How power is shared—or is not shared—lies at the heart of every relationship. “Sharing power” is not the same as “equal power.” It also doesn’t mean we let kids make all their own decisions. Adults should—and do— have more power than kids. Part of the role of an adult is to teach them, guide them, […]
We all need support in life. And supporting youth is especially important as they go through the ups and downs of growing up. Often young people turn to their parents and peers for support, but at other times they seek help from other adults in their life. So what’s the best way to support young […]
“Sometimes those who challenge you most teach us best.” Anonymous Biosphere 2 is a research experiment that recreates earth’s ecosystem, including plants and trees. Through Biosphere 2’s research, scientists found that although trees grew faster in the indoor environment than they did outdoors, they would collapse under their own weight before they’d reach maturity. This […]
As adults who work with young people, we understand the importance of showing kids that we care about them. As Teddy Roosevelt reportedly said, “Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care.” That’s why Express Care leads the list of our Developmental Relationships Framework. A developmental relationship is a research-based […]
Many young people are passionate about changing the world we live in. When adults support young people as they organize to create social change, they are sharing power, one of the five elements of a developmental relationship. Whether it’s an organized protest or simply stepping forward to speak about something they believe in, activism can help […]
On Saturday, March 24, thousands of young people will gather in Washington, DC, and other cities across the country and around the world for the March for Our Lives demonstration to end gun violence in our communities and schools. Many educators and youth development leaders are thrilled that young people are “finding their voice” on a […]
Almost a century ago, the Lebanese American poet Kahlil Gibran wrote: Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself. They come through you but not from you, And though they are with you yet they belong not to you. (The Prophet, 1923) Gibran’s words capture perhaps […]
At many schools across the United States, it’s parent-teacher conference time. Although being able to collaborate with parents is important, conference night can sometimes leave both parties feeling like they were unable to have a productive meeting due to the rushed nature and limited timeframe of the event. Search Institute’s work with families has given […]
A few weeks ago, I led a workshop on family engagement for prevention specialists. I asked them what makes engaging families challenging. Here are some typical responses: Families are busy. The cycles of dysfunction in so many families. Every family is different. It’s hard to access families. Families don’t want help. Finding transportation to participate […]
1. Instead of messaging to families, start with listening to families In too many cases, efforts to engage families begin with policy makers, researchers, and professionals determining what families need to do, and then developing messages that will generate “buy-in,” support, and participation. But whenever we authentically take time to listen to and build an […]
