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From High School to the Police: A Story of Connection

Here I am again standing before the school’s morning meeting trying to get the attention of about 50 bleary eyed teenagers. I walk back and forth down the length of the narrow room. “Off the screen, Samantha.” I say to the girl transfixed by her phone. “Good morning, Bill.” I say too loudly and a bit too cheerfully to the …

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Your Words Have Power

A cautionary tale illustrating how only nine words limited my mother’s whole life, quoted from a phone call I had with her when she was 100 years old. As educators, therapists, and coaches it can be easy to minimize the power of our words on someone else’s life. Interpersonal neurobiology is showing us why our words are so important, how …

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The Invisible Classroom

The Invisible Classroom: Relationships, Neuroscience & Mindfulness in School, By Kirke Olson Published by W. W. Norton & Company, Available here and in bookstores everywhere The book provides practical understandable principles drawn from research in neuroscience, human relationships, and mindfulness, illustrated with true stories drawn from the real imperfect world of education, and offers realistic ideas for classroom applications in …