#BetterU Blog

How to talk to students about sexting

Chamonix Adams Porter Sexting—digitally sharing sexually explicit messages or pictures—has become a common part of young people’s lives. According to a review of 39 studies, about 15 percent of teens report sending sexts and 27 percent report receiving them (JAMA...

How to help students who feel like an impostor fit in and thrive

Chelsey Taylor The issue Many students experience the impostor phenomenon—a feeling that their successes are due to luck rather than ability and effort. Certain populations are especially vulnerable: ethnic and racial minorities, those from historically marginalized...

The art of being selfishly kind this holiday season

Jon Krop The holidays make me think of two things: (1) lots of talk about kindness and giving and “the holiday spirit,” and (2) lots of stress about travel, family, last-minute work, and other holiday hassles. The problem is that I’m usually too busy dealing with #2...

How to encourage students not to cheat

Macaela Mackenzie & Katie Kretschmer It’s important for issues of academic integrity to be properly dealt with at every high school. But how and why students cheat is rarely a black-and-white matter. As increasing academic pressures and technology in the classroom...

How to help students understand consent

Leila Yoder The idea of getting consent before doing something with someone else’s body or property is a basic one that most of us learned at an early age. Still, when it comes to physical intimacy, sometimes consent can seem confusing or more complicated than it...

How to help students manage their friendships

Macaela Mackenzie & Anna-Marie Jaeschke High school friendships aren’t confined to students’ lives on the weekends—they’re a key part of ensuring student health and success at school. “Healthy friendships are important at every age,” says Dr. Marjorie Hogan, a...