Things I’ve Learned About Kids and Teens in 35 Years
Most “difficult” kids are not trying to give adults a hard time. Most are having a hard time.
Behavior almost always has a story.
The loud kid may be hurting.
The class clown may feel invisible.
The angry teen may actually be scared, overwhelmed, lonely, or exhausted.
One safe adult can change the entire direction of a child’s life.
A teacher.
A coach.
A counselor.
A principal.
A bus driver.
A cafeteria worker.
One person who says, “I’m glad you’re here. You matter. I believe in you.”
That stuff sticks.
After 35 years in education and mental health, I still believe this with my whole heart:
Kids need boundaries, but they also need connection.
They need accountability, but not humiliation.
They need expectations, but also emotional safety.
They need adults who see beyond the behavior and into the human being.
Maslow Before Bloom was never about lowering standards. It was about understanding kids.
Hungry kids struggle to learn.
Anxious kids struggle to focus.
Disconnected kids struggle to care.
And despite everything this generation is carrying, I still believe in them very, very much.
#MaslowBeforeBloom #KidsMentalHealth #TeenMentalHealth #MentalHealthAwareness #TraumaInformed #TraumaInformedCare #EducatorLife #TeacherLife #SchoolCounselor #SchoolSocialWorker #SchoolPrincipal #FormerPrincipal #TherapistThoughts #StudentWellbeing #EmotionalWellness #SEL #SocialEmotionalLearning #WholeChild #EveryKidNeedsAChampion #EducationMatters #TeachersOfInstagram #CounselorsOfInstagram #ParentingTeens #PositiveYouthDevelopment #KidsAreNotOkay
Thank A Teacher!
People see the lessons, grading, bulletin boards, and maybe the summers.
What they don’t always see are the thousand little moments in between.
The teacher who somehow becomes part educator, counselor, referee, nurse, tech support, motivational speaker, and detective trying to find a way to reach that distant student or the child quietly struggling behind the smile, the silence, the behavior, or the “I’m fine.”
As a therapist and former principal, I can tell you this… teaching is not just a job. It is a daily act of hope.
Years later, students may forget the worksheet or the test, but they remember the teacher who noticed them, believed in them, gave them another chance, and made them feel safe, seen, capable, and important.
Sometimes the child who was hardest to reach becomes the adult who never forgets the teacher who refused to give up on them. ❤️
#TeacherAppreciationWeek #TeacherAppreciation #TeachersMatter #ThankATeacher #Educators #Teaching #TeachersOfInstagram #TeacherLife #Education #SchoolCulture #TraumaInformed #MaslowBeforeBloom #MentalHealthMatters #StudentSupport #ThereAreNoBadKids #SEL #SocialEmotionalLearning #TeacherWellness #TeacherSupport #FormerPrincipal #SchoolCounselor #EducationMatters #InspiringTeachers #TeachersChangeLives #HeartOfEducation #TeacherGram #EducationQuotes #TeacherMotivation #DrBryanPearlman
Education at its best is not about test scores, standards, or even curriculum. It is about seeing the whole child and helping them rise. When we first meet their most basic human needs and give them safety, love, and belonging (Maslow), only then can they truly learn and grow (Bloom). When we honor their many different gifts and intelligences (Gardner), help them uncover meaning, purpose, and a deeper sense of who they are (Jung), and guide them to understand and manage their emotions with empathy and wisdom (Goleman), we do more than educate—we transform lives. We raise children who are strong, creative, compassionate, resilient, and whole. This is not just a framework. This is a calling, a movement, and a promise: that every child deserves the chance not only to succeed, but to thrive as their fullest, truest self.
From the new book “Maslow Before Bloom - Then Gardner, Jung & Goleman”: https://t.co/J8C2nd9NXK
To all of the educators beginning school this week—thank you. Thank you for your hard work, compassion, and kindness. Thank you for showing up every day for our kids, even when you’re tired, stretched thin, or carrying your own challenges. You are the most important variable in the success of students. Curriculum matters, resources matter, policies matter—but nothing compares to you. Your belief in children, your patience, your creativity, and your care are what turn classrooms into safe havens and opportunities into futures. Here’s to a year of hope, growth, and impact—because of you.
*Who needs to hear this?
Dyscalculia: difficulty in understanding numbers. Dysgraphia: difficulty converting the sounds of language into written form.
Dyspraxia: difficulty affecting physical co-ordination. Dyslexia: difficulty in learning to read or interpret words, letters and other symbols.
Keep this post in your back pocket for when you face a big (or small) decision.
Save it so you can come back to it. Wisdom is in the questions you ask yourself.
Assistant principals: Be proactive, get into classrooms, and offer solutions. Leadership isn’t a title, it’s action. Your goal is to grow into the principal you’re meant to be.
#LeadershipInAction#FuturePrincipal
When a Virginia elementary school took on chronic absenteeism, they found small but consistent steps added up to a big impact.
The result was a 7% increase in attendance over just two months. Learn how they did it via @hthgse:
https://t.co/xYcdOd3Kju