Breaking It Down: The “L” in R.E.A.L., Part 1

Breaking It Down: The “L” in R.E.A.L., Part 1

R.E.A.L.® Discussion is a professional development program that equips faculty to teach, measure, and celebrate discussion skills  – which students use in the classroom, in the cafeteria, on the court, and, even, at the grocery store (said one sixth grade girl) and on dates (shared a ninth grade boy)!  The system is based on the…

Why Teachers Deserve Instructional Coaches: 5 Questions with Emily Gromoll

Why Teachers Deserve Instructional Coaches: 5 Questions with Emily Gromoll

Teachers don’t always get the feedback they want and need. At R.E.A.L.®, we’re trying to change that with our program that offers on-demand instructional coaching for the educators within our network.  We sat down with R.E.A.L.® Director of Program Emily Gromoll to chat about feedback: what it typically looks like for teachers, what it would…

Why Asking Matters: A Conversation with Jeff Wetzler

Why Asking Matters: A Conversation with Jeff Wetzler

Jeff Wetzler is the co-founder and co-CEO of Transcend, an organization that strives to support school communities as they create extraordinary, equitable learning environments, and the author of Ask: Tap Into the Hidden Wisdom of People Around You for Unexpected Breakthroughs in Leadership and Life. What follows is a conversation between Jeff and R.E.A.L. ®…

R.E.A.L.® Teacher Feature: Matt Tilford & Jack Fischer

R.E.A.L.® Teacher Feature: Matt Tilford & Jack Fischer

Thank you to Matt Tilford and Jack Fischer for sharing their REAL lives with us!  Matt and Jack teach history at Woodward Academy in Atlanta, Georgia. Here are their thoughts on discussion, R.E.A.L.®, and learning. Names/Hometowns: Matt Tilford: Joshua Tree, CaliforniaJack Fischer: St. Louis, Missouri Current School: Woodward Academy in Atlanta, Georgia Can you describe…

Announcing the 2nd Annual R.E.A.L.® Discussion National Student Essay Contest

Announcing the 2nd Annual R.E.A.L.® Discussion National Student Essay Contest

Today’s teens spend close to 9 hours per day in front of screens – and devices aren’t going away any time soon. The results of so much screen time (the equivalent of a full work week!) are varied and complex – and one consequence is that today’s kids spend much more time than previous generations…

Let’s Talk About It: Designing Discussions Where Extroverts Practice Listening and Introverts Practice Talking

Let’s Talk About It: Designing Discussions Where Extroverts Practice Listening and Introverts Practice Talking

For today’s students, discussion skills are critical. Yet, as teachers know too well: engaging introverts and extroverts in class discussion can be a challenge. Our research and methods show that it’s possible — and students see the impact immediately. In this whitepaper, we examine: Read on to learn more.

R.E.A.L.® Teacher Feature: Shaila Richmond & William Berry

R.E.A.L.® Teacher Feature: Shaila Richmond & William Berry

Thank you to Shaila Richmond & William Berry for sharing their REAL lives with us! Shaila and William teach seventh grade English and History, respectively, at St. Catherine’s School in Richmond, Virginia. Here are their thoughts on discussion, R.E.A.L.®, and learning. Names/Hometowns: Shaila Richmond and William Berry, Richmond, VA Current School: St. Catherine’s School Can…

Why Our Interns Love Working at R.E.A.L.® 

Why Our Interns Love Working at R.E.A.L.® 

One of the best parts of R.E.A.L.® Discussion is our intern program. As we work tirelessly to create meaningful, usable, research-backed programming for Gen-Z students, we have on our team a slate of bright, passionate Gen-Z college students who help our company run. Unlike some other internships, ours embraces, empowers, and relies upon interns –…

Communication is the Basis of Relationships: a Conversation with Susanne Carpenter

Communication is the Basis of Relationships: a Conversation with Susanne Carpenter

Susanne Carpenter is the founder and principal at Carpenter Leadership, a leadership consulting and executive coaching firm that helps leaders and leadership teams become high-performing and strategy-focused. What follows is a conversation between Susanne and R.E.A.L. ® Founder Liza Garonzik. This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.  Liza: Susanne, we’re so excited to have…