Engaging and Inspiring Learners at Home: A Curated List of Distance Learning Resources for PK-12, College and Adult Educators, Facilitators, and Parents
It has now been three weeks since my in-person workshops with educators, facilitators, and students came to a screeching halt because of the Coronavirus crisis. Since then, I, like
The Most Versatile Activity in My Toolbox: Team Tally (In-Person or Online)
A Multipurpose Activity for Community Building, Reflection, Review, Data Gathering, Peer Teaching, and Formative Assessment In past posts, I’ve explored the idea of re-purposing
What’s on Your Plate? Time and Stress Management Reflection Activity
Over the years, this article has been one of my most popular blog posts. I originally shared the “Full Plate Time Management” lesson example in my Inspired Educator, In
“Keys” to Community, Group Success, and More: A Multi-Purpose, Upcycled Tool for Reflection
Over the last year I’ve received many messages and posts from workshop participants from Austin to Kalamazoo, with photos of boxes of keys and captions of “You were rig
Best of: Back-to-School Activities, Strategies, Articles
It’s that time again! Schools and Colleges are back in session or gearing up for the first day. Fall programs and trainings are kicking off. For those of you looking for strategi
Why Names are Important and How to Honor Them
This bestowal of name and identity is a kind of symbolic contract between society and the individual. The name differentiates the child from others; thus, society will be able to t
Cultivate Your Style as a Facilitator or Educator
Successful facilitators and educators consciously think about their style and continually develop it in a variety of intentional ways, including reflection, feedback, continued edu
Harnessing the Power of Play to Teach
We are never more fully alive, more completely ourselves, or more deeply engrossed in anything, than when we are at play. ~ Charles. E. Schaefer, pioneer in the field of play thera
Beware of the Icebreaker — Make Thoughtful Activity Choices
Some educators operate with the idea that stress increases people’s ability to learn and be creative. There are many icebreakers, games, and initiatives used in group work th
Charades Race for Review and Formative Assessment
Excerpt from the Inspired Educator Blog Archives: Back in 2011 I shared this activity here as a favorite strategy for harnessing the power of play to teach, review, and reinforce a
Integrating Community-Building, Social and Emotional Learning, and Academic Content
The teachers, corporate trainers, high school advisors and other educators that I work with are constantly trying to create a balance of learning in their classes and groups. The c
Art and Creative Expression in Reflection
Excerpt from Tips & Tools for the Art of Experiential Group Facilitation, Second Edition: There is great power when learners create symbols, music, words or performance to repr
Re-Purposing Rapport Building Activities for Reflection and Review: Handshake Mingle and Concentric Circles
Current brain research supports the experiential education philosophy that educators will increase attention, motivation, and learning outcomes when they weave in opportunities to
Creating Meaning With Metaphor
Excerpt from Tips & Tools for the Art of Experiential Group Facilitation. Since the beginning of civilization, humans have expressed themselves through symbols. Symbols, images
The Language We Use in Facilitation and Teaching: Reflection vs. Debriefing
There’s all the difference in the world between having something to say, and having to say something. —John Dewey My March of 2013 blog post “The Language We Use in
Start Off With Style: Create a Hook to Engage
Think back to your most memorable learning experiences— the courses, team-building programs, or classes you enjoyed and the facilitators or educators you found most impactful. Ho
Postcard to Your Future Self
The Postcard to Your Future Self is one of my favorite reflective activities because it encourages learners to reflect on their strengths, celebrates their accomplishments, and cla
Showing Appreciation and Celebrating Success
From the Blog Archives, June 2016: During this time of year, I find myself facilitating many staff team-building retreats for community organizations. In my work with schools, the
