SEL Social Emotional Learning Archives

Another School Year Begins – Are you Ready to Help your Student with ADHD Succeed??

August 17, 2022August 17, 2022

As the new school year rapidly approaches, it’s natural to begin the process of, well, worrying about: Will my child do well with their teachers this year? Will I be able to collaborate effectively with their teachers if the need arises? Will my child effectively manage their homework? What role should I play in monitory homework and study habits? Will my child feel comfortable and competent in school? Parenting is not easy! And when you have a complex child, you … Read more

Nonverbal Communication – A Fun Introduction or Reminder for 4 to 8-year-olds

July 16, 2022July 15, 2022

I recently met Carolyn Combs, a children’s book author who writes beautiful stories about how children can learn by connecting with animals in nature. She shared with me how animals use non-verbal communication and how she uses these examples to teach children important lessons. I asked Carolyn to explain how parents and teachers can use her picture book to help children learn about and practice non-verbal communication. Enjoy! What’s This Tail Saying? An Interactive Book About Animal Communication By Carolyn … Read more

Mindfulness & Meditation for Adults with Jo Futerman

March 6, 2022

As more people reach out to me wanting to know more about incorporating mindfulness into their lives (as adults and in their role as parents), I decided to ask my friend and professional colleague Jo Futerman to share some of her knowledge. While we had similar training in learning about ADHD and Executive Function, she has taken a path that led her to develop a specialty in meditation and mindfulness for the past ten years. Using her training, she has … Read more

Mindfulness & Meditation for Students

January 18, 2022January 18, 2022

For all the negatives we know about Facebook, there are some positives. I recently heard from someone I went to high school. She responded to my January 5th post about my daughter teaching yoga to the students in her school after the recent fires here in Boulder, Colorado. Forty of the students in her school lost their homes, and many others were displaced due to severe smoke damage. Carly, and the other teachers, are doing their best to meet the … Read more

Growth and Self-Improvement Portfolio

January 7, 2022January 7, 2022

Sometimes, it’s hard to recognize how much growth and self-improvement your child has achieved each year. This is especially true when we focus so much on the challenges and stressors that we are working so hard to mitigate and improve. Children also have a difficult time recognizing that they have improved and achieved. They can sometimes feel as if someone keeps moving the goal post out further to mark success. As soon as they accomplish one marker, they are told to immediately … Read more

The Kinesthetic Classroom: How Movement Benefits all Students, Especially Those with Symptoms of ADHD

October 29, 2021October 29, 2021

During my current professional ADHD Parent Coach Academy training, we addressed the value and importance of movement and flexible seating for children with ADHD. During this discussion, one of my coaches, Bonni Cohen, expressed that as a school principal, she had the opportunity to incorporate significant opportunities for movement in her classrooms and that it had a positive impact. Manorhaven School in Port Washington, NY, is a K-5 suburban elementary school. In 2015, Manorhaven school was honored with the Michelle … Read more

The Metacognitive Student: How to Teach Academic, Social, and Emotional Intelligence

April 29, 2021

Are you familiar with metacognition and SEL Learning? Have you wondered what the terms really mean and how you can help your children or students develop these skills? It’s simpler and so much more important than you may think. I would like to introduce you all to Rick Cohen, Assistant Superintendent & Principal in Metuchen, New Jersey. I first got to Rick almost a decade ago when he asked me to come to his district to do professional development. Through … Read more

Sky’s The Limit – ADHD Is Your Kid’s Superpower! Career Development for Teens & Adults with ADHD

February 10, 2021December 4, 2020

Parents ask me all the time, “How can I help my child choose the best career for them? What are the best jobs for people with ADHD? Will my child succeed in the future? Will they be able to support themselves when they are adults? Will they get a college degree? Will they get a job? Will they be able to afford to live on their own?” Careers and ADHD I firmly believe that Career Development should begin early in … Read more

The Check-In: Parent-Teacher Conferences

November 9, 2020

I was recently asked by Nancy Weinstein, Founder and CEO of Mindprint Learning to be a guest writer on their Blog. Of course, I was honored. Below I share with you some tips and advice for Parent-Teacher Conferences and effectively advocating for your child. Even if your formal conference has passed, anytime you need more support or input from your child’s teacher it is a good idea to connect. Please read my recent blog that appeared on Mindprint Learning for … Read more

Flexible Thinking – Mindprint Learning

November 3, 2020November 2, 2020

I have known Nancy Weinstein, of Mindprint Learning©, for many years. Now that parents are seeing their children’s struggles more intimately during home learning, I have been asked by so many of them, what they can do to better understand their children’s challenges. I thought it might be helpful to ask Nancy to explain a bit about what she does and, more specifically, to help you understand how difficulty with Flexible Thinking, one of the measures used in her assessment … Read more

Maybe it IS ADHD – Does it Really Matter?

February 10, 2021July 20, 2020

I am often asked if I think ADHD is over-diagnosed. My answer – yes. I also believe it is underdiagnosed. The problem is that there is still not one agreed-upon cohesive and comprehensive protocol for diagnosing ADHD; a real, life-impacting disorder that affects a significant percentage of people. And yet there are still many practitioners who do not include an ADHD screening in their assessments. I believe, and evidence supports, there are enormous lifelong risks to mental health, physical health, employment, … Read more

How Do We Bridge This Divide That is Gripping Our Nation?

February 10, 2021June 5, 2020

My Dear People, Words sometimes feel inadequate. So many emotions and trials of the soul colliding at once. I want to share an article with you that I wrote the week before the tragedy of George Floyd’s murder. Please – as those of you who have ever worked with me know, we must find a way to reach one another, to have an open dialogue. It is the only way parents and educators can teach kids skills, and adults can … Read more