I believe every child:

1. Wants to succeed.
2. Has strengths and weaknesses or inconsistencies in skill sets.
3. Has certain circumstances in which his or her behavior is at its best.
4. Can use his or her unique profile of strengths and weaknesses to create a pathway to personal success.
5. Can learn if taught in the right way for his or her brain.

I am a mother of two girls, now successful adults, who in the 1990s struggled to fit in their mainstream schools.  I worked for years with each girl to understand how they learned and what they needed in school to be successful in showing what they knew.  I knew I wasn’t the only parent feeling this way, and couldn’t believe the lack of engagement and discussion about this topic.

That’s why in 2003 I started Parents Education Network (PEN) with other mothers whose children also were different kinds of learners, which created the foundation for accepted philosophy in private schools throughout the Bay Area and beyond.  I worked with schools, teachers, parents, administrators and learning specialists to create a community of support for kids who are a poor fit in a mainstream classroom.

What I can say with absolute certainty is that all of us – adults and children alike – do best when we are in an environment of understanding and acceptance of who we are.  Unfortunately, many of our schools (dare I say most?) do not provide an emotionally safe environment for our young students.  I feel that emotional safety is essential for a student to thrive.

Education

BA from University of Florida in English with minor in Education

MBA from UC Berkeley