Are you ready to learn about another famous porcupine? This one was called stupid by his father and was beaten with a birch rod in school for defying teachers. He went on to be one of the great world leaders of the twentieth century. #huggingporcupines leadinggreatlearning.com/famous-porcu...

Dave holds the record for the number of crayons he can shove up his nose, yet he also said he hated being the class clown. Let's remember to keep #huggingporcupines. leadinggreatlearning.com/famous-porcu...

This famous "porcupine" was teased as a child and expelled from school after throwing a book at another girl's head. She went on to revolutionize the cattle industry. Do you know who she is? leadinggreatlearning.com/famous-porcu... #huggingporcupines

Check out my recent article in Legacy (The Worthy Educator) about why some kids avoid learning. It's an excerpt from my new book, Hugging Porcupines! www.theworthyeducator.com/_files/ugd/2...

My new book #HuggingPorcupines is now available on Amazon! This would be the perfect summer read for schools looking to better support kids with challenging behaviors. www.amazon.com/Hugging-Porc...

Great article. Willpower is overrated. Don't present kids with lots of temptations and then teach them how to resist them (like offering sugary cereals for breakfast in schools). Instead, remove temptations and teach kids how to avoid them. www.npr.org/2026/03/09/n...

Can you guess who this porcupine is? He was a wild child, skipping school and throwing rocks at police officers. With the guidance of one special adult, he went on to be a sports legend. #huggingporcupines leadinggreatlearning.com/famous-porcu...

I'm excited to announce that my newest book is available for preordering! Hugging Porcupines provides a walk through the school year with tons of practical strategies. #huggingporcupines ascd.org/books/huggin...

I was once hit by a car while running, and it helped me reflect on good goal setting in teaching. leadinggreatlearning.com/maybe-its-ok...

Looking for great resources to lead your (and/or others') professional learning? I've added a section to my site with free binders about common topics I support in schools including Hugging Porcupines, Teacher Talk, Boosting Student Motivation, and more. leadinggreatlearning.com/resources/

So much of what makes teaching so purposeful involves delayed gratification. That's fine. But let's not forget the importance of finding purpose and motivation and joy in our daily work with kids! leadinggreatlearning.com/delayed-grat...

In both teaching and running, many of the benefits show up down the road. But it's not all about delayed gratification! leadinggreatlearning.com/delayed-grat...

Teachers--is there something in your classroom or teaching that's just not working right now? Don't be afraid to really shake things up to find a solution. Here are a few examples to consider: leadinggreatlearning.com/is-it-time-t...

If reading is so important for kids, why do they spend so little time doing it in school? It just doesn't make sense. #commonsenseteaching leadinggreatlearning.com/runners-gott...

Welcome to the winter doldrums, folks, where (even awesome) learning and work can start to feel like a slog. This is a great time of year to try a special event with your students to sharpen their sense of purpose for learning. leadinggreatlearning.com/a-special-ev...

Teachers are often hesitant to let kids experience consequences in school, because they worry about push-back from parents. Whether you're running or working with families, it's better to face potential trouble head-on. leadinggreatlearning.com/run-toward-o...

It's that time of year again. Are you going to set a New Year's resolution? If so, here are a few ideas to help you set one you might actually follow through on: leadinggreatlearning.com/how-to-set-g...

#Motivation comes and goes, for students and teachers. Here are a few ideas, drawn from my experience as a runner and educator, about how to navigate the natural ups and downs of motivation: leadinggreatlearning.com/motivation-c...

My latest blog post is finished! It's part of a series I'm working on that explores what #running reminds me about #teaching and #learning. This one explores how to navigate the natural ups and downs of motivation. leadinggreatlearning.com/motivation-c...

Teachers, which routines in your room are solid? Which are shaky and will need some review in January? Good routines help students function independently and help you devote more of your attention to teaching. Start making a list now. leadinggreatlearning.com/revisiting-r...

On Nov. 10, I worked with Ka'elepulu School in Kailua, HI. We dug into student motivation and considered how to lean into intrinsic motivators (autonomy, competence, belonging, purpose, curiosity, and fun) and away from extrinsic ones (tickets, points, prizes, grades, etc.).

A calm start to Monday morning sets a tone of safety and productivity for the rest of the week. Start thinking ahead to next week with some ideas from this article: leadinggreatlearning.com/a-calm-start...

Teachers, here's a blog post to pass along to parents about how to pack foods for kids that help them have a great day at school: leadinggreatlearning.com/foods-that-f...

We can design writing rubrics with intrinsic motivation in mind.

Let's be careful not to diminish kids' self-motivation for writing through rubrics that use extrinsic motivators.

Kids will be more motivated to write when writing helps them meet basic psychological needs.

Here's the conclusion from What We Say and How We Say It Matter (amazon.com/dp/1416627049/). It's a good reminder as we head into the school year.

I had a blast with you all!

Just had this comment posted in one of my online classes. I see this kind of reflection a lot. It's so true. We don't mean to demotivate with incentives, but that's just what happens in the long run.

I ran a half marathon race this past weekend, and it got me thinking about final exams. Should one big test really have much (if any) bearing on how we evaluate a student's learning from a semester or year? leadinggreatlearning.com/reflections-...

I'm working on a writing project about kids who struggle in school. I'd like to tell stories of famous/successful adults who struggled in school. Does anyone have suggestions of people whose stories I should explore--famous people who had a hard time in school?

School leaders, are you looking for a book for faculty to read over the summer? This book is packed with small steps teachers can take to refresh their spirits, recover their swagger, recharge their batteries, and rekindle their professional fires! www.amazon.com/Rekindle-You...

Looking for summer learning for teachers? Many schools use these courses to support self-paced teacher learning. Popular courses are Hugging Porcupines, Tackling the Motivation Crisis, and What We Say and How We Say It Matter. Check them all out here: courses.leadinggreatlearning.com

Teachers get run down and burned out when their needs for autonomy, belonging, competence, purpose, curiosity, and fun (not to mention basic good health) are in deficit. Here are some ideas generated by school leaders for how to meet those needs. leadinggreatlearning.com/three-ways-t...

View the latest #podcast with @balancedteacher.bsky.social Mike Anderson, #author of nine books about great #teaching and #learning @danagoodier.bsky.social youtu.be/IBXnXcYhNXY?...

What if there was a perfect breakfast for educators? I've got a new favorite for you to consider... leadinggreatlearning.com/the-perfect-...

What a blast yesterday! I got to teach a half-day workshop (Hugging Porcupines: How to Build Relationships with Kids Who Have Challenging Behaviors) to paraeducators from across southern NH. Here is a contingent from Manchester!

It's so easy to make assumptions, react emotionally, and slide into judgment when a student says or does something hurtful, isn't it? When that happens, try to channel your inner Ted Lasso. leadinggreatlearning.com/be-curious-n... #tedlasso

Could rewards and incentive systems make kids more self-centered? What if we spent more time teaching higher-level values? leadinggreatlearning.com/what-about-k...

It's January 22 (and may feel like January 38th), but it's not too late to revisit routines with students! leadinggreatlearning.com/revisiting-r...

Here's a great idea from a teacher taking one of my online courses.

Brilliant. www.edweek.org/leadership/o...

When a student in your class is struggling--shutting down, being combative, etc.--remember to channel your inner Ted Lasso. Be curious, not judgmental. leadinggreatlearning.com/be-curious-n...

I facilitated a staff meeting today about supporting kids who often get "in trouble" in school. We had a cool discussion about why kids break rules. Some reasons: a need for autonomy, peer approval (belonging), boredom, and being distracted. What are some other reasons that come to mind?

I had such a blast presenting at The Learning & the Brain conference in Boston a couple of weeks ago. This conference always draws such engaged educators from all over the world. My sessions were Teaching SEL Through Literacy and Hugging Porcupines.

When kids are struggling with an ongoing challenge in school, a one-on-one problem-solving conference can be so helpful. But when do busy teachers and kids find time for a good chat? leadinggreatlearning.com/finding-time...