I watched Brené Brown’s Netflix show last night. I have read (and re-read) her books and love her Ted Talk. Her show on Netflix is like a highlight reel of her books peppered with her sense of humor and great storytelling. Take the time to watch it, it’s so worth it. Of course, I […]
goal setting
Summer Plans
What did you do as a junior high and high school student during your summers? Camp? Summer job? Nothing? I was a life guard, and a camp counselor at the park near home in L.A.. It was the most exhausting, but fun job I’ve ever had. These days the summer options for junior high […]
Grit, Perseverance and Self-Control
What do Serena Williams, Russell Wilson, The Arizona Cardinals, Kobe Bryant and Jameis Winston all have in common? They have all been trained by Ryan Flaherty, who’s now the senior director of Performance at Nike. Ryan’s known in the industry for dramatically improving athletes speed, but he’s also sought out for his guidance on injury […]
Giving Kids Autonomy
The definition of autonomous is “having the freedom to act independently”. For most kids, college is the first time they are living independently on their own. I have written about and shared other articles and books emphasizing the importance of learning practical skills like money management, laundry, grocery shopping, and mailing letters, but what about […]
Routine & Consistency
I celebrated my birthday last week in Tahoe with famiy and friends and I’m not going to lie, reentry was a challenge when Monday rolled around. Monday is usually my day to set goals for the week, reset, and prioritize my to-do list. However, this week I found myself procrastinating (yes I watched Lady Gaga […]
Thinking About Next Year? It’s all about Balance
Thinking about next year? Summer plans? What courses to take? Here’s our advice: • Set Goals: The first question I always ask students who come in to see me is have you set goals for this year? Many students seem to be taking classes because they think they should, to check a box or because […]
Test Optional/Flexible Colleges and How They are Game Changers
I went to a great talk last night put on by the Sequoia Union Parent Ed Series. If you haven’t attended one of their events, I highly recommend them. The topic of last night’s event was Twenty Years in College Admission—What Has Changed, What Hasn’t: Reflections from Both Sides of the Desk. The legendary Alice Kleenan interviewed […]
Back to basics…the benefits of using a planner
We are entering one of the busiest times of the year for our students and their families. Between academic commitments, extracurriculars and end of the year exams, projects (and SATs for our juniors!), things are well…chaotic. I wanted to share a gentle reminder for the benefits of using a written planner. Many of our students […]
benefits of mindfulness and meditation for kids
Jim Wiltens, who teaches fabulous leadership classes for elementary and middle school students is one of my favorite resources for students. As he says,”extraordinary people are ordinary people with extraordinary habits”. Jim teaches leadership in a tangible way to students; giving them tips and tricks they can implement immediately. Meditation and mindfulness are high on […]
Lessons from Ira Glass
This American Life might be one of my favorite podcasts/radio journalism formats of all time. I am dating myself, but I remember listening to NPR and timing drives so I could catch the show when it aired. It’s a weekly public radio program and podcast; each week they choose a theme and put together different […]