Today, host John Norlin shares a strategy called the Kid in the Middle, a simple, low-burden approach to recognizing the students who rarely get attention in either direction. By calling home to compliment a family member on a positive trait their child brings to the classroom, educators can make an impact that lasts far longer than they might expect.

He also explains why this matters most for the students who never cause problems and never stand out. For many of their families, a positive call from school may be the first one they have ever received across an entire K-12 experience.

In this conversation, John offers important reminders for educators and leaders:

The students most likely to be overlooked are not the ones causing problems or earning top grades. They are the ones quietly in the middle, and they deserve intentional recognition too.
A phone call home that compliments a student's character costs less than five minutes and can stay with a family for years.
Families of middle-of-the-road students often go an entire school career without receiving a single positive call from school. That is worth changing.

Learn More About CharacterStrong:

In this conversation, John offers important reminders for educators and leaders:

The students most likely to be overlooked are not the ones causing problems or earning top grades. They are the ones quietly in the middle, and they deserve intentional recognition too.
A phone call home that compliments a student's character costs less than five minutes and can stay with a family for years.
Families of middle-of-the-road students often go an entire school career without receiving a single positive call from school. That is worth changing.

Learn More About CharacterStrong:

How One Phone Call Home Can Change a Fam...