I have never experienced a more stressful time in our country and for teachers specifically in my 50 years in the classroom and as a parent. The media won’t let us stop worrying about one thing or another. Teachers aim to provide a nurturing safe space for their students so they can feel some relief
Labeling children can often be more destructive than helpful, and can prevent us from discovering the real reason behind the behaviors being manifested. I recently heard a fourth grader I am homeschooling in math and language referred to as being ADD. His supervising teacher said, “I’m sure you already have noticed signs of ADD.” I
Working with procrastinators for over 48 years has been very telling. Some procrastinators are simply over scheduled and lack time-management strategies. A good number of procrastinators put off hard things. They will avoid those tasks that take more mental energy, while others hold deeply rooted secrets that interfere with the ability to complete tasks on
I recently met with a fifth grader. HIs mother thought I would be the best person to catch her son up so he could be in the top math group. Her son was very disturbed because he was not placed in the highest math class. When asked why that was important to him, he replied,
Working with children who have been on-line for a year and watching them transition into the regular classroom, I have witnessed some new challenges for parents. During Covid on-line instruction, parents were pulled into the learning environment more than ever before. Children who were somewhat independent prior to on-line are now demonstrating increased dependence on
If asked, will your child say they are terrible at math or good at math? Would they say they are a good student or a bad student? Do the words artistic, athletic, or creative show up on their list of descriptives about themselves? Or are meth challenged, poor reader, or is clumsy on their list?
When we ask questions or have hard conversations with others, we are making ourselves vulnerable. Most people fear being vulnerable. It takes courage to open ourselves to shame or criticism. And learning how to allow oneself to recognize and address those who shame is a powerful life skill we can give our children. According to
Today I decided to take myself to the beach. I find the effect of the ocean releases creativity. So with a journal in hand, I walked down the cliff to the majestic Crystal Cove in California. The weather was perfect. There weren’t many people, so it provided the feel of a somewhat private beach. As
I have been asked many times what is my secret to helping children overcome learning obstacles and grow into thrivers. The success comes when the children understand they can’t blame anyone or anything for what they are dealing with. They learn how to look at a challenge and see how they can take responsibility for
Beliefs are individual’s truth until one sees through other’s lenses. I am hoping to help parents and teaches examine the beliefs or myths that parents and educational institutions have promoted for the last 40 years, and build a better future for our children that focuses on how to thrive instead of survive. Myth #1: Every
Victoria is an educational consultant, nationally recognized speaker. Her over 50 years in education has been focused on developing resilient self-reliant self-advocates who know how to tap into their innate ability to independently solve challenges.