Parents have a wonderful opportunity during this interval when their kids are at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic to nurture their kids creativity.  This isn’t something that the schools really put an big emphasis on (in fact, studies suggest that teachers would prefer not to teach creative kids because their outspokeness and out-of-the-box thinking...Read More

What kind of an arts program does your child’s school have?  Is it one where kids color in turkeys from identical worksheets?  Or, is it instead a rich program of expressive painting and sculpture, dramatics, dance, and music?  Since 2008, more than 80% of schools nationwide have experienced cuts to their budgets, and many of...Read More

I have a new article on the site MiddleWeb, which focuses on the importance of understanding recent brain research and how it can inform the creation of ”brain friendly” practices for young adolescents.  I was a junior high school teacher, a professor of courses in childhood and adolescent development, and a consultant to middle schools,...Read More

Published on Feb 8, 2017 This is Video #11 in my 12-part video series based on my book The Power of the Adolescent Brain: Strategies for Teaching Middle and High School Students In this video I focus on using expressive arts activities for channeling burgeoning teenage energies. I explain how the adolescent’s limbic system or...Read More