A 60-Minute Professional Development Experience on the Simple, Robust Strategy that Is Changing Secondary Schools Far and Wide

You'll Learn Strategy #1 from The Will to Learn: Tracking Attempted MGCs

MGC = Moment of Genuine Connection

This strategy is about becoming the teacher who systematically builds Credibility with every single student. It's about expanding our own souls as we seek to value, know, and respect our students. It's about laying the paving stones for an enjoyable and productive learning experience each school year and keeping those stones fresh and clean.

What You'll Walk Away With:

• The fundamentals: I'll Woodenize MGCs for you as an individual practitioner (teacher, counselor, administrator — I've seen all roles use MGCs effectively). How I track them, what I write down, what obstacles I face, how I overcome them, etc.
• The whole-soul power: I'll discuss how I've found MGCs to deepen my soul and expand my experience of the goodness of life (sounds cheesy but it's true)
• The school-level implementation hurdles: I'll share what works best in getting MGCs installed at the baseline “this is who we are, this is what we do” level of faculty culture. (I've seen this happen now in severals schools, e.g., this one.) I'll share what hurdles are common and how to overcome them.
• Answers to your questions: This'll be a chance to get my thoughts on your specific questions and comments.

Who This Is For:

• Secondary teachers drowning in student loads of 100+ kids
• Educators who want better classroom management through relationships, not rules
• Teachers tired of feeling like they don't really know their students
• Anyone who wants to be more intentional and equitable in building student connections
• Veteran educators looking for a systematic approach to something they know matters
• New teachers who want to avoid the burnout trap of unsustainable relationship-building

Sometimes Asked Questions

Why are you doing this?

My goal is to improve the long-term flourishing outcomes of schools (for students and teachers) without sacrificing my life on the altar of success. MGCs are a reliable means toward creating productive, enjoyable relationships with the large number of students I work with as a secondary educator.

Can my school pay for this?

They probably can and I'd appreciate it. The standard sticker price on a workshop like this from me is $100. Many schools have use-it-or-lose-it funding available at this time of year, and often times this is Title II money that's meant for teacher development. If you're game for seeking funding, I can send you documentation re: the sticker price of the event -- just email me: support@davestuartjr.com.

Do you do group pricing?

Sure -- just purchase with what you think is a fair price for your group and enter it at checkout. Please note, however, the number of individual people who will be logging into the Zoom event because my Zoom account only allows 100 people at a time.

Do you do purchase orders?

Yes -- email me (support@davestuartjr.com) with information on how many folks you are seeking to register and at what price. I will respond with an official quote and my W9. Your financial folks will take it from there. Once I have a PO, I'll send an invoice and registration instructions.

Will you cover the content in this seminar in free experiences later on?

I largely have done so already on my blog.

What folks say about Dave's work

If you've never tried one of my offerings before, here are things folks have said about professional development cosmos I create from the chaos of this job:

• "IT'S WORKING! And, it hasn't even been that hard!"
• "I've struggled (hard at times!) about what I should be doing with my life... and your work helped!"
• "Students are getting comfortable doing what most of them didn't want to do - really read, really write, and argue academically. I am most proud of those who struggled with getting started." (Teaching with Articles Course participant)
• "I held my first pop-up debate with my Spanish 1 students today... it was SUCH a success! I was so proud of them today as they debated in a whole new language!"
• "Your work is beautifully affecting students over here in Middletown, Ohio and saving this teacher her sanity!"
• "I never delete the DSJ emails because your tips are useful and practical. And, you normalize all the things we go through -- like the fear of not being ABLE to connect with some students"
• "In the process of implementing your approach, one student early on said 'this is going to be bad - I'm terrible at public speaking.' Last week, he said, 'Look at me, all smart.'"
• "If you choose to take this course, you will sit and share a coffee with Dave while you listen to his articulation of the wisdom and ideas he has synthesized into actionable strategies for improving your teaching game and reducing the stresses that can lead to burnout." (Student Motivation Course alumnus)