How to Prepare Students for Life’s Pivotal Moments

Developmentally, middle school students are beginning to ask questions about who they are and who they want to become. At the same time, they are increasingly having to navigate real and often complex situations—moments when they may feel pressure to fit in rather than to stand up or speak out for what they know is […]

Why Loving Moments With Strangers Carry Lasting Benefits

On a typical day, you experience numerous fleeting exchanges with people you don’t know, often without a word: a quick smile of acknowledgement as someone holds the door, a moment of eye contact to navigate a crowded aisle at the grocery store, or even a brief chat with a total stranger. Are these interactions with […]

How Moments in Nature Help Kids Thrive

Awe doesn’t often make the headlines. But on April 9, 2024, the front page of the New York Times read, “A Divided America Agrees on One Thing: The Eclipse Was Awesome.” All photos by Deborah Farmer Kris of her children in nature Though our town was about three hours south of the path of totality, […]