A Needed Refresh to the Traditional Parent-Teacher Conference

Our advice: Start with Listening, End with Shared Strategies! For most schools across the country, in-person parent-teacher conferences will resume this month for the first time in 3 years. Teachers and caregivers are likely feeling more anxiety than usual. The  widely reported achievement declines, teacher burnout, curriculum debates, and student mental health challenges are undoubtedly

The Check-In: Parent-Teacher Conferences

I’ve known Cindy for four years.  If you need to speak with someone on how to parent with less stress, she’s the person to talk to. While Cindy specializes in working with families who have children with ADHD, in a world of remote or hybrid learning most families will benefit from her sage wisdom. I was thrilled

Top 5 Back to Remote School Recommendations

by Nancy Weinstein, CEO of Mindprint Learning Author’s Note: After working with parents, teachers, administrators (and my own children!) this Spring and Summer on remote school, I’ve discovered this top 5 list is essential for all students regardless of their Mindprint profile. Keep in mind that remote learning requires an even greater level of parent-teacher partnership. Parents

Parent Teacher Conferences: Making the Most of 15 Minutes

  For many, the coming weeks bring parent teacher conferences. If that engenders some hesitation, you are not alone. Parents, teachers and administrators all acknowledge the parent teacher conference system is flawed. Teachers feel rushed to cover too much information. They might feel barraged by questions from parents who recognize they have limited time and want lots of answers. Parents regularly complain there

The Coach Approach for Kids with ADHD (and other Complex Kids)

This is the second in our two part series for ADHD Awareness Month. Last we wrote about why identifying ADHD is so important. This week our guest blog is from Elaine Taylor-Klaus, co-founder of ImpactADHD and past board member of CHADD, who discusses the importance of parent coaching. The best way to help our kids is often to help ourselves, the adults in their lives

Do You Really Need a United Front in Parenting?

Nancy Weinstein offers a mother’s contrarian view, admittedly developed out of desperation Is a United Front in Parenting Essential? Conventional wisdom dictates the importance of children experiencing a united front in parenting when it comes to rules, discipline and behavior. If Dad says it, Mom needs to back him up. And vice versa. Otherwise, psychologists tell us,

2017: The Year to Bite the Magic Bullet

By Nancy Weinstein We remain optimistic that technology has the promise to transform education. Yet we start 2017 with a sobering reminder that technology’s impact has been slow and inconsistent. In every community, students are still struggling or disengaged, parents are anxious, and teachers are stressed. So what do we do next? Keep trying new solutions? Give

5 Key Messages with Kids: So They Really Listen

  Consistency matters. If we want our kids to learn, parents and teachers need to be delivering the same consistent, key messages with kids at home and at school. Why so important? Elementary school kids literally hear every word you say. And they generally want to please. But if they get conflicting messages, they can’t please

It Takes A Village

Guest Blog by Jen Cort When kids are little, parents know they need trusted adults for events such as picking them up from school in case of emergency or hosting them on playdates. What we may not realize is that trusted adults are perhaps even more important in middle and high schools than in elementary school. Trusted

It’s All in the Details: A Strengths-Based Approach to Growth Mindset

By Nancy Weinstein I’m a big fan of Stanford professor Carol Dweck’s Growth Mindset. It’s hard not to be. It’s evidence-based research that is encouraging. Carol Dweck’s research demonstrates that if a student tries hard and believes he can succeed he is very likely to be  successful. That simple. And the converse is true too. If you