Teach Different

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 m...

Is patience a virtue? Adults praise the importance of patience, telling kids that if they are patient and work hard over time, they'll be in a position to accomplish great things. Success doesn't comes easily, and it's important to develop a growth mindset to persevere. Sometimes a person's life experiences teach the opposite lesson; that going after what you want quickly and aggressively will lea...

Do you have control over your own success? Character development is at least as important as the development of academic skills. A strong character fuels self-discipline and self-motivation, both of which are important catalysts for success in life. Character development is hard work, especially when a person’s difficult life circumstances get in the way. Join Steve and Dan Fouts for an unforgetta...

Should great leaders follow? Students understand the dynamics of leadership firsthand, both from the perspective of being a follower of their teachers and being role models for their peers. They have strong opinions about how leaders should behave and what ethical responsibilities they should have to others. It’s important to give students space to reflect upon the qualities of good leadership. Jo...

How do we know when forgiveness is the right thing to do? Students know what it feels like to be hurt. When they are hurt, they have choices to make about how to treat the people who hurt them. These choices give them opportunities to demonstrate empathy and respect for others and to preserve relationships, or break them off. Forgiveness is a moral choice which strikes at the heart of ethical deci...

Do you need to work with other people to be successful? The ability to work in a team is touted by teachers, employers, and coaches as an indispensable skill. Alone, people can accomplish great things, but when people work as a team the potential for success skyrockets. Students know this in theory, but when it comes to accepting the reality of working with others who have different styles and mot...

Should we always tell the truth? Honesty is a character trait to which most people aspire. With honesty comes trust and respect from others. Without it comes fear, suspicion and betrayal. Students face daily ethical choices over whether or not they should pursue the path of honesty. Join Steve and Dan Fouts for an unforgettable conversation about honesty that you can recreate in your classroom usi...

What does respect look like in the classroom? According to Emerson the key to learning is respecting the student. The learner has the keys to learning and teachers can teach anything by acknowledging the wisdom of students. Join Steve and Dan Fouts for an unforgettable conversation about respect that you can recreate in your classroom using the Teach Different 3-Step Method. Whether you are a teac...

Should our feelings be the guide for our actions? Ask some people and they'll tell you to listen to your gut when you make decisions.  Ask others, and they'll say the mind. But no one really knows who the best teacher is. Join Steve and Dan Fouts for an unforgettable conversation about self-motivation that you can recreate in your classroom using the Teach Different 3-Step Method. Whether you...

Can you be happy without freedom? Happiness is about the most personal thing there is, and it comes in many shapes and sizes. If you ask Susan B. Anthony, it always involves freedom. Independence gives us the greatest joy. Join Steve and Dan Fouts for an unforgettable conversation about freedom that you can recreate in your classroom using the Teach Different 3-Step Method. Whether you are a teach...

What's the best way to earn respect? We all want respect. It's how we know we matter. You might think there a lot of ways to earn respect but if you ask Confucius, there is only one true way, respect yourself, and others will respect you. Tell that to an enemy who doesn't care what you think of yourself. They want you to show them you deserve respect. Join Steve and Dan Fouts for an unforgettable...

How do we know when someone is telling the truth? ; The truth is, we never really know. Chief Joseph's quote states that you could get a good idea by how many words they use. The more we keep talking, the less we can be trusted. Join Steve and Dan Fouts for an unforgettable conversation about communication that you can recreate in your classroom using the Teach Different 3-Step Method. Whether you...

How do we know when to be silent? There are times when words are helpful and there are times when we talk too much. According to civil rights activist Audre Lorde, you have to speak up, especially when you see an injustice. Your silence will never protect you. Join Steve and Dan Fouts for an unforgettable conversation about self-expression that you can recreate in your classroom using the Teach Di...

Should we question what we are sure of? Everyone thinks they know something, and we all question some things, but very few people question what they think they know. Socrates declared that he knows he knows nothing. If this is tying your mind in pretzels, just think about what you value more, confidence or humility. Join Steve and Dan Fouts for an unforgettable conversation about humility that you...

Is goal-setting necessary for success? Success doesn't come easy. We all know that. But, not everybody would agree with Lao Tzu, that goals themselves are the problem. To Lao Tzu, in order to be good at something you have to give up your goals and appreciate the moments you have along the way. Join Steve and Dan Fouts for an unforgettable conversation about goal-setting that you can recreate in yo...

How do we know when to have hope? One of the hardest skills to develop is the ability to see the world from different perspectives. This skill is especially difficult during crises like the Coronavirus where all around us we see despair, social dislocation and loneliness. Everything tells us to lose hope. It is during these hard times, however, that we have fresh opportunities to see differently i...

How do we know when we should intervene to solve problems? For most of us, when we see a problem, we try to solve it. The father of medicine, Hippocrates, suggests we hesitate. Some problems fix themselves and the best remedy is to leave them alone. Join Steve and Dan Fouts for an unforgettable conversation about problem solving that you can recreate in your classroom using the Teach Different 3-S...

How do we know when we should put others ahead of ourselves? Everybody wants to get ahead. No one wants to be left behind. Dr. Seuss reminds us that there is so much to find when we don't fall behind. Let's just hope that we don't get too ambitious and forget about our responsibility to others. Join Steve and Dan Fouts for an unforgettable conversation about ambition that you can recreate in your...

Should we have the freedom to disobey rules? Some people think that freedom gets in the way, that we should all conform because that's what rules are for. Ask Henry David Thoreau and you'll get a very different response to this question. Disobeying is exactly what we should be doing. That's what freedom is. Which argument wins out when it comes to wearing masks in a pandemic? Join Steve and Dan Fo...

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 self-esteem. Friendship advice from parents, coaches and other authority figures often go unheard because they conflict wi...

Is doing the right thing the best way to influence others? There are people in power, and there are people who want to do right. These two people are not always the same. Lincoln claims that doing what's right is what gives us power, but what happens when there is a rule or a law we have to follow that we think is unfair? Join Steve and Dan Fouts for a conversation on power using the Teach Differe...

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 fresh re-evaluation of values. Students must determine whether to see hardship as a barrier or an opportunity, and accept t...

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 happiness actually is can help students become more self-aware of what they value in life. Join Steve and Dan Fouts for an...

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...

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-like focus on individual needs. Other times, the selfless attitude leads the way. Making wise and balanced decisions about...