Coach Biographies: Meet Carmen!

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Today we are continuing our 'Meet the Coaches' series by highlighting Carmen!

Carmen Rodriguez holds an M.F.A. in fiction from the University of North Carolina Wilmington and a B.A. in English from Florida State University, graduating from both institutions with honors. She has dabbled in several literary-careers: employed as a publicist for a historic, nationally-acclaimed theater; a reader for a successful New York literary agency; and a journalist. Teaching, however, has proven to be one of her greatest loves.

Her journey in education has taken her into the classrooms of New Jersey, Florida, North Carolina, and, most recently, Virginia. She believes that each student’s academic journey is unique. To this end, her process-based approach, supported by the foundational development of executive function skills, encourages students to drive their learning experiences through the exploration of their own curiosities within each subject matter.

Beyond teaching, she is the author of two young adult novels—34 Pieces of You and Not Anything.  Her third young-adult novel, Carry You With Me, is forthcoming from Simon & Schuster in 2017.

Growth Mindset: Clearing up Some Common Confusions

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Today we are sharing an article from KQED News on the growth mindset. This article explores what a growth mindset really is and some common confusions that have recently arisen. This is not only important to understand for parents but also to be able to foster positive thinking for our students.  If you or someone you know is looking for extra help for a student, please visit us at: lindereducationalcoaching.com

Growth Mindset: Clearing up Some Common Confusions

By Eduardo Briceño

A growth mindset is the understanding that personal qualities and abilities can change. It leads people to take on challenges, persevere in the face of setbacks, and become more effective learners. As more and more people learn about the growth mindset, which was first discovered by Stanford Professor Carol Dweck, we sometimes observe some confusions about it. Recently some critiques have emerged. Of course we invite critical analysis and feedback, as it helps all of us learn and improve, but some of the recent commentary seems to point to misunderstandings of growth mindset research and practice. This article summarizes some common confusions and offers some reflections.

To continue reading the full article, visit the article HERE. 

Coach Biographies: Meet Founder Kristin Linder!

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We pride ourselves in the many services we offer but we couldn't do it without the wonderful coaching staff here at Linder Educational Coaching. We would love to introduce you to them one by one! Up first is Linder's founder, Kristin!

Kristin Linder Carpenter – Founder, Educational Coach, ACT tutor, and College Advisor

Having grown up in Louisiana, I spent most of my childhood in one of the worst school districts in the country. I saw how children lost motivation and perspective, and made incredibly detrimental choices when it came to their education. In the tenth grade I scored in the top .01% of students in Louisiana on the standardized test and was subsequently chosen to attend the prestigious Louisiana School of Math, Science, and the Arts. My education at LSMSA highlighted the tools and techniques that successful students use, from active reading strategies to different sets of study skills. I was accepted to Louisiana State University with a full academic scholarship after my junior year of high school. I tutored privately in college, and worked with undergraduates through law students. During college I spent a year and a half on an internship training with an Olympic selector for three-day eventing.  In 2005, I participated in the North American Young Rider Championships, receiving a team bronze medal.

I knew I wanted to spend my life sharing the tools and techniques of successful students and teens, academically and in life.  I graduated with a Bachelors in History and two years of Biochemistry, top 3 in my class of over 800. After college I spent three months traveling through Europe and the Balkans, and I completed a summer study semester in Germany. Upon my return to the states I moved to Arlington, VA, where I started my career in education as a private tutor. At first, I worked for a number of large tutoring firms here in Northern Virginia. However, after working under the limits and constraints of subject tutoring, I decided to make a program that does education justice. Instead of just giving children answers, I focused on teaching them how to find the answers. Instead of spending an hour quizzing them on topics, I spent an hour teaching them the strategies of studying that work with how they, as individuals, learn. Instead of treating the symptoms, I focused on finding the problems. My program was incredibly successful, especially with families that had tried many other options. In 2013 I received my Master’s from Georgetown University. More than ever, I appreciated how important it is for students to get an excellent grounding in writing, study skills, and reading while in grade school.

Since the founding of Linder Educational Coaching, I have worked closely with local doctors and psychologists to learn about executive functioning issues, which is how ADD/ADHD and many other learning disabilities express themselves. We now specialize in helping students develop executive functioning skills and manage learning disabilities. These skills are important to be both successful students and adults. We expanded business in 2015 to a commercial property to create the first after school program in the area that focuses on executive functioning issues.

We get referrals from local principals, guidance counselors, teachers and doctors. There is a demand here for a comprehensive and holistic approach to learning, and I am proud to meet the needs of families through my educational coaching program.

For more information on the programs & services we offer, please visit: http://www.lindereducationalcoaching.com/

The Teen Brain: It's Just Not Grown Up Yet, an article from npr.org

Good morning,

Here at Linder Educational Coaching we work will many school-age students on a daily basis to help them achieve their goals and do well in their studies. With so much emphasis on college applications many of our clientele are teenagers. We have experienced the frustration that can arise between teenagers, their parents, teachers, etc. during the school years.

Today we are sharing an article from NPR.org which talks about how the teenage brain isn't just lacking the experience to make the best judgements, but how it actually isn't fully developed yet.

The Teen Brain: It's Just Not Grown Up Yet

Neurologist Francis Jensen examining a teenage patient. Jensen decided to study the teenage brain when her own sons became teenagers. Now Jensen lectures to teens and parents about how teenagers' brains are different.

Richard Knox/NPR

"When adolescence hit Frances Jensen's sons, she often found herself wondering, like all parents of teenagers, "What were you thinking?" "It's a resounding mantra of parents and teachers," says Jensen, who's a pediatric neurologist at Children's Hospital in Boston. Jensen is a Harvard expert on epilepsy, not adolescent brain development. 

As she coped with her boys' sour moods and their exasperating assumption that somebody else will pick up their dirty clothes, she decided to investigate what neuroscientists are discovering about teenagers' brains that makes them behave that way. She wanted to find out what was causing his maddening teenage behavior. She learned that that it's not so much what teens are thinking — it's how.

Jensen says scientists used to think human brain development was pretty complete by age 10. Or as she puts it, that "a teenage brain is just an adult brain with fewer miles on it." But it's not. To begin with, she says, a crucial part of the brain — the frontal lobes — are not fully connected. Really."

To continue reading more of this great article please visit the original source:   http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124119468