Monday, October 31, 2016

It's not too late! Check out The Hub for Your Child!

Do you have a scattered student? Are missing assignments and test scores an issue? Do projects get done last minute?

The Hub provides an after-school solution and a path to success for your student. Conveniently located next to Harrison Shopping CenterAR8559113 - View of the office from courtyard – a short walk from Williamsburg, Yorktown and Washington-Lee.


Why The Hub?
Distraction Free Environment
With cell phones and computers in class, and TV and Internet at home, very few students understand what it really means to focus and work efficiently. We provide a relaxed, coffee house-like environment where students can work free of buzzing phones and social media alerts. We admit only 10-15 students per day, so in our two-story space the environment is conducive to success. The Hub has both private and group work spaces, as well as one quiet floor and one floor where low talking and background music are allowed. The Hub provides an appropriate space for every preference.
Building independence
While we are here to help students coordinate their day and plan their work, The Hub encourages independent action. As we answer questions on subject matter, we push students to seek resolutions by helping them set up meetings with teachers or plan to visit review sessions in school or at The Hub.
Collaboration 
As any college graduate is aware, one of the best ways to focus is to surround yourself with others in a positive and supportive environment. We help students in the same classes coordinate to come at the same time, so that they can create study reviews together, compare notes, and quiz each other in preparation for exams.
AccountabilityStudents who want their parents “to quit nagging them”—but who continually struggle to complete work and prepare properly for exams—find The Hub a refreshing solution. We make sure they know what needs to be done and have a plan to tackle everything. Further, if parents wish, students can stay as long as needed to complete all work. This means family dinners can go back to being about family—and no more arguments and midnight homework sessions
Perfect for:
  • Supplemental coaching
  • Students who don’t need full private assistance
  • Students transitioning out of private coaching
  • Students with shifting sports schedules
  • Weeks overrun with exams & projects
  • Parents who work late and want to be sure their child has done everything needed before they get home
 For more information, references, or to reserve your spot, email Kristin@LinderEC.com

Monday, October 24, 2016

How Writing Novels Expands Students’ Expectations of Themselves

Today we are sharing an article from https://ww2.kqed.org entitled 'How Writing Novels Expands Students’ Expectations of Themselves' in which English teacher Laura Bradley teaches her students how to write a novel every year as part of the curriculum for her middle school students. "In preparation, students identify their novel’s genre, create characters, craft conflicts and outline the plot. Students are free to choose their topics and develop their main characters."


By doing this, Laura Bradley is able to allow her students to hold themselves to higher standards and accomplish the unexpected, in turn boosting their self-esteem and creative sides. Here at Linder Educational Coaching we also work with your child to help them develop greater expectations for themselves and the kind of work they can do. Whether it's improving test scores or learning accountability, we can help your child!

Contact us today at  http://www.lindereducationalcoaching.com/





Monday, October 17, 2016

'The Myth of the Straight A Student' and Teaching Our Kids to Have Balanced Lives

Good morning,

Today we are sharing an article from The Washington Post about the pressures of today's students to be "straight A students" and get into the top colleges.

"Everyone is not getting straight As. Even those who do won’t necessarily end up at Harvard; there are too many other factors. As the college admissions process has grown more competitive, parents have become increasingly concerned about academic performance. More parents are pushing for higher grades when their children earn less than a B. But grades are subjective, and they can be deceptive. Teachers may inflate grades. A student who takes an easy course load may do better than a student taking all advanced classes. Some teachers may be exceptionally harsh graders. Even between schools, there can be major differences in standards and how students are assessed. Grades also may be weighted to account for course rigor. By acknowledging these inconsistencies and limitations, we can help kids focus on more important goals, such as accruing knowledge, determining strengths and interests, and developing a love of learning. As Alexandra Robbins illustrates in “Overachievers: The Secret Life of Driven Kids,” a book about the pressured daily lives of eight Whitman students, you don’t need a perfect GPA to be successful."

However it's important for parents and students to realize that there are many opportunities out there and being well-rounded, giving back and searching for a more balanced life can also, and in many cases lead to just as much lifelong success.

"There are thousands of colleges in the United States. When parents and students peruse the list of schools their local high school’s graduates actually attend, it expands their awareness beyond name-brand institutions. The tide also may be turning when it comes to college admissions. Richard Weissbourd, a child and family psychologist on the faculty at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education, issued a report that calls on colleges to change their admissions criteria to emphasize caring for others and meaningful ethical engagement over laundry lists of accomplishments. More than 50 admission deans have endorsed his report, including the entire Ivy League. Schools still want to see academic rigor, but not at the expense of students leading balanced lives."

Here at Linder Educational Coaching, we encourage our students to work to find that balance- where they can succeed in school but also expand their awareness beyond just the grade letter. We work with students to not only help them pass the test, but to learn skills which they can carry forward into their adult lives to be successful. If you want to work with professionals to help your student gain more balance in their lives while maintaining good grades, call us today or visit us online at: http://www.lindereducationalcoaching.com/



Monday, October 10, 2016

7 ways to promote positive reading habits for older children

"Research consistently shows that extensive reading increases vocabulary and broadens knowledge and understanding of various topics. Most middle and high school students who would greatly benefit from reading more do not have the luxury of time to enjoy reading for pleasure.

As children grow older and their schedules increasingly fill with activities associated with school, sports and social endeavors, finding the time and opportunity to read can become a challenge. Like many parents, I occasionally mourn the time when bedtime routines included reading books aloud while snuggling. I long for the days when the homework was to read for 30 minutes and keep a reading log.

As a parent and an educator I want to instill a love of reading in children. I intentionally model positive reading habits and provide time and opportunities for my older children to read. However, I do not want to make reading yet another requirement, just one more item for my children to cross off their already overflowing to-do lists. Here is how I encourage my older children to read for enjoyment."

To learn more about 7 ways to promote positive reading in your child, visit the full article here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/parenting/wp/2016/08/24/7-ways-to-promote-positive-reading-habits-for-older-children/

Are you looking for ways to help your child read? Do you see a lot of potential for them but can't quite breakthrough to them the importance of reading? If so, fear not, Linder can help! We are a a small firm in the Northern Virginia area that caters to students with ADD, ADHD, other LDs, behavioral issues and problems with executive functioning. We work with students of all ages to help them read, comprehend and more! Contact us today at: http://www.lindereducationalcoaching.com/ for more information!

Monday, October 3, 2016

Can we help our children be motivated to succeed?

"Humans are motivated by many factors: reward, internal satisfaction, competition, praise, fear. Developmentally, your daughter is not “little” anymore. The days of lollipops and trinkets as motivators are largely over, and she is in a stage in which her internal voice is becoming stronger. Her likes and dislikes, her temperament, her passions will begin to take focus more clearly."
Does this mean she’s lazy, afraid of work or destined to be second-rate when the going gets tough?
No.

When a child feels that the stakes are emotionally high (“If I quit this, Mom will feel disappointed in me”) and that the cost could be her relationship with you, the child will pull away from hard things to avoid the pain of this separation. This is not conscious. I repeat: This is not conscious. This is an emotion that springs from her because all children want to feel close to their parents, and when that is threatened, the reptilian brain jumps in and says, “Whoa! Back away from that piano/homework/video game! You will fail, and Mom will look at you with those sad eyes.” It sounds ridiculous, but even the perception of separation can cause a child to back away from something fearful."- Meghan Leahy for the Washington Post



Here at Linder Educational Coaching we see students of all ages who struggle with motivation for their schoolwork and in life. It's one of the many things we can help your child with! We work with students to help them develop the skills needed to find what motivates them and help bring out their willingness to learn. If you feel that your child is lacking motivation for their studies and could use a helping hand, contact us today at: http://www.lindereducationalcoaching.com/