Recent Episodes

“Disobedience is the foundation of liberty.” Henry David Thoreau – Civil Disobedience

“Disobedience is the foundation of liberty.” Henry David Thoreau – Civil Disobedience

06/22/2020

Should we have the freedom to disobey rules? Freedom is a concept near and dear to the hearts of kids. Freedom means they can do what they want, when they want, but there are limits to freedom placed on children by parents, schools, and society. When kids confront these limits ..
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“It’s better to be alone than in bad company.”  George Washington – Character

“It’s better to be alone than in bad company.” George Washington – Character

06/13/2020

Should we avoid bad people? Kids are in the midst of making so many ethical choices about the types of people they should be hanging out with. There is peer pressure to spend time with friends who may make questionable life choices but whose approval is important for a child's ..
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“Right makes might”   Abraham Lincoln – Leadership

“Right makes might” Abraham Lincoln – Leadership

06/05/2020

Is doing the right thing the best way to influence others? School is often the first place where students occupy positions of authority where they are able to direct the efforts of others. Being a good leader and having influence are highly valued. The challenge is figuring ou ..
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“There is no success without hardship.” Sophocles – Hardship

“There is no success without hardship.” Sophocles – Hardship

05/31/2020

What does it take to succeed? Going through hard times is something most everybody has to do. Some people face hardship and turn away. They become discouraged and think that success is unattainable. Others see hardship as an opportunity for self-motivation, goal-setting and a ..
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“Happiness is a direction, not a place.” Sydney Harris – Happiness

05/25/2020

What is the best way to find happiness? Happiness is one those concepts that students talk and think about a lot, but rarely define. They are encouraged to motivate themselves to set goals to achieve happiness but the path is never laid out with any clarity. Reflecting on what ..
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“The best way to predict the future is to create it.” Teach Different with Abraham Lincoln – Self-Determination

“The best way to predict the future is to create it.” Teach Different with Abraham Lincoln – Self-Determination

05/19/2020

Do we have control of our future?     The future is hard to predict, even though some people try to do it. Lincoln thought we shouldn't worry about predicting the future.  Our job is to create it and control our own destinies. That may be a challenging thought for so ..
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“Self-development is a higher duty than self-sacrifice.” Elizabeth Cady Stanton – Self-Development

05/10/2020

When is the right time to put your own needs above others? Students must make decisions in life about how to treat themselves and others. There is a tension in deciding whose needs should assume greater importance. Sometimes the selfish instinct takes over and there is a laser ..
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“It is the first responsibility of every citizen to question authority.” Benjamin Franklin – Responsibility

05/03/2020

Should you always follow the rules? Everywhere a student goes there are rules, at home, in the classroom, and in society. The effectiveness of these rules depends on people's willingness to obey them. Students like to question the rules, especially when they feel the rules ar ..
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“It is by suffering those human beings become angels.” Victor Hugo – Suffering

04/28/2020

Do you have to go through suffering to be a good person?   Suffering is a fact of life. Sometimes the suffering occurs on an individual level; others times it is shared with others. People react to suffering in very different ways. Some become bitter while others use sufferin ..
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“Every great dream begins with a dreamer.” Harriet Tubman – Dreams

04/14/2020

Is dreaming good for us? Ask the students what they dream about and you are sure to get a wild variety of interesting answers. Students dream all of the time and some use them to set lofty goals for their life pursuits. Others see dreams as fake pictures of reality. However th ..
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“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” FDR – Fear

04/06/2020

How do we know when we should be afraid? Fear is an emotion we can all identify with. Fear causes stress and discomfort, and makes us do things we would not otherwise do. People react to fear in different ways. Some remain calm; others lose control of their mind which causes e ..
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“Isolation is a way to know ourselves.” Franz Kafka – Isolation

03/30/2020

Is social distancing healthy for us? The Coronavirus outbreak of 2020 has driven society into isolation. Schools are closed, and businesses are shut down. Our social lives have stopped functioning, and we’re at home with much more alone time. Isolation can breed some sadness ..
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