Browse Seth’s EF Blogs, Videos, Podcasts, Transcripts, PDFs.
Some students seem to get organization through osmosis, but many need a great deal of direct and specific guidance in order to develop their style. Simply speaking, some kids systematize more naturally than others and regular overhauls make a big difference for the “organizationally challenged”. Here’s a rundown of how
Look, teachers pass out a lot of “stuff.” Whether you’re working with a first grader or a grad student, help them develop the habit of taking a half hour every weekend to go through the backpack/locker/desk and eliminate the clutter. This includes old assignments, trash, broken pencils, etc.. Of course there
Great teachers don’t teach school, they teach people. They don’t “control” their classes, they lead individuals to thrive. They don’t get kids “caught up,” they meet learners where they’re at and inspire curiosity… Without judgement or shame. They don’t depend on “data to drive instruction,” they inspire people to fall
It’s July 5th, 2013 and I’m heading to the World Domination Summit in Portland, OR. This conference has had a tremendous influence on how I’ve built my blog. It has been life-changing to be surrounded by the energy of a bunch of people trying to dominate the world with good work. WDS
I was recently working with a high school sophomore. Noting her strengths, I gave her a genuine compliment about her intelligence and ability to come up with uniquely creative solutions and viewpoints. She looked at me and said, “but I’m not smart. I get bad grades.” My eyes burst wide and I
By Seth Perler: A parent of one of my former students forwarded this video to me today. The student in this video is my kind of kid. As Jeff Bliss of Duncanville High is getting kicked out of class, he beautifully articulates what too many kids go through. In the video
“My most important piece of advice to all you would-be writers: when you write, try to leave out all the parts readers skip.” –Elmore Leonard I’ve taught writing in various capacities to hundreds of students, from 3rd graders to graduate students. There are numerous systems designed to teach kids how to
Here’s a short post which links to a 4 minute TED video about sleep by Jessa Gambale. As I work with families, I try to figure out how well a student is sleeping because of it’s effect on his/her daily life. In this clip, Jessa refers to sleep and our
Although multitasking has it’s place, it’s often nothing more than doing several things in succession with diminished quality. When it comes to struggling students trying to learn in our fast paced society, multitasking usually gets in the way. When I unitask, when I am fully present for what I am
