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
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
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
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
From the Archives: “Bag of Nouns” for Review, Formative Assessment, and Fun
I was inspired to repost this article from the blog archives (August of 2014) after using it in a particularly successful active review session with a group of students today. It i
Object and No Prop Pair Share Activities to Set the Tone, Build Community, and Initiate Reflective Discussions:
August is a month of new beginnings for educators and group facilitators. These last weeks of summer are filled with back to school meetings, training, student community building,
Beware of the Icebreaker
Excerpt from Tips & Tools for the Art of Experiential Group Facilitation Second Edition: In chapter one, I emphasized how important it is to carefully assess your group, and be awa
Embracing the Quiet and Taking Time to Reflect
In honor of the start of the new year I am re-posting this series of articles from the Inspired Educator Blog Archives on the importance of practitioner reflection. From the Archiv
Bag of Nouns Activity for Review, Reinforcement of Content, Formative Assessment, and Fun!
Many of the inspired educators that I work with have shared variations of this playful party game for active review and formative assessment in the classroom or training sessions.
Get Them Moving! Physical Activity Improves Learning.
There is a growing body of evidence demonstrating the positive impact of exercise on brain development and function – and therefore memory and learning throughout life. Exercise
WNB “Back to School Series” Ideas for Building Community and Practicing Social-Emotional Skills
Many educators look for some simple group activities to begin the process of community building in their classrooms and groups. Last year in our back to school series Jen Stanchfie
