Blog

How is your teen when it comes to being grateful? Have the days of automatic “please” and “thank you” tags passed? Many teens are so involved with their personal spheres that gratitude isn’t on their radar. November is a good month to refocus them. When we think of Thanksgiving, we think of gratitude. A Harvard… Read More »

Adults love “teachable moments.” We have all had a question arise that provides the perfect opportunity to create a learning moment. Tuesday’s elections offer that. They give us a chance to shift from the “should” to the “power” of exercising our right to vote. We want active and civic-minded youth. Knowing the topics and candidates… Read More »

‘Tis the season. Many seniors are in the anxiety-producing throes of the college application process.  Some are taking the SAT for the second or third time, trying to be more competitive. Our culture has bought into a formula that success=high school diploma + at least a four-year college degree. One size does not fit all… Read More »

What? Me? Speak in front of an audience? No, thank you!  Many of us would rather undergo a root canal than speak in a public forum. Even so, we can help our teens gain skills to overcome this very common fear. Toastmasters/Gavel clubs have been helping people gain public speaking skills worldwide for decades. They… Read More »

Malala Yousafzai (age 16) represents the power our teens have when they are passionate about a cause. Last month she received the Clinton Global Initiative Leadership in Civil Society award. She was also a contender for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize. Taliban militants shot this Pakistani teenager in the head a year ago for championing… Read More »

Wouldn’t we all like our teens to be poised and confident? No easy feat when it comes to speaking in front of others. Public speaking is a daunting task for most teens and adults. They say that, after the fear of death, the #2 fear of adults is glossophobia, the fear/anxiety of public speaking. Toastmasters… Read More »

In the middle of a busy week, 47 adults listened raptly as Amy Lang presented Sex and the Modern Teen: What Parents Really Need to Know. It takes a village to raise a teen. L & E Academy is helping, by hosting monthly workshops to increase support for parents. Ms. Lang launched the L &… Read More »

Starting a new school year? There are three steps to support your teen in this. We looked at New Beginnings and Avoiding Stumbling Blocks. The third part of overall support is perhaps the most important: Celebrating Successes. Remember when your baby started walking? I think back to Jadrian. Her dad would stand her up and… Read More »

Does your teen have patterns of behavior that don’t support school success? Perhaps trouble getting out of bed, skipping classes, getting behind…? In September, teachers review materials and assess students; classwork is often less rigorous. We need to take advantage of this “honeymoon” to address any potential stumbling blocks. Three keys to proactive support are:… Read More »

Our new personalized high school opened this week. We are thrilled! A focus is to ensure this new beginning includes reflection and sustainable success for each learner. How can we keep our positive momentum going all year? The honeymoon stage of any venture, a new school year included, is a delightful time of hope and… Read More »