As a nationally recognized author, former classroom teacher, now university professor and parent educator, Joe brings innovation, energy, recognition and high standards to both his presentations and his work as co-founder of Thinking Forward, the online resource for confidently pursuing the middle school years.
Joe’s work has been reported across numerous media outlets, including the nationally syndicated morning show The Daily Buzz and a collection of print and online parenting publications across the nation.
His background as a teacher and coach paved the way to his first book title, A Parents’ Guide to the Middle School Years, published by Ten Speed Press, and two DVDs, “100 Days and 100 Ways to Thrive During the Middle School Years” and “Confident, Connected and Challenged – The 3 C’s to Thriving During the Middle School Years”.
Presentation and Seminar Reviews
“In this day and age it is refreshing to see someone tune into teens other than their parents. All of these woes & worries of our teens of course become the parents as well! Thank you for the life lines!” ~ Cindy, middle school parent, Las Vegas, NV
“Thank you for last night’s meeting "Confident, Connected and Challenged”. Joe was an engaging speaker. I enjoyed this presentation, found new tips and even validation on the things that we are already doing! It's so encouraging to know as well that there is practical help & support out there!” ~ Lisa, elementary school parent, Santa Barbara, CA
“We had our first check in meeting last Sunday with my daughter and wife. Frankly, I wasn't looking forward to it. It seemed a bit artificial, contrived. It turns out that it was an overwhelming success. In fact, my daughter wants to do more than one a week.” ~ Jeff, middle school parent, Chicago, IL
“Thank you so much for being my coach. It has been invaluable and I am so grateful.”
~ Marianne, middle school parent, San Diego, CA
Presentation and Seminar Topics
Each topic can be structured as a 2 hour presentation or as part of an interactive, half-day seminar. To inquire about scheduling a presentation or seminar, email us or call Joe directly.
Email address: Joe@thinking-forward.com
Phone: 
805-889-2142
Topic: Confident, Connected and Challenged – The 3 C’s to Thriving During the Childhood Years
Audience: Parents
Progressing through the childhood years can leave parents wondering how to best support their child. Staying connected with your child, amidst the weekly homework load and a full slate of afterschool activities, can become a daily struggle. Inspiring confidence and the pursuit of challenging goals can be a difficult balance to achieve.
Learn strategies for:
Building a team of supportive teachers, coaches and mentors for your child
Communicating with your changing child
Inspiring confidence beyond the school day
Bringing balance to your child’s academic and extracurricular schedule
Topic: In Pursuit of Passion – Guiding a Child’s Energy, Enthusiasm and Effort
Audience: Parents
Sifting through the buffet of activites and opportunities facing today's children can be overwhelming. Busy afterschool schedules, filled with a buffet of opportunity, leave many kids feeling overwhelmed. Sifting through what your child could do, to find an activity or interest of true passion is a challenge all parents face. Connecting a child with something they are truly passionate about has the potential to open life long interests.
Learn strategies for:
Identifying barriers that prohibit kids from passionate pursuits
Connecting kids with engaging and inspiring interests
Inspiring effort and perseverance
Topic: Helicopters to Hummingbirds – The Changing Role of Parents During the Childhood Years
Audience: Parents and Educators
Oprah’s O Magazine brought the plight of helicopter parents to the forefront of teen parenting in a recent feature article. The message to parents, “Hovering too close negates a child’s ability to take responsibility for everyday activities, and leaves them unprepared to meet the challenges of life as an independent adult.” The transition to adolescence remains one of life’s greatest challenges for both kids and parents. As children struggle to achieve independence and a unique identity, parents meet an equally daunting task. Acknowledging a child’s need for independence often leaves parents feeling alone and detached from their child’s life. Learning how to stay connected with your child while encouraging independence takes a new set of parenting skills. Presented as a positive, light-hearted look at how parents can support a child's move to independence, this presentation resonates clearly with parents and educators alike.
Learn strategies for:
Encouraging independence and responsibility in your child
Maintaining a positive connection with your child
Building confidence in your ability to let go
Topic: Gasoline, Chainsaws and the Internet – Navigating Social Networks and Safe Internet Safaris
Audience: Parents and Educators
Born into the world of cell phones and cyberspace, children of today’s millennial generation live seamlessly with technology. A parent’s knowledge of the internet is often far less than their child’s, a position that leaves children vulnerable and parents in the dark about how to best guide their children in safe internet use. Social networking web sites like MySpace and Facebook have parents wondering:
Learn strategies for:
Safe internet browsing and social networking
Setting expectations for Facebook and MySpace use
Identifying and reporting cyberbullying and internet abuse
Staying connected with your tech-savvy child
Topic: Unraveling the Mystery Behind Club Sports
Audience: Parents
The days of stick ball in the park now seem like a distant memory for many kids. Six-year-olds playing on swingsets have given way to sixty-game baseball schedules and weekend tournaments. The draw to compete in club sports now spans the elementary, middle and high school years. Nearly every sports discipline from baseball to jumprope offers a competitive level of participation. Many parents enter into a club sports organization without full knowledge of the travel, practice and monetary commitment. Beyond the leap in commitment most organizations expect, kids often find themselves stretched to meet their academic obligations after a long school day and evening practice schedule.
Learn strategies for:
Identifying the ideal coach and club environment for your child and family
Balancing extracurricular commitments with academic expectations
Preventing burnout
Finding answers to questions the club won’t give you
Communicating effectively with your child’s coach
Topic: How did my Child become so Disorganized? The Basics of Organization and Time Management
Audience: Parents and Educators
Middle school marks the start of a transition toward independence for children and their parents. Rigorous class schedules, an increased homework load and the addition of a bevy of afterschool activities can throw kids (and parents) into a tailspin. A new set of strategies for managing activities and time can reduce the stress kids feel, allowing for a fun and rewarding middle school experience.
Learn strategies for:
Minimizing stress in your child’s life
Managing an increasingly strenuous course load
Fostering independence and responsibility
Mangaging time and commitments
Topic: Building Positive Relationships with Parents
Audience: Educators
Each parent comes to the classroom with a unique experience of what it means to have been a student. Unfortunately, parental expectations about what a teacher should be can lead to strained relationships between parents and teacher throughout the year; ultimately affecting a child's ability to learn. Recognizing a parent's role in the learning process while acknowledging the importance of a teacher's expertise can be a difficult balance to achieve.
Do conversations with parents leave your teachers feeling anxious?
Have parents expressed an increased desire to partner in their child's education?
Have teachers become resistant to parent comments or suggestions?
Learn strategies for:
Building relationships that recognize both parents and teachers for their role in learning.
Negotiating difficult parent-teacher conversations
Staying connected with unresponsive or overly responsive parents
Rethinking the traditional parent-teacher conference
Each topic can be structured as a 2-hiour presentation or as part of an interactive, half-day seminar. To inquire about scheduling a presentation or seminar, email us or call us directly.
Email address: Joe@thinking-forward.com
Phone: 805-889-2142
