The CharacterStrong Podcast

Today, John Norlin and Houston Kraft mark the launch of Season 9 of the CharacterStrong Podcast by digging into a framework that was unpacked this summer around what it actually takes to cultivate the conditions where students and adults can thrive. They also reflect on what nine seasons of conversations with educators have made clear, that the leaders who create lasting change share three consistent traits: they are passionate about the work, they build systems rather than chase goals, and they stay with it long after the initial energy fades. In this conversation, John and Houston offer important reminders for educators and leaders: Before adding anything new, leaders have to ask what needs to be removed first. Invasive ideas and programs crowd out the things that are actually meant to thrive. Preparation precedes growth. Watering the soil before planting, building belonging and culture before instruction begins, changes what is possible once the work starts. The initiatives worth investing in are the ones that give back as much as they take. If something only costs the people doing it, it will not last. Passion, systems, and persistence are the through line across nine seasons of educators doing work that matters. Goals without systems and staying power rarely move the needle. Learn More About CharacterStrong: Access FREE MTSS Curriculum Samples Request a Quote Today! Visit the CharacterStrong Website Sign up for the CharacterStrong Weekly

Today our guest is Torrin Johnson, Executive Director of MTSS at Merced Union High School District in California. Torrin shares how his district built a Tier 2 support system from the ground up, what they got wrong at first, and how pairing trained intervention coordinators with explicit skill-based curriculum helped bring their suspension rate to below 1% across 11,000 students. He also explains why matching the right intervention to the right student need is the most important and most commonly skipped step in Tier 2 implementation, and why the difference between a skill gap and a motivation gap changes everything about how a school should respond. In this conversation, Torrin offers important reminders for educators and leaders: A strong Tier 2 system does not replace Tier 1. It runs alongside it, and students receiving Tier 2 supports still need a solid Tier 1 foundation underneath them. Applying the same intervention to every student regardless of need is not neutral. Matching the right intervention to the right gap is what makes Tier 2 actually work. Students who have never been explicitly taught self-regulation and interpersonal skills will tell you so. When schools teach those skills directly, students notice and respond. Principals are central to Tier 2 success. Investing in their understanding of the why behind the system is just as important as implementing the interventions themselves. Learn More About CharacterStrong: Sign up for the CharacterStrong Weekly Access FREE MTSS Curriculum Samples Request a Quote Today! Visit the CharacterStrong Website About Torrin Johnson: Torrin Johnson is an educational leader who serves as the Executive Director of MTSS for the Merced Union High School District. Driven by a strong commitment to educational equity and student advocacy, he oversees district-wide Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), alternative education sites, and key academic interventions such as the Read 180 program. Prior to his current district role, he served as Principal of Atwater High School from 2015 to 2019, where he significantly reduced truancies and suspensions. He also served as Principal of Yosemite Continuation High School from 2010 to 2015. Johnson holds a Master's degree in English and Bachelor's degrees in English and Interdisciplinary Studies from National University, an Associate of Arts from Merced College, and clear California administrative and teaching credentials.

Today our guest is Angela Walle, a teacher at Geiger Montessori in Tacoma Public Schools and recipient of the Tacoma Public Schools Whole Child Champion Award. Angela shares how replacing classroom rules with explicitly taught character traits transformed her classroom from one of the most difficult she had ever managed to one where students described it as their safest place in school. She also explains how spending 30 minutes a day on character trait instruction gave her more instructional time, not less, by shifting her role from behavior manager to guide, and how holding students accountable to shared values rather than rules builds the kind of community that students carry with them beyond the classroom. In this conversation, Angela offers important reminders for educators and leaders: Replacing rules with explicitly taught character traits shifts the dynamic from compliance to community. Students learn to hold themselves accountable rather than waiting to be corrected. When educators share their own struggles openly with students, it lowers anxiety, builds trust, and creates the psychological safety students need to take risks and learn. The time invested in teaching character traits is not time taken away from instruction. It is the foundation that makes instruction possible in the first place. Learn More About CharacterStrong: Sign up for the CharacterStrong Weekly Access FREE MTSS Curriculum Samples Request a Quote Today! Visit the CharacterStrong Website About Angela Walle: Angela Walle is in her 19th year as an educator. She was awarded Tacoma Public School's Whole Child Champion award in the spring of 2026. Majority of her career has been spent working with students in grades k-3. In 2018 Angela stepped out of the classroom to work directly with teachers as a mentor and co-teacher. From Sept 2020 to June of 2023 Angela took on a special project for Tacoma Public Schools called TV Classroom. She worked closely with a team to produce videos that allowed families, students and teachers access to learning during the Covid Years. These videos included virtual field trips and instruction for SEL, Math, and Literacy. The 2026 school will be her 4th year at Geiger Montessori and she currently teaches a 1st-3rd grade multi-age class.

Today, host John Norlin shares a strategy called Staff Chips, a simple physical system that helps building administrators be more intentional about connecting with every member of their staff, not just the ones they naturally gravitate toward. He also explains why systems matter more than goals when it comes to relational work. Having the intention to connect more with staff is not enough. A concrete, repeatable process is what actually makes it happen consistently over time. In this conversation, John offers important reminders for educators and leaders: Every leader has staff they naturally connect with and staff they do not. Staff Chips makes the intentional ones just as likely to happen as the natural ones. Systems outlast goals. A physical reminder that you carry through the day is more reliable than a general intention to connect more with your people. You do not have to connect with everyone every day. Working through the jar over time is enough to ensure every staff member receives intentional attention from their leader. This strategy works beyond administration. Teachers, family members, and friends can apply the same thinking to the relationships that matter most to them. Learn More About CharacterStrong: Sign up for the CharacterStrong Weekly Access FREE MTSS Curriculum Samples Request a Quote Today! Visit the CharacterStrong Website

Today, host John Norlin shares a strategy called Deck of Destiny, a simple way to weave relationship-building into the daily fabric of the classroom without adding time to an already full schedule. Using a deck of cards connected to get-to-know questions, educators can create two-minute connection moments that are random, engaging, and easy to sustain. He also explains why the real barrier to relational work is rarely time and more often priority, and how reframing "I didn't have time" as "that wasn't a priority for me" changes the way educators think about what gets woven into the school day. In this conversation, John offers important reminders for educators and leaders: Saying "I didn't have the time" and saying "that wasn't a priority for me" mean the same thing. Sitting with that distinction changes how we make decisions about what gets into the school day. Two minutes of intentional connection at the start, end, or transition of class is enough to build the relational foundation that makes everything else work better. Giving students a random, choice-based entry point into connection increases engagement and makes the routine feel fresh rather than formulaic. Learn More About CharacterStrong: Sign up for the CharacterStrong Weekly Access FREE MTSS Curriculum Samples Request a Quote Today! Visit the CharacterStrong Website

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: Sign up for the CharacterStrong Weekly Access FREE MTSS Curriculum Samples Request a Quote Today! Visit the CharacterStrong Website

Today, host John Norlin shares an evidence-based reflection strategy called EMR, developed by Dr. Clayton Cook. Using a simple roster exercise, educators categorize each student or staff member into one of three relationship phases: Establish, Maintain, or Restore, and then focus their energy where it is needed most. He also explains why this kind of intentional reflection matters. You cannot be all things to all people at once, but taking a few minutes to identify where each relationship stands gives educators a clear, actionable starting point for being more purposeful in the work they do every day. In this conversation, John offers important reminders for educators and leaders: Relationships with students and staff are not all in the same place at the same time. Some need to be established, some maintained, and some restored, and knowing which is which changes how you show up. You cannot prioritize everything at once. The EMR exercise helps educators zero in on the relationships that need the most intentional attention right now. Restoring a relationship takes real, deliberate action. Naming it honestly is the first step toward doing something about it. Learn More About CharacterStrong: Access FREE MTSS Curriculum Samples Request a Quote Today! Learn more about CharacterStrong Implementation Support Visit the CharacterStrong Website

Today, host John Norlin shares a practical classroom check-in strategy called the Temperature Check. Using three simple questions at the start of class, educators can get a quick read on how students are actually doing before instruction begins, and act on what they learn. He also explains why that information matters beyond academic readiness. Knowing where students are emotionally on any given day gives educators the opportunity to respond, connect, and support students in ways that going straight into content never allows. In this conversation, John offers important reminders for educators and leaders: Three questions at the start of class, a name, a one-to-five rating, and an optional reason, take almost no time and give educators information they would not otherwise have. A student who checks in low on a day they are normally high is information worth acting on, even without knowing the reason why. How many days did we not know what a student was carrying because we never asked? That question is worth sitting with. Learn More About CharacterStrong: Access FREE MTSS Curriculum Samples Request a Quote Today! Learn more about CharacterStrong Implementation Support Visit the CharacterStrong Website

Today, host John Norlin shares a simple weekly strategy for helping students get to know the adults in their school: True Story Friday. By taking two to five minutes at the end of Friday to share a personal story, educators give students something they often want but rarely get, a real look at who their teacher actually is. He also explains how a little preparation goes a long way, having stories ready in advance, offering students a choice of topics, and even letting a story carry over to the following week to build anticipation and connection over time. In this conversation, John offers important reminders for educators and leaders: Students want to know their teachers as people, not just as instructors, and giving them that access builds the kind of relationship that makes everything else in the classroom work better. True Story Friday takes two to five minutes and requires no curriculum changes. It fits inside what educators are already doing each week. A small amount of preparation, having a few stories ready before Friday arrives, makes this strategy easy to sustain and genuinely enjoyable to deliver. Letting students choose the topic and leaving a story unfinished until next week turns a simple routine into something students actually look forward to. Learn More About CharacterStrong: Access FREE MTSS Curriculum Samples Request a Quote Today! Learn more about CharacterStrong Implementation Support Visit the CharacterStrong Website

Today, host John Norlin shares a leadership concept called The Law of the Lid, drawn from Dr. John Maxwell's work. The core idea is straightforward: as a leader, you cannot expect the people around you to bring more energy, effort, or authenticity to the room than you are willing to bring yourself. He also explains how this principle applies at every level of a school, from the classroom teacher setting the tone with students to the building administrator setting the tone with staff, and why the controllables like mood, preparation, and vulnerability are where leaders should focus first. In this conversation, John offers important reminders for educators and leaders: The energy level in your room is a reflection of what you as the leader are willing to bring. If you want more from others, start by examining what you are modeling. Students and staff crave leaders who set the tone consistently, not just on good days. If you want students to share more openly, they need to see you sharing. If you want them to work through difficulty, they need to hear how you have done it. This concept is simple to understand but not easy to live out. That is exactly what makes it worth returning to. Learn More About CharacterStrong: Access FREE MTSS Curriculum Samples Request a Quote Today! Learn more about CharacterStrong Implementation Support Visit the CharacterStrong Website

Today, host John Norlin shares a simple strategy for connecting with students, even thought who may have been hard to reach: The Student Becomes the Teacher. By asking students what they could teach you, educators can gain personal insight that opens the door to genuine connection, often in less than three minutes. He also explains how a small investment of time outside the classroom, looking up something a student cares about, can change the entire dynamic of a relationship, and why that kind of intentional move is not one more thing on the plate, it is the plate. In this conversation, John offers important reminders for educators and leaders: Asking students what they could teach you is a low-burden, high-impact way to learn something personal about even the hardest-to-reach kids. A few minutes of follow-through, like looking something up and referencing it at the door the next day, signals to a student that you see them as a person, not just a learner. Students notice when an adult makes an intentional move to connect with them, and that moment can shift a relationship that nothing else has been able to crack. Learn More About CharacterStrong: Access FREE MTSS Curriculum Samples Request a Quote Today! Learn more about CharacterStrong Implementation Support Visit the CharacterStrong Website

Today our guest is Brandon Bakke, assistant principal at Gig Harbor High School and author of Lessons from the Bench . Brandon shares the core ideas behind his new book, a nine-lesson framework for bench players and role players in any organization who want to understand how to contribute meaningfully to a team's success. He also explains why broadening the definition of success to include relationships, not just outcomes, gives role players a powerful and often overlooked way to contribute, and why leaders have a responsibility to explicitly connect every person's role to the larger goal the team is chasing. In this conversation, Brandon offers important reminders for educators and leaders: Most people will spend time on the bench at some point in sport, in work, in life, and how you operate in that role matters more than most people realize. When people don't know why their role is important or how it connects to the bigger goal, effort declines and disengagement follows, that is a leadership problem to solve. Athletics and other team environments are some of the only places where people can fail, struggle, and grow. Removing that adversity robs people of their greatest potential growth. Learn More About CharacterStrong: Access FREE MTSS Curriculum Samples Request a Quote Today! Learn more about CharacterStrong Implementation Support Visit the CharacterStrong Website About Brandon Bakke: A former high school and college basketball coach and player, Brandon played at Fresno State University from 1991–1996. He is a former high school head coach, and brings 29 years of experience in education—primarily as a high school administrator. He currently serves as an administrator at Gig Harbor High School in Washington State and previously worked as the Director of Secondary Education for CharacterStrong. Brandon has spoken to thousands of educators and students across the country on building school culture, leadership, student mental health and well-being, and is an author and speaker who champions leadership, teamwork, and character development—both on and off the court. He is also the author of The Ordinary Extraordinary Soldier: The Letters and Journey of WWII Mechanic SSG George Henderson, 80th Infantry Division. Brandon earned his BA in History from Fresno State University. He earned his MA in Educational Leadership from City University of Seattle.

Today our guest is Derrick Lawson, co-executive director of CATLL and CASCD and a former principal at all three school levels. Derrick shares practical strategies for building relational capacity with staff and students at the start of the school year, and why the first days of school should be spent on connection, not content. He also explains how school leaders can build staff capacity for relationship-building by modeling connection activities, creating shared resources, and embedding brief connection routines into every staff meeting throughout the year. In this conversation, Derrick offers important reminders for educators and leaders: Students will not learn at their best until they feel seen, heard, and valued, and that environment has to be built intentionally before content can stick. Teachers who say relationship-building "isn't their thing" often just lack a structure or script. Giving them ready-made activities and modeling them first removes that barrier. When leaders model connection activities with staff, teachers replicate them in their classrooms. What you put in front of people is what you are most likely to see spread. Ten years from now, students and staff will not remember individual lessons, they will remember how you made them feel. Learn More About CharacterStrong: Learn more about Intellispark Access FREE MTSS Curriculum Samples Request a Quote Today! Learn more about CharacterStrong Implementation Support Visit the CharacterStrong Website About Derrick Lawson: Derrick Lawson retired in June of 2025 after 9 years as Principal of his Alma Mater – Indio High School in Desert Sands USD and 31 years as a K-12 principal at all three levels. Aside from being a K-12 student in the district, he returned his third year of teaching to the district and after teaching, served as a Facilitator in State and Federal Programs and a principal at all 3 levels and opened 2 new campuses. He has spent the majority of his career working in high poverty schools as well as with large populations of long term English Learners and special needs students. During his 9 years in the classroom, he taught all levels K-12 as well as in the University credentialing program as an adjunct professor. He was selected as ACSA Region XIX's Principal of the Year in 2010 and then selected as the ACSA State Middle Grades Principal of the Year and NASSP 2012 Principal of the Year for California and 2025 ACSA State Secondary Principal of the Year. He has served in several leadership roles for ACSA over the years. In addition to serving his Charter, he was the Region 19 President and Treasurer as well as the NASSP State Coordinator for California and has been involved in State and National lobbying efforts for education from 2012 to the present. He served as the NASSP Region 7 Coordinator, leading the 9 western states and facilitating their advocacy and professional development efforts and a 3 year term on the Board of the National Association of Secondary School Principals. He has been directing one of the ACSA Principals Academies for the past 10 years. His newest role is the Co-Executive Director for the California Association for Teaching, Leading, and Learning (CATLL) after serving on the board for 4 years. He lives in Bermuda Dunes and loves to travel, play piano, scrapbook, and all things Disney. He is married with two adult children and an unexpected 4 (as his wife says) grand-dogs and a cat.

Today, John Norlin, Houston Kraft, and Lindsay Norlin mark a milestone: the 500th episode of the CharacterStrong Podcast. More than a celebration of numbers, this episode is a reflection on what 500 voices from educators across the country have taught the CharacterStrong team. and where the work is headed next. They also share an honest look at where education stands right now, why relationships remain the constant no matter what else is changing, and what it might look like for schools to move from data overload to real-time, actionable support for students and staff. In this conversation, John, Houston, and Lindsay offer important reminders for educators and leaders: The same resource can transform one school and feel like one more burden in another, what makes the difference, almost every time, is leadership and vision. Behavior challenges and attendance issues are still real, but what's making a difference in schools hasn't changed: educators who build genuine relationships with students. When all we do is react to relentless demands, the work becomes unsustainable, being proactive is not just more effective, it's what keeps educators in the work. Every interaction with a student carries weight you may not see in the moment. The work is serious, it is love in action, and it matters every single day. Learn More About CharacterStrong: Learn more about Intellispark Access FREE MTSS Curriculum Samples Request a Quote Today! Learn more about CharacterStrong Implementation Support Visit the CharacterStrong Website

Today our guest is Steve Smith, CEO and co-founder of IntelliSpark. Steve shares how IntelliSpark helps educators get to know students as people — not just learners — by making it easier to capture, share, and act on student information across an entire school team in real time. He also explains how the platform addresses two persistent gaps in schools: the friction of sharing critical student information between educators, and the lack of just-in-time support for teachers who encounter a student need but aren't sure what to do next. In this conversation, Steve offers important reminders for educators and leaders: When educators know something personal about a student, even a brief conversation about it can shift the entire relationship and improve academic outcomes. Critical information about a student — a loss, a struggle, a win — too often stays with one adult instead of reaching the whole team, and that gap has real consequences. Most professional development is episodic, but the moments that require it are daily. Educators need tools and strategies available to them in real time, not just at the start of the year. Every interaction with a student can be a pivotal one, even when neither the educator nor the student knows it at the time. Learn More About CharacterStrong: Learn more about Intellispark Access FREE MTSS Curriculum Samples Request a Quote Today! Learn more about CharacterStrong Implementation Support Visit the CharacterStrong Website

Today, host John Norlin shares a practical relationship-building strategy called the secondhand compliment — an intentional approach to recognizing students through another trusted adult, especially before a strong connection has been established. He also explains why indirect recognition can land more credibly with students who don't yet feel seen, and how this simple three-step practice fits into the broader work of intentionally building, maintaining, and restoring relationships with students. In this conversation, John offers important reminders for educators and leaders: Direct compliments can sometimes feel off-putting to students you haven't connected with yet. Indirect recognition through another adult can feel more credible and genuine. The secondhand compliment only works when the positive observation is specific and real, it cannot be fluff. Delivering recognition through a coach, counselor, or administrator creates a network of adults who are actively affirming students together. Learn More About CharacterStrong: Access FREE MTSS Curriculum Samples Request a Quote Today! Learn more about CharacterStrong Implementation Support Visit the CharacterStrong Website

Today our guest is Dr. Susanne Thompson, Vice President of Business Development at SESI (Specialized Education Services, Inc.). Dr. Thompson shares five practical strategies for superintendents and building leaders who want to build stronger, more responsive tiered support systems, with a focus on reaching the most vulnerable students and celebrating progress along the way. She also explains how MTSS works best when it's treated as a district-wide priority, not a department, and why celebrating incremental progress is just as important as reaching mastery, especially for the most vulnerable students. In this conversation, Dr. Susanne Thompson offers important reminders for educators and leaders: MTSS should be owned across an entire school system, not siloed in special education or guidance, the right adult response needs to show up everywhere students are. Protecting time for teachers to actually use student data is one of the highest-leverage decisions a leader can make. Investing in educator skill and confidence is the most direct path to better student outcomes. Many teachers aren't unwilling, they're undertrained. Progress deserves celebration at every point on the scale, not just at the finish line. Movement matters, especially for your most vulnerable students. Learn More About CharacterStrong: Access FREE MTSS Curriculum Samples Request a Quote Today! Learn more about CharacterStrong Implementation Support Visit the CharacterStrong Website About Dr. Thompson: Dr. Susanne H. Thompson serves as Vice President of Business Development at SESI, where she leads growth strategy, programs, services, and market expansion. She is deeply focused on strengthening partnerships and building new relationships that extend SESI's reach—helping more students in need truly shine. Susanne began her career as a classroom teacher in Pennsylvania and went on to serve as a building administrator, director of curriculum and instruction, and superintendent of schools. She has held senior leadership and executive roles at organizations including Discovery Inc., Discovery Education, Northwestern Lehigh School District, Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit, and Colibri Group with Moreland University. Her expertise spans business development, sales and marketing, operational effectiveness, curriculum and instructional design, technology integration, and education-industry partnerships. Career highlights include presenting at ERDI, AASA, and state superintendent councils; writing for Teach Secondary in the UK; serving as a keynote speaker during National Digital Week in Ireland; supporting the launch of the Egyptian Knowledge Bank in Cairo; and teaching in Australia.

Today our guest is Devon Wible, Vice President of Teaching and Learning at Catapult Learning. Devon works directly with schools and districts to design high-impact tutoring programs that fit inside existing MTSS systems — helping the students most likely to fall through the cracks actually get the support they need. She also explains how relationship-building sits at the center of this work, not as an add-on, but as the core driver of academic and behavioral outcomes. When students feel seen and supported in small-group settings, attendance goes up, behavior challenges go down, and learning accelerates. In this conversation, Devon offers important reminders for educators and leaders: Praising the process over the product builds resilience and strengthens relationships with both students and staff. High-impact tutoring done well produces four to six additional months of learning in just 10 to 12 weeks, and those gains tend to stick. Relationship is not something you add to the work when there's time, relationship is the work. Learn More About CharacterStrong: Access FREE MTSS Curriculum Samples Request a Quote Today! Learn more about CharacterStrong Implementation Support Visit the CharacterStrong Website About Devon Wible: Devon Wible serves as the Vice President of Teaching and Learning at Catapult Learning, where she leads the design, development, and implementation of high-impact academic programs and instructional initiatives. She oversees curriculum development, instructional quality, special education, and academic services—driving efforts that empower educators and improve student outcomes. Devon is passionate about ensuring equitable access to rigorous instruction and has championed initiatives in literacy and math intervention, high-dosage tutoring, professional development, and data-informed teaching practices. Under her leadership, Catapult has expanded its use of evidence-based programs, adaptive technology, and educator training models that support measurable academic growth. Most recently, her teams contributed to a 5% year-over-year increase in students meeting national growth benchmarks in reading and math. Devon partners across teams to align strategy, execution, and innovation in service of Catapult's mission to close learning gaps and create brighter futures for all students. Devon began her career as a high school teacher and Teach For America corps member in Camden, NJ. She holds a bachelor's degree in history from Princeton University and a master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Kansas.

Today, host John Norlin shares a practical classroom strategy called pre-correction a proactive approach to reducing behavior correction before it's needed. This episode helps educators understand why constant correction increases conflict and disengagement, and what they can do instead to get ahead of it. He also explains how pre-correction works as a system, not just a technique, by front-loading expectations before transitions, tasks, and high-risk moments. When implemented consistently, it shifts behavioral responsibility to students over time. In this conversation, John Norlin offers important reminders for educators and leaders: Constant correction increases interpersonal conflict, which damages classroom climate and drives disengagement. Pre-correction means intentionally reminding students of expected behaviors before they enter a new setting or begin a task. Effective pre-correction requires three steps: identify the situations, define the expected behaviors, and teach students why those behaviors serve them. Learn More About CharacterStrong: Access FREE MTSS Curriculum Samples Request a Quote Today! Learn more about CharacterStrong Implementation Support Visit the CharacterStrong Website

Today, host John Norlin shares a strategy called Grandma's Rule, a practical, research-backed approach to building predictability into the classroom through first-then scheduling and visual routines. John walks through why predictable environments lead to regulation, engagement, and ultimately learning, and how educators can set this up in a way that increases student motivation from the start. This episode is part of the CharacterStrong Weekly series — short, immediately applicable strategies educators can put to work the same day. In this episode, John offers important reminders for educators and leaders: Students crave predictability, when they can anticipate what is coming and why, they are better regulated and more ready to learn. First-then scheduling makes routines visible and explicit, giving students something to reference and helping educators get ahead of behavior proactively. Sequencing preferred and less preferred activities strategically increases student motivation without requiring more time or resources. Learn More About CharacterStrong: Access FREE MTSS Curriculum Samples Request a Quote Today! Learn more about CharacterStrong Implementation Support Visit the CharacterStrong Website