The Teach Different Podcast

Do you control your future? If there is one message we send consistently to our kids, it's this: your choices matter. We want them to see the world as a place where they are in control of what happens. If they make the right choices, happiness awaits them. If they choose the wrong path, life is unforgiving. What this simple admonition misses, though, is that sometimes life makes decisions for us, and we must spend our time reacting to it, rather than trying to control it. The challenge becomes how to develop a healthy and realistic sense of self-efficacy and to do the best we can. Join Steve and Dan Fouts for a conversation about self-efficacy 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: Library of Congress | NYWT&S staff photo by Al Ravenna

Do you need loyalty to fight injustice? Sometimes doing the right thing means that you will face scorn and ridicule from other people. This opposition may take the form of angry words thrown against us. As much as these words hurt us, there is a different kind of pain we feel when those in whom we place our trust end up letting us down. Friends and enemies have the power to injure us and so we must find strategies for coping with both situations. Join Dan and Steve Fouts for a conversation about loyalty using the Teach Different 3-Step Conversation Method. Teach Different serves educational institutions, families, corporate entities, and mental health communities. If you think the TD method could be effective in your setting, we'd love to hear from you! support@teachdifferent.com   Image Source: Library of Congress | Dick DeMarsico, World Telegram staff photographer

Do we have control over our own success? Setting aside the 19th century gender-biased language and applying the wisdom to all students, Thoreau is saying something important about success and positive thinking. If students believe they can succeed, then they are halfway home. The power of positive thinking is undeniable. But, failure is also crucial for human development. Students must find a balance here between positive thinking and acceptance of their imperfections. Only then will they learn how to persevere. Join Dan and Steve Fouts for a conversation about perseverance 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: Wikipedia | Benjamin D. Maxham  

Do we have the power to make ourselves happy? Students think and talk about happiness all of the time. Some believe happiness is something we control and that if we just do the right things we will become happy. There are others who think of happiness as a byproduct of a good environment and not something we can control. The issue of whether we control our happiness is an important one because it determines whether or not a student develops a healthy capacity for self-motivation and goal-setting. Join Steve and Dan Fouts for a conversation on happiness 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 | Tilemahos Efthimiadis | Creative Commons

How do you know when to put other people's needs above your own? Students of every age struggle with moral decisions about how to balance their own individual needs with the needs of others. Either way they decide, there is sacrifice. Focus on the individual and they must sacrifice others. Focus on others and they must sacrifice the individual. What's important is that students make a commitment to reflect deeply on ethical decisions before they make them and take responsibility for their choices. Join Dan and Steve Fouts for a conversation about responsibility 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

Does diversity makes us stronger? Diversity is something many students confront for the first time in school. They are required to learn with students of different socio-economic and cultural backgrounds, not to mention those who embrace different traditions, learning styles, and ways of seeing the world. When students confront diversity, they confront moral choices on how to react to people who are different from them. Join Steve and Dan Fouts for a conversation about diversity using the Teach Different 3-Step Method. Teach Different serves educational institutions, families, corporate entities, and mental health communities. If you think the TD method could be effective in your setting, we'd love to hear from you! support@teachdifferent.com   Image Source: Flickr | Portal Abras

Should we question what we are sure of? All students have run across "know-it-alls". They might be one themselves. They walk into a room and express supreme confidence with their knowledge. Being humble is seen as a sign of weakness. Humble students wait patiently, ask questions, and only speak when they are certain of something. Confidence and humility are equally noble traits. The life-long challenge is striking the right balance between the two and knowing when to express each. Join Dan and Steve Fouts for a conversation on humility 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 | Norto Mendez

Do we have control of our future?  Students are fed the consistent message that they can achieve anything in life if they work hard at it. They are in control of their future. Students are also aware that much of their future is out of their control. No matter how hard they try, they will never achieve certain things. These two forces, the internal force of their own desires and the external force of the world acting upon them, conspire to shape their life experiences. Join Steve and Dan 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: Needpix.com | Creative Commons

How do you know when giving to others will make you happy? Happiness is something all students want. The challenge is how to get it. Students often get mixed messages here. On the one hand, they are told to focus on themselves and figure out a path towards happiness that benefits them directly. On the other hand, they are told that happiness can only be achieved by helping others. The choices they make in the quest for happiness shape their characters in profound ways. Join Steve and Dan Fouts for an unforgettable conversation on happiness 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: Library of Congress

What's the best way to plan your life? Setting life goals is an activity we encourage young people to do. If you set goals for your future, then you will become happier and successful because you know what you want. That being said, it's very unclear just how we should plan out our lives. Is it better to set small attainable goals or long-term goals which are harder to see, but inspire us to do the daily work necessary? Goal-setting is an extremely important skill in school, work, and relationships. Join Steve and Dan Fouts for an unforgettable conversation on goal-setting 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: Wikipedia | Allan Ramsay - National Portrait Gallery

Do you have the responsibility to be a role model for others? Many students assume they are just a number and don’t really matter in the world. They don’t think of themselves as role models with responsibilities to other people. Yet, like it or not, their behavior is being watched and they are having an influence on those around them in important, unseen ways. Becoming more aware of their impact makes students more compelled to act in ethical ways. Join Steve and Dan Fouts for an unforgettable conversation about responsibility 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: Picryl | Al Ravenna