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 thriving during the middle school years.
Joe’s work has been reported across numerous media outlets, including nationally syndicated television morning shows, and a collection of print and online parenting publications.
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, “50 Days and 50 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: Book Talk - A Parents' Guide to the Middle School Years
Audience: Parents
Would your parent community benefit from a practical set of strategies for navigating the middle school years? During the 90-minute book Joe takes the audience on a journey through the middle school years, highlighting each of the book's six essential chapters. Ideal for a middle school transition night in the spring or a welcome back evening in the fall. Parents attending the book talk will leave with answers to their most common questions about the middle school years and strategies for helping their children overcome obstacles. Peer issues, building positive teacher relationships, and staying ahead in school are among the topics Joe discusses.
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, inspiring confidence in your child's day and bringing balance to your child's academic and extracurricular schedule.
Topic: "You ruined my life, again!"
Audience: Parents
When asked about their top concerns during the middle school years parents overwhelmingly reply that staying connected with their child is a continued challenge. Kids naturally want to grow toward independence and develop an identity separate from their parents. Allowing a child room to grow while maintaining an ongoing relationship can be difficult. Learn strategies for staying connected with your changing child.
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.
Topic: OMG POS G2G - Navigating the gauntlet of social networking and safe internet use
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. Learn strategies for setting realistic expectations about your child's use of MySpace or Facebook as well as how to decode the language of today's tech savvy kids.
Topic: Getting Organized for Middle School - 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.
Topic: Bridging the gap between parents and teachers
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-hour 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
