If you're an educator and you're heading back to some form of school — whether remote, live, or combo platter — you may have only micro-seconds to offer to social media today. And at the risk of coming across like the friend who wants one of your fries as soon as you set your plate down, I'm going to ask to borrow one so I can ask you a quick survey question — but it'll be fun, I promise!

Skipping and twirling, Norway, and my Dad — that's what I'd like to talk about today. Don't worry, they fit together by the end. But here's how it starts: I told my ten-year-old daughter that she had to pick a team sport to join.

I start out by saying, "I wish I'd been taught in school the way Special Educators approach their work every day. And not just in kindergarten or third grade — I wish I'd been taught that way in college, too." I'm talking about the way Special Educators take on so many different roles: acting not just as instructors, but as mentors, mind-coaches, and multi-sensory mix-masters of engagement. And so much more. I'm delivering my keynote for a meeting of the New Hampshire Association of Special Education Administrators (NHASEA).

What do pro basketball player Kevin Love and pro football player The Gronk have in common with actor John Hamm and Kristen Bell (aka Veronica Mars)? No, they're not launching a new morning talk show called "Love Gronk Hamm Bell," although I'd probably watch that. But they are all talking about something important — working to dispel the stigma around mental health care.

Judging by the sheer atmospheric density of the charcoal grill smoke here in Chicago, it's almost August. And that means I'm gearing up for my busiest time of year: Back-to-School season! This year i'm kicking things off with a tongue-twisting tour of tumbleweed-free towns in Texas …

Last week I had the honor of performing at one of the largest events on my calendar, doing my education keynote at the SDE (Staff Development for Educators) National Conference for 5,500+ teachers in Las Vegas. It's a nationwide gathering for education professionals to refine skills, stay current, and brush up on the latest developments.

I'm back home from an amazing couple of days at Leon County Schools in Florida last week, doing my thing as an education keynote speaker as well as two helpings of my "3 C's" improv breakout session. And first off, a huge thanks to Chelsea F. Johnson (@thechelseaf on Twitter) for sharing this fun video clip from my performance ...

My friend Scott Dikkers co-founded and was editor of the comedy juggernaut known as The Onion. I was honored to be his guest on a recent episode of his podcast, “How to Write Funny.”

Last month I got to perform for a group of dental professionals, at the Cloud 9 Software Users Meeting in Atlanta. I have some fun anecdotes and photos for you …

I have a couple of stories to tell you about bullying and broken hearts, and the teachers who know how to mend them. But I'll start by saying bravo to Kindergarten teacher Shannon Grimm of Willis ISD in Texas, who adopted a new hairstyle in order to express solidarity with one of her students — a little girl whose cute 'do and bows had drawn teasing and bullying from her peers. 

The story of one educator’s inspired strategy for keeping his classroom calm, and what Dykstra’s Law can teach us about student-teacher relationships and the value of eccentricity.

There's a first time for everything. Personally, I’d never spoken to a group of 900 therapists and counselors before. Now I have. Most of us talk to therapists one at a time, if at all, and we're usually sitting down. But I just got home from doing my keynote appearance for the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, at the AAMFT 2018 Annual Conference. No couch, just a microphone and my slides.

You probably don't know this, but it's Gap-Filler Appreciation Day. No, don't panic — no cards or flowers required. Just a quick story from my "Back to School" tour last month. As I've mentioned before, I always look forward to going on a whirlwind tour of school districts around the country when August rolls around, meeting with teachers and administrators to help them get fired up for the new school year.

This is the story of the special educator who made me one of her special projects. God bless Ms. O'Brien, she’s no longer with us — but her big laugh, huge heart, and bouncy soul still tinkers away in the thousands of former students she taught, listened to, and laughed with.

I was talking recently with Jim Vidak, retiring Superintendent of Schools for Tulare County in California. I did a couple of morale-boosters as an education keynote speaker for the district and staff he’s led so well for so many years. Afterwards, Mr. Vidak told me a story that boosted my own morale.