When I returned to teaching after taking a 20-year hiatus to raise my own children, I had an opportunity to take over a sixth-grade class during the last six weeks of school. When first entering the room, I dodged ricocheting spitballs—not a prime situation for success. I knew I needed a strategy fast. I thought if I focused my attention … Read More
By Barbara A. Lewis, author of The Teen Guide to Global Action Students at the University of Michigan in 1960 must have caught their breath when John F. Kennedy challenged them to contribute two years of their lives in volunteer work. What? Two years? Within weeks of his inauguration, President Kennedy established the Peace Corps in 1961. Any U.S. citizen … Read More
In July 2013, I was invited by Dr. James Sutton of the Changing Behavior Network to discuss how to help teens build character. Over two sessions totaling nearly 45 minutes, we discussed my book, What Do You Stand For? For Teens, and the importance of character development and how to share it. Part 1 – Post and audio interview Part 2 … Read More
I love to share with people my passion for character development. Recently, I was invited to speak with Dr. James Sutton at the Changing Behavior Network and discuss how nature provides us with analogies for building character. You can read the post here and also listen to the program.
I’m really excited about my most recent book, Building Character with True Stories from Nature. Each of the 25 lessons describes a particular plant or animal and its distinctive qualities. The stories are engaging and written to kids. One of my favorites is about Lulu, a heroic pot-bellied pig that saves it’s owners life! Listen as Heidi from Free Spirit News … Read More