Blog - Seth Perler

Happy Mother’s Day Quotes

Here's some gratitude for all the mom's out there. I want to send a sincere thanks to you for being an awesome mom, for everything you do behind the scenes, for your time, effort, energy, and love. Here are some of my favorite mom quotes... "They are not kidding when they say that mothers are strong women. We need to be strong in more ways than our children will ever know." — M.B. Antevasin "Youth fades; love droops; the leaves of friendship fall; A mother’s secret hope outlives them all." … [Read more...]

Parents – A script for what to ask your child to make sure they are on track for the end of the semester

This semester is going to end in the blink of an eye, and the stakes are high. Many kids who struggle with executive function are at risk of failing classes, which sets in motion a string of consequences. So what can you do? Do this sometime today: Do not lecture, argue, yell, or use logic to convince your child to "get it together" when they are in a defensive or otherwise emotional state. It will fall upon deaf ears and cause more frustration and shame. Have a heart to heart "strategy … [Read more...]

Teaching Ain’t Rocket Science (Part 1)

Teaching is an art. But it's an absolutely tremendous and an astonishingly beautiful art. You see, an artist has spent years committed to developing their extraordinary talents and skills. The great teacher is secretly driven by a simple love of community and belief in humanity. She completely pours her heart into the craft. But most people don't notice this nuance, and that's ok. What's not ok is that tragically, the art of teaching has been bastardized, which has the effect of … [Read more...]

How to bring up grades in a crunch

Note: The vid is 17 minutes long, but trust me, it'll save you so much time and energy, it's absolutely worth it. And... it's pretty good! Download and Print PDF here: Daily habit questions cheat sheet By Seth Perler It's the end of the semester again... It's the end of the semester again, and the predictable pattern for many outside-the-box students rears it's ugly head again. It goes like this... Suddenly, someone, usually a parent, notices that grades have plummeted (even though … [Read more...]

“Whatever!”

Parents, sometimes kids use this word with biting tone. But what exactly does "whatever" mean? What is your child really saying? Often, it's something like this: "Look, I don't know exactly how to say this, but honestly, I don't like what you're saying! I actually feel a bit threatened right now. You are threatening me getting something I want, getting my way, and I don't like it. You see, the amygdala in my brain just got a message that there was a threat to my safety, and although … [Read more...]

Biography of a Struggling Student: My Story

This story may be more than you need to know, but I like to be transparent. I hope this is helpful. Messages As you know, I'm Seth, and you probably won't be surprised to learn that I was the struggling student that I work to help nowadays. Yep, I was "that kid." Kindergarten was fine, but here are some rave reviews quoted directly from my 1st-grade report cards: "Slow worker. Very easily distracted. Loves school. Wants to be helpful. Very short attention span and never really gets into his … [Read more...]

3 Reasons I Hate Testing… And A Lil’ Thank You To The Teachers Who Have To Put Up With It

Teachers don't have a choice (or a voice, for that matter) when it comes to standardized tests - they must proctor these tests or there will be serious consequences. But what's wrong with the tests anyhow? Why are more and more and more people opting out? Well, I have countless problems with testing, but this video scratches the surface by looking at 3: The people who are profiting and benefitting (nope, it's not kids) How the testocracy pressures teachers How testing negatively … [Read more...]

PARENTS, Are Apps For Students Really Worth It?

Please CLICK above to share. Parents, I went on a bit of a rant here, but it ends well! Enjoy. Below is the text from the email that inspired this video... I've reached a peak frustration level with my 2e student. I have attended many parent seminars / conferences / talks / meetings (you get the picture) and after attending yet another last night and leaving frustrated, I thought I'd pose a question: If ALL the experts agree that kids should have limited screen time (especially kids … [Read more...]

Students: Are You Going Through “The Dip” Again? [Video]

"The Dip" is a completely predictable pattern for many outside-the-box students. Here's how it goes: The semester starts strong. Organized, optimistic, ready. Classes seem to go well for a couple of weeks. A couple of things go wrong, but no cause for alarm. Maybe you forgot to study for a couple of quizzes, forgot to do some reading, forgot to do a couple of assignments. BAM! 6-8 weeks into the semester, everything suddenly falls a-p-a-r-t. Perhaps teachers just updated a bunch of … [Read more...]

An Excellent Way To Evaluate Curriculum

Content, Process, and Product Parents and teachers, this video breaks down three extremely helpful concepts used to build curriculum - “Content, Process, and Product”. This will give you a useful filter to can use as you contemplate how well the curriculum meets the needs of your child. Content - What we learn Usually the curriculum. Process - How we learn something One model: AVK Auditory Visual Kinesthetic (This is just scratching the surface, there are many more ways … [Read more...]

Frustrations

1/3 - What frustrates your kids most about YOU? 2/3 - What frustrates your kids most about SCHOOL? 3/3 - What frustrates your kids most about THEMSELVES? Last week I asked my students what frustrated them most about: Parents School Themselves The responses were really interesting and I made 3 short videos with some insights for you. Please *click* to SHARE below. Thanks! … [Read more...]

“He’s not motivated by much of anything”

Here is a set of 3 videos based upon the following email I received from a reader: Hello Seth, I have an 11-year old son in 6th grade, a 2E-type boy (in a "GT" program since 3rd grade and also on a 504), who is not motivated by much of anything. When he wants to, he can do great work, but only when he wants. And, it's never clear what motivates this uptick in more attention to his work. Sometimes, it's the subject matter, as he definitely has his passions. He's very much an out-of-the-box … [Read more...]

The “Organizationally Challenged” [Video 2/3]

Please CLICK above to share. Here's part 2/3. In part 1, I mentioned the following: I recently received this email: My youngest (age 11) is challenged by organization. We’re working together to figure out systems and tools that help align her success in this area.” Well, here in part 2 I will break down how and why you need to have labeled "homes" for everything. Enjoy, and please share. The Homes 7-day Challenge: Try this and let me know how it goes: List the categories of … [Read more...]

The “Organizationally Challenged” [Video 3/3, The Overhaul]

Please CLICK above to share. Here's part 3/3. In part 1, I mentioned the following: I recently received this email: My youngest (age 11) is challenged by organization. We’re working together to figure out systems and tools that help align her success in this area. In part 2 I broke down how and why you need to have labeled "homes" for everything. Here, in part 3, I discuss the difference between "maintainers" and "overhaulers" and tell you how to do regular overhauls. Enjoy, and … [Read more...]

The “Organizationally Challenged” [Video 1/3]

Please CLICK above to share. The "Organizationally Challenged," Video 1 of 3 I recently received this email: My youngest (age 11) is challenged by organization. We’re working together to figure out systems and tools that help align her success in this area. Well, all the students I work with are "organizationally challenged." But what can we do about it? Here is the first in a 3 part mini-series about what works. 30-Day Challenge: Try this and let me know how it goes: … [Read more...]

The Email You Should Definitely Send Your Teachers This Week

The end of the semester is always a time to be cautious, because, as far as grades are concerned, it's a make-it-or-break-it time for many right brained students. In my years of working with these students, I've noticed a very predictable pattern throughout the semester: Student starts the semester off strong, they are often excited for the fresh start. A few weeks in, things seem to be going "fine," but you may have a sense that something is off. "The Dip" happens 6-8 weeks into … [Read more...]

Report Cards

We don't really care about your grades. We're more interested in seeing the important things from you: Your kindness and generosity Your effort and persistence Your ability to pursue things that matter How you walk through your own resistance and avoidance How you take healthy risks How you embrace your "failures" and use them for growth Your capacity for things like gratitude, authenticity and integrity Your personal best Life ain't a dress rehearsal - you have many gifts … [Read more...]

What To Do When You “Think” You Have No Homework (Printable PDF)

“Do you have any homework?” “Nope. Did it in school.” “Are you sure?” “Yep, I’m positive! I have nothing to do.” If this sort of conversation leaves you with an uneasy feeling, it probably should! It takes years for most kids to gain a realistic understanding of what it means to be a “student” and your hunch that something's missing is probably valid. There are many skills to master as a student, and no instruction book on the topic. Many kids pick them up naturally, but many … [Read more...]

7 Tips For Dealing With Daylight Savings & Falling Back

We fall backwards an hour on Sunday November 1. Here are some actionable tips that will help smooth the transition. Be proactive with your clock. Reset your clock the night before to set yourself up for success and make sure you are on time for your events. Set your clock ahead. While you're at it, if you're always running late, this will help you to be more on time. I often recommend 5 minutes, but you may want to do more or less depending on your needs. Beware: people are often very … [Read more...]

3 Quick ways to boost grades

First of all, you should know that I don't even believe in letter grades. They are generally an archaic and ineffective way of communicating useful information about our children's education. They are subject to much interpretation, which is often very misleading. We don't even question the validity of letter grades, instead we blindly continue to accept them as a fact of life. Fortunately, more and more schools are getting creative about developing more authentic and qualitative methods … [Read more...]

2 Essential Tools for Planning Your Writing (Video)

Throughout my 12-year teaching career, writing was, by far, my favorite thing to teach. No, I'm not a great writer myself, but that's not as important as you might think. What is important is that I fell in love with writing, that I understand it's immense value and that I have a toolbox for writing that works for me. And those are my goals for all students I work with: Empower students to fall in love with writing Genuinely and deeply value the art of writing Build a reliable … [Read more...]

FICTION WRITING: Elements of Story (Video)

You MUST understand elements of a story, regardless of grade level, if you are going to be writing fiction at all. Basically, there are 5 elements that every story must have, or it's not a story. The elements are: Character Setting Plot Theme Point of view This video breaks it down in plain English. 💚 Give: Love my work and want to donate? 🎦 YouTube: Visit my official YouTube channel here. Please subscribe, like & comment to support my work. 👉 Share: To … [Read more...]

Habits & how to change them

Please CLICK above to share. Honestly, adults often overwhelm students by trying to change too much too soon. Our kids typically know what needs to be changed, they've heard the lectures, they've gotten more than enough good ideas. Knowledge in and of itself is not enough of a motivator. So the problem is often in changing the actual habit! How do we do that exactly? Much of my job as a coach is to empower students to change habits so they can minimize or eliminate habits that are … [Read more...]

How to use the writing process… In plain English! (Video)

ALL students must learn to write, but this skill is a biggie. There are many common struggles with writing: Not knowing how or where to start Not knowing what to write about Ideas going all over the place Lack of clear ideas etc.. One of the biggest reasons students have ANY of these problems with writing is simply because they don't have a clear understanding of the writing process. This process is something all students should know back and forth, something that should be … [Read more...]

How students can avoid “Guru Syndrome”

Please CLICK above to share. We all want answers, and we want them now! So it's tempting to take advice from an expert, authority or professional when it sounds good. These "gurus" can be very convincing and their advice may work well for many people. But our kids are often very complex and they often need outside-the-box answers. This video sheds some light on this issue. Gurus come in many forms: teachers, administrators, therapists, tutoring centers, educational products, books, … [Read more...]

How School Culture Can Be Optimized

Please CLICK above to share. School culture is a funny thing that we don't talk about enough. It's powerful and the better we build it, the better we educate our kids. But don't put too much stock in school ratings to evaluate the success of school culture. These ratings are immensely misleading and are based on data rather than "feel" a school vibe or tone. Literally stand in a school and just feel how happy the staff and kids. This will tell you everything you need to know. What are the … [Read more...]

How to have the right mindset for school

Please CLICK above to share. Here is a video about having the right mindset for school. I hope you enjoy it, and if you do, please share. In it I explore the purpose of education, the validity of letter grades, standardized testing, self-actualization, authenticity, and my model for looking at students. As a reminder, you will receive an email from me each Sunday telling you about the latest post and any other information (events, updates, etc..) As always, feel free to hit "reply" … [Read more...]

What is Executive Functioning? How Does it Affect My Child? (In Plain English + Free PDF cheatsheet)

Click here take the Executive Function Quiz Why is an article about Executive Function so critical? If your child struggles with school (homework, trouble staying on-task, disorganized, problems with time management, avoidant, resistant, forgetful, overwhelmed, etc.), they probably struggle with Executive Function, and this article is literally the most important article I've written for you. You see, Executive Function is the #1 term parents and teachers must understand in order to help … [Read more...]

Down to the wire – How to pull it together at the end of the school year

Please CLICK above to share. As far as the school year is concerned, it's down to the wire, the pressure is on, the stakes are high. Just a couple more weeks and school is out. If students don't pull it together right now, they will end up retaking classes, going to summer school, missing graduation requirements, etc.. I know because I see the exact same patterns every year. Struggling students are swimming upstream, overwhelmed, don't know where to start, don't know how to study effectively, … [Read more...]

Why every student needs a “Blocker app”

We live in a time when there are more distractions than ever before. So much is vying for out attention and this makes it really challenging for kids to focus on schoolwork (or anything else for that matter). We need tools that work. Computers present a unique challenge because much of the schoolwork students do is done on them. While using this technology for schoolwork is great, there is a strong temptation to think you can multitask with other tabs or apps in the background. Unfortunately, … [Read more...]

Advice from a professional 7th grader

Please CLICK above to share. One of my favorite questions to ask students of any age is, "what advice would you give yo your younger self?" It's the type of open-ended question that empowers people to get really introspective really fast. It helps people come up with their own answers, to gain clarity, to take ownership of their own growth. In this video I am speaking with Diego, a 7th grader I work with. Brilliant kid, uber-creative, outside-the-box thinker, and funny. He has a lot … [Read more...]

There’s failure and then there’s failure. And then… there’s failure.

Yes, three types of failure. 1. The "F" Let's start with the most trite type of failure, but perhaps the most corrosive since it gives birth to a perceptual limit in children that simply does not need to exist. The F. It's a grade, supposedly an assessment of school performance. Letter grades were invented in the 1890s (yes, they're in dire need of modernization). True story: Originally, there was A, B, C, D & E. Teachers were afraid students would think the E meant "excellent" so they … [Read more...]

How to trap a monkey (video)

There's an old story called "How to trap a monkey" which is a great metaphor for life and for working with your obstacles. It's one of those stories you can apply to your life and that you'll remember for many years. 💚 Give: Love my work and want to donate? 🎦 YouTube: Visit my official YouTube channel here. Please subscribe, like & comment to support my work. 👉 Share: To support me, please *CLICK* at the bottom to share on FB or Pinterest. ✏️ EF101: Here's my jumpstart course … [Read more...]

24 Tips for better sleep

Far too many of my students have sleep problems, yet good sleep is one of the foundations for optimizing brain function and learning. Fortunately, after talking with countless students about this issue, it's good to know that they often value the relationship between sleep and how they function emotionally, cognitively and physically. They understand that the price to pay for poor sleep is huge. But taking action is another story. What can we do to help them take action that works? First, … [Read more...]

How to deal with spring fever insanity

Here's the scoop: Spring has sprung and things are getting crazy. Energy is escalating. Teachers are getting tired from the long year, their plates are piling up with end of year tasks. Students are burnt out from testing. End of year assignments/projects/tests piling up. Everyone wants to be outside. It is even more difficult to focus. Struggling students are more at risk because the end of the school year is closing in very fast. What to do about it? Double down. Do … [Read more...]

“Stop Stealing Dreams”

If you haven't read this yet, it's time. It's called Stop Stealing Dreams (What is School For?) by Seth Godin. It's one of my favorites, something I've read several times. I consider it a must-read for anyone interested in education that works. It's a 200 page manifesto in PDF format. Download it and dive in when you get time (at least read the first few pages this week to get a taste for it). Enjoy... You can read it here: Stop Stealing Dreams (What is School For?) What are some of your … [Read more...]

Finally! (A personal note to you)

Hello! Here's a more personal video for you, my awesome audience. Please check it out. What's it about? Finally, I finished my Student Success Toolkit minicourse. It's intended to give brand new subscribers 5 of my favorite tools. But if you are subscribed to my blog already, I want you to have access as well. I will be sending the series to you via email for the next 6 days (day 1 is the intro, days 2-6 each cover one tool/day). I hope you like it, and I'd LOVE to get your feedback! In … [Read more...]

The brilliant 3-ring conception of giftedness, Joseph Renzulli

Regardless of whether or not a student is identified as gifted, Joseph Renzulli's 3 ring model is an extraordinary framework for understanding learning. In this video I explain the 3-ring conception and how it relates to executive function. It breaks down the 3 elements necessary in order to have "gifted behaviors." Here's the model: Love my work and want to give? Click here! To support me, please CLICK at the bottom to share. Click here to visit my official YouTube Channel … [Read more...]

What’s your Prioritization Style?

How to get better with priorities Every week I work with the most amazing group of outside-the-box learners. All are right-brained students who struggle with some combination of executive function issues. In a nutshell, they learn differently. We work on homework, organization, time management, emotional regulation, social issues, etc.. Last week, one of my high schoolers asked, "how should I prioritize my homework so I can get it done more efficiently?" This is a great question, and here's … [Read more...]

The Homework Continuum Deluxe (why homework isn’t just one thing)(Video)

Please CLICK above to share. Odd as this may sound, students who struggle with homework aren't just struggling with homework. They're struggling with many things that have a lot to do with "executive function." Executive function refers to the brain's ability to "execute" a complex task. In the case of homework, which sounds like 1 single task, there are actually many subtasks that must be done in order to successfully complete it. This series of subtasks is what I call The Homework … [Read more...]

Backpack overhaul 101: Your new best friend (Video)

Today I’m going to teach you exactly how and why I teach students to do a regular “backpack overhaul” and why it’s a critical tool for student success. Trust me, this is one of the best game-changers. How long the overhaul takes: 1 hour the first time you do an overhaul. 15 minutes once a week after that. Age: I teach ALL of my students to do this, elementary through grad school. About my students: The students I work with are notoriously outside-the-box thinkers who struggle with … [Read more...]

How I successfully teach students to make a "daily plan" (Video)

This won’t come as a surprise to you, but the students I work with aren’t exactly great with planning. In fact, they usually resist it. But here’s a problem, because learning to plan is absolutely essential for every single student in order to prepare for independence in life, regardless of the type of work they eventually go into. "Quit bugging me! I know what I'm doing" These students want more and more independence but still lack the tools to manage independently. They also tend to be very … [Read more...]

The magic of meditation, a true story

I have practiced various forms of meditation for many years and I began to experiment with it after I was in a coma that nearly killed me. After the coma, I began having panic and anxiety attacks that grew in frequency and intensity. This happened because during the coma, my lungs shut down, I couldn't breathe, so I was on a respirator for 9 days. My brain was storing important information about how dangerous it was to "lose my breath". My anxiety was part of how my brain and body were trying … [Read more...]

4 Education changemakers that I love and that you should definitely know about

For those of you who know me, you know I am an extremely mission driven human being. I'm deeply committed to education, to my belief that it is the key to a great life. And I'm cynical, I become very disturbed by anything that I feel gets in the way of education (like massive testing, textbook and curriculum companies who place profit before kids). I seek to help change education so it does a much better job of meeting the real needs of ALL children, including outside-the-box thinkers. I spend … [Read more...]

Unmotivated kids

Procrastination. Dragging your feet. Putting it off. Avoidance. Resistance. Motivation is overrated We like to think that if we can just figure out how to motivate our kids properly, a mental switch will flip and they'll realize how much easier it is. But it doesn't happen that way with a lot of kids. Learning how to walk through resistance tends to happen painfully slowly. Our children often want to convince us that they need to wait until they feel motivated. They claim they … [Read more...]

What in the world are we doing anyhow?

Welcome to 2015. I want to start the year off by stepping back to take a look at what we're doing with education. As I reflect on my past year, I keep coming back to why I do what I do. I help kids because I believe deeply in the power in education to open doors. Not "school," but education. By this, I mean to give learners what they need to have a great life now, while preparing them for a great future. How well are we doing this? Too often we miss the boat. Kids fall through the … [Read more...]

How to begin spring semester the right way

Here's a 7 minute video where I share how I help prep students for the spring semester. Of course many students won't want to do this. After all, it's not exactly fun. But the amount of energy and frustration it will save makes it well worth it. Not to mention, it will help you have a much more successful semester, ultimately giving you more free time to do what you want. Here are the main keys: 1. Bring everything home; books, folders, papers, everything from the desk or locker, etc.. (if you … [Read more...]

Winter Break 101 (Video)

It's break. Everyone's more than ready to get away from the daily grind... Students, teachers, parents, admin. You deserve this break. In fact, you need it. This time is about your needs. You need time to recharge, relax, revive, rejuvenate. Self-care is critical, and is not selfish. If fact it's one of the most unselfish things you can do. Here are some ideas: 1. Chill. Don't think about school. Come up for air. Relax. Unwind. Rejuvenate. Recharge. Let go of the agenda mindset. 2. … [Read more...]

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