Joy Is a Strategy: Why Educators Can’t Afford to Miss the Glimmers

A single sharp moment can hijack an entire school day—but it doesn’t have to. What if educators got just as intentional about what lifts students up as we are about what sets them off?Corey Alderdice, a national voice on talent and transformation, explores the emerging concept of “glimmers”—small, everyday experiences that spark calm, joy, gratitude, and connection—and why they matter in classrooms that are often built to manage stress rather than cultivate well-being. This episode reframes the work from merely reducing negative triggers to actively designing conditions for positive emotional resilience. Along the way, Corey highlights practical, low-cost ways educators can seed glimmers through consistent micro-moments: greeting students by name, noticing effort, offering gentle encouragement, and creating routines that make belonging feel real. The result is a simple but powerful shift—helping students (and adults) train their brains to spot what’s good, even on hard days, and making school a place that doesn’t just endure, but affirms.For additional thoughts from Corey, visit coreyalderdice.com.You can also follow him on Twitter/X, LinkedIn, BlueSky, YouTube, Instagram, and Threads.