P.A.S.S.I.O.N.

That's the word I'd use if I had to try to explain who Ron Clark is in just one word. Ron Clark lives life with passion. He exudes passion. He is a role model for passion. And he has surrounded himself with equally passionate people. He first became my hero after I read The Essential 55. It's basically 55 manners and skills that he advocates we teach our students for lifelong success. With his permission, we've adapted 36 of them as our Manners of the Week.

    When I saw the Ron Clark Movie with Matthew Perry, he became my hero again. Then I read The Excellent 11 right before I had the opportunity to hear him speak IN. REAL. LIFE. That's the day his Superhero status skyrocketed. He's the kind of speaker who gets up on table tops to make his point, that's how passionate Ron Clark is. His energy and enthusiasm are contagious like no other educator I have experienced. And he's a TON of FUN!  Look how ecstatic I was to actually meet him in person and pose for a picture. He is spot on and he is so R-E-A-L! 

     So now I'm halfway through his new book entitled The End of Molasses Classes and experiencing the essential and excellent Ron Clark all over again. Do yourself a favor and check out this treasure trove; it's filled with simple strategies and tried-and-true tips that you can use in your parenting or teaching starting now to connect with and captivate the little leaders that you live with, learn from, and love.