Coach Biographies: Meet Founder Kristin Linder!

Good morning,

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

How to Spark Curiosity in Children Through Embracing Uncertainty

Good afternoon!

Today we are sharing an article from KQED news entitled, 'How to Spark Curiosity in Children Through Embracing Uncertainty.'  "In the classroom, subjects are often presented as settled and complete. Teachers lecture students on the causes of World War I, say, or the nature of matter, as if no further questioning is needed because all the answers have been found.'

'In turn, students regurgitate what they’ve been told, confident they’ve learned all the facts and unaware of the mysteries that remain unexplored. Without insight into the holes in our knowledge, students mistakenly believe that some subjects are closed. They lose humility and curiosity in the face of this conceit."

As we know, our understanding of any subject matter is never fully complete. It's important that we are able to embrace these unanswered questions to spark excitement in the minds of our children and allow them to want to explore and in turn, learn more.

To continue reading the full article on this, please visit: http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2015/10/21/how-to-spark-curiosity-in-children-by-embracing-uncertainty/

If you or someone you know is looking for help and guidance on encouraging your student to want to learn more, please contact us at: http://www.lindereducationalcoaching.com/ where we offer several programs to help students and their parents.

When Your Child is Struggling Academically

Good afternoon!

Most children at some point in their academic careers will struggle in one area or another. Here at Linder Educational Coaching, each family calls us for a different reason, and we are very sensitive to the needs of each client. Some families want to make sure their child is prepared for the next grade, others call because their child has become detached from school and is doing poorly in multiple classes. We work with many students on specific areas that are weaker for them, whether it is language arts or math and sciences.

It is also important that parents are able to recognize when their students are struggling and how to help them with their work when they are at home, or on the days in which they do not come in to work with us.

Today we are sharing an article from PBS with some helpful tips for parents for those times we can't be there to help guide their students.

 http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/going-to-school/supporting-your-learner/struggling-academically/

Let this school year be different! Learn More about 'The Hub'

Good morning,

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

Here are Linder Educational Coaching we have a solution which can help your student succeed! The Hub provides an after-school solution and a path to success for your student. The Hub is conveniently located next to Harrison Shopping Center which is just a short walk from Williamsburg, Yorktown and Washington-Lee. So, how does The Hub work?

With a per visit fee, students will:
-Check in with a professional coach to:

• Privately review grades
• Address any missing assignments
• Review teacher websites and Blackboard
• Update student calendars and agenda
• Create a to-do list for that night of both assigned homework as well as needed studying

-Once students are checked in, they:

• Hand over their cell phones and computer so that they can focus on their work (we have WiFi and computers if needed for their assignments)
• Grab a free snack and drink if they want
• Choose a space to work
• Ask any questions they have about their work
• Stay as long as they like

-Once a student’s work is complete, or at a time determined by the parents to leave:

• The student is checked out to make sure all work is done well and packed
• Parents get a report of remaining work to be done if a student must leave before all work is complete

Why The Hub you may ask?

• A 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.

• Accountability

Students 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

The Hub is 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

To find out more about The Hub or contact us to get your student started today, please visit: http://www.lindereducationalcoaching.com/the-hub/