trust requires that you must set aside your feelings of suspicion and agree to work with people in good faith. Sometimes trust is difficult to attain, yet to live and solve problems with other people, we need to trust them. Trusting others will sometimes lead us into grim disappointment, but it can also restore our faith in people. Trust is a skill and must be practiced over time to see and reap its benefits.

Join Dan and Steve Fouts for a conversation on trust using the Teach Different 3-Step Method.

Whether you are a teacher, school leader, or simply someone interested in experiencing the joy and fulfillment of challenging kids with big ideas, join our worldwide Community of Educators FREE for 30 days. Membership includes access to our robust library of resources, conversation plans, and lively discussions among teachers and faculty.

Image source: Wikimedia | Ritva Bäckman | Creative Commons

Do you have influence over the world?

Students are in the midst of figuring out who they are and how they can influence the world. Some feel helpless because it seems that they were born into a difficult situation or have experienced an unfair share of pain and heartache. Others feel almost superhuman and think they have the power to change anything they want. The truth of self-determination is really a lifelong mystery to solve.

Join Dan and Steve Fouts for a conversation on self-determination using the Teach Different 3-Step Method.

Whether you are a teacher, school leader, or simply someone interested in experiencing the joy and fulfillment of challenging kids with big ideas, join our worldwide Community of Educators FREE for 30 days. Membership includes access to our robust library of resources, conversation plans, and lively discussions among teachers and faculty.

Image source: Wikimedia | Angela Radulescu