Keeping Up: Why Teachers Must Be the Role-Models in the SEL Revolution Written By: Ryan McCormick When I talk with educators about social and emotional learning (SEL), I often hear a familiar sentiment: “It’s just one more thing on our already full plates.” And I understand that feeling. Teaching today means managing content, behavior, relationships, […]
Month: September 2026
Admitting Mistakes: A Powerful Act of Leadership
Admitting Mistakes: A Powerful Act of Leadership Written By: Jim Grout “That was a decision I made, in retrospect, it wasn’t the best one, and I want to apologize for doing it in isolation. I’d welcome your input on how to correct it—or whether we should do away with it entirely.” These are the words […]
Beyond Posters: Evolving to Our Value Agreements in Experiential Education
Beyond Posters: Evolving to Our Value Agreements in Experiential Education Written By: Ryan McCormick In many experiential education settings, facilitators will invite participants into a process of co-creating a list of shared values with words like; respect, trust, responsibility, and, of course, humor. This is followed up by asking participants to commit to them in […]
Deep Listening in a Fast-Paced World
Deep Listening in a Fast-Paced World Written By: Jim Grout I recently did a book presentation with an audience of about forty people. Many of the folks in attendance had history with one another as long time neighbors, friends and acquaintances. As part of the evening program, we did a partner exercise that asked the […]
Beyond the Comfort Zone: Rethinking Challenge Through Support
Beyond the Comfort Zone: Rethinking Challenge Through Support Written By: Ryan McCormick For years, many of us in education and experiential learning have referenced a familiar visual: a set of concentric circles labeled comfort, stretch, and panic. It’s a model that has helped generations of educators think about growth, challenge, and risk-taking. It gave us […]
When in Doubt… Let Them Play! The Power of Self-Directed Play
When in Doubt… Let Them Play! The Power of Self-Directed Play Written By: Jim Grout Almost every day this summer on a small island in Maine, I ride my bicycle by a young group of kids playing. It attracts my attention because it’s a scene from my own childhood that doesn’t happen much anymore. There […]
Building a Better World Through Intentional Connection
Building a Better World Through Intentional Connection Written By: Jim Grout In my book, When In Doubt… Give Them Your Heart I define connection as the essential starting point for all our work. I also pose the question; “How do you intentionally create space for connection?” On June 18, 2026, the Obama Presidential Center held […]