NYC*Teen Summer Opportunities

Not going away to an exotic destination when school gets out?   Never fear:  it couldn’t be a better time to be in New York City this summer, as I discovered a few weeks ago while attending the “Teen Open House” at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  During this exciting event, I visited with museum coordinators and educational artists around the city who provided information about the amazing opportunities available for teens in NYC this summer, both through innovative classes/camps and paid internships!

Here are some of the highlights:

* There are April Programs called “Design Directions” at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum on East 91st Street.  Visit www.cooperhewitt.org or www.facebook.com/teendesign to learn more about the class “Unexpected Design” or their Film Series, “Objectified,” which airs tomorrow!  For more information and registration, email:  cheducation@si.edu.

* One of my favorite museums, The Museum of the City of New York, has a “Saturday Academy” this spring for students in the 8th-12th grades, and it offers cool courses like “The Sixties:  Music, Movements, and Mayhem,”  “Public Art in East Harlem,” and “Kaplan Skills” to master the SAT.  Hurry:  applications are due by Weds, April 6th!  Contact Joanna Steinberg, Saturday Academy Coordinator, for more information.

*The Museum of the City of New York also has summer programs (with scholarships!) as three week courses which explore the eclectic culture of our incredible city. If you’re interested in urban planning, history, and/or journalism, this is a great opportunity!  For more information, write Elizabeth Hamby, Summer Programs Coordinator, at ehamby@mcny.org.

* Passionate about pursuing a career in art and want the experience of being a trained and paid museum guide?  Join RMA Teens down in the West Village for a free after-school program at the Rubin Museum of Art and explore the mystical collections of Tibet, India, Nepal, and China on Thursdays from 4-6pm.  Or—if you’re too busy during the school year, investigate making your own creations during Teen Art Labs this summer for a free workshop inspired by the “Pilgrimage and Faith” exhibition.  Apply online at rmanyc.org/teens.

* The Jewish Museum on the Upper East Side has Summer Studio Classes for Teens, which will involve exploring your own style of art through various media and paintings—there are scholarships available, and applications are due by May 16th.  Email teenprograms@thejm.org to find out more about attending “Mix It Up!” (contemporary art) or “In Living Color” (modern masters).

* Ready to express yourself through photography and explore the magic of the darkroom?  Join the Teen Academy at the International Center of Photography on 43rd Street this spring and summer for their classes in black-and-white or color landscapes.  Call #212.857.0061 for more information!

* The Museum for African Art on Long Island City has all kinds of ongoing, free programs this spring, including “Family Craft Fridays” (www.africanart.org).  You can also apply for an exciting new opportunity, “The Youth Ambassadors Internship Program,” available to 15 juniors and seniors (for Fall 2011), for a full year of training on the Museum Mile—with a $2,000 stipend!  Email egee@africanart.org or call #718.784.7718 for registration by April 18th.

* Love guitars?  Join a curator and guest musician talk about Guitar Heroes:  Legendary Craftsmen from Italy to New York at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 13th from 5-6:30pm.   “A Conversation about Music” will be free and held at the Uris Center for Education on Fifth Ave at 81st Street, and you can register your seat by calling #212.650.2010 or emailing access@metmuseum.org.

* Want to be a MoMA Teen?  There are so many cool programs on 53rd Street this summer—from “Multiple Madness:  Printmaking and the Art of Reproduction” (based on the exhibit, Impressions from South Africa, from 1965 to Now) to “Beyond Pink and Blue:  Sexuality and Gender in the Arts” and “Shred, Thrash, Carve:  The Visual Language of Skateboard Culture.”  Visit MoMA.org/momateens (by May 27th) for more information and registration!

* The Whitney is in on the party too, with drop-in workshops, talks with artists, teen tours, and more!  Visit whitney.org/teens for info about ongoing opportunities this spring and summer.

* Have insightful opinions and like to write?  Become a Teen Reviewer and Critic (TRaC) through The Arts Connection, “High Five.”  You’ll get to attend performances and exhibitions for FREE and then experiment expressing your unique voice in their newsletter.  Subscribe to “The Week in Arts” at www.high5tix.org/SignUp and learn more about this amazing opportunity at www.high5review.org!

* Don’t count out Brooklyn!  There are wonderful events planned by teens, for teens, a free Gallery/Studio Program, and the Museum Apprentice Program—all available for innovative youth in my favorite borough!  “Like” these ideas on www.facebook.com/makingartatthebrooklynmuseum and then email teen.programs@brooklynmuseum.org for more information.

* Go to the heart of the city at Columbus Circle for a paid internship learning “the art of business” at the Museum of Arts and Design, in the Jerome and Simona Chazen Building!  Hurry:  applications are due by April 11th and available at http://madmuseum.org/LEARN/teachers/artslife.aspx.  Get more information about ongoing events like portfolio and workshop opportunities at facebook.com/MADartslife.

* OH, SNAP!  Join “Young Powerful Voices at Work” every third Saturday for a free spoken word workshop from 4:30-6:30, led by poet Caridad de la Luz, in the Museo del Barrio on 5th Avenue at 104th Street.  There are also internships available for teens, so contact Outreach Programs Coordinator, Mairelys Alberto, at malberto@elmuseo.org for more information.

* Looking for walk down memory lane?  Try on the idea of an elite Student Historian Internship Program at the New York Historical Society…Interested applicants can visit www.nyhistory.org/education for additional information and need to apply by April 29th.

* Haven’t found your cup of tea in the city?  Consider one of the programs offered at the Clifton Corner this summer, both for middle and upper school students–or call me for a chat….I love connecting individuals with artistic and educational opportunities!  If you feel overwhelmed by the options, I also suggest contacting my friend, Barb Levinson, who specializes in helping families find wonderful summer camp opportunities—for free !  You can contact her at:  barblevison@tipsontripsandcamps.com.

Here’s to a lovely summer in the city~

What is “academic coaching”?!

Yesterday, I had an interesting conversation with another educational consultant who was confused about “what I do.”  Combining sixteen years of teaching experience in the classroom with professional life coaching and creating a learning center, based on the tools I learned as a Master Trainer in Emotional Literacy at Yale University, might seem like a convoluted picture….

On reflection, I remember a similar reaction from people when I talked about some of the magical moments that happened as a “traditional teacher” in my classroom.  Here a few examples of the responses I sometimes received:  “You give stickers—to seniors—?!” and “Yeah, but—what applicable skills are students learning about the real world through reading poetry ?” and “How can writing a personal letter to Ponyboy Curtis from The Outsiders seriously help students stay motivated at school ?”

Although I was often daunted by how to respond to these inquiries (or perhaps accusations—) what I know is that my students (many who have gone on extremely rewarding professional and personal paths) always asserted that I was a tough teacher and that they learned a lot—my standards were extremely high—but most of them also spoke about how much fun we had together in the journey of learning.  And that’s the kind of culture I’m creating at my little Corner of the world now…because most of the joy in education has been lost in the effort to prove and to perform….Which is one reason why I left my school straight-jacket, and takes us back to the original issue—”What exactly is academic coaching?”

When I think of all the wonderful ways to respond to this question—to someone who really has the time to listen—I probably need to think about writing a book on the topic.  But for now I want to bring in additional voice to offer someone else’s definition, another certified professional coach who provides perspective on a particular niche of this profession called ADD Coaching:

“What is ADD Coaching?  Can an ADHD coach help you or someone in your family?  Coaching is defined by the International Coach Federation as ‘partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.’  ADHD coaching employs a special skill set to empower persons impacted by ADHD to manage their attention, hyperactivity, and impulse control.

An ADHD coach could be described as a well-trained, professional ‘best friend’ who totally believes in you.  Even if all you can see is what’s not working in your life, your coach sees what is working, what’s good, and what’s possible for you.  Your ADHD coach can help you understand your unique brain wiring, your strengths, and how you can use that knowledge to your great advantage, unlocking extraordinary potential.

The time you spend with your coach is all about you.  Your coach will provide a safe and nurturing environment, listening to and hearing your concerns.  Your coach will help you understand and support your treatment program and save you precious time and wasted energy.  Your coach listens to your troubles and concerns and then supports you in finding your own unique solutions. Your conversations together will be supportive, not judgmental.  Your coach is a collaborative partner who will help you learn to minimize and/or manage weak areas so that you can focus on what you’re good at and what you’re passionate about.  You will cover topics that include health, education, life skills, tools and strategies and ways to keep on track.  An ADHD coach will help you design your life to be one which will give you satisfaction, variety, and success.  Your ADHD coach can help you overcome the frustration, confusion, and discouragement you may have felt around your ADHD and, with understanding and appreciation, support you in designing a new life of possibilities and potential.”  -written by Susan Macintosh, ADHD Coaches Organization

March Showers: Get Your H20!

If you see me during the day, you’ll notice that I take a lot of multi-colored vitamins—I’m a big proponent of health, as there are real ripple effects of nutrition connected with both professional achievement and personal happiness….But the simple component of well-being that I want to address today is sometimes overlooked as a strategic factor in student success.  While it’s a major commitment of time and energy to compile my “daily dose” of twelve different supplements and get them in my bag each morning, there is one essential ingredient that is easily accessible (at least here in America—) which can actually improve your child’s test scores:  WATER.

In a recent article of Scientific American Mind, researchers report that we are often not aware of being dehydrated, but a lack of water can cause a variety of problems:   a) prevent clear cognition, b) cause brain tissue to wither, c) interfere with planning/decision making, and d) restrict short-term memory ability by affecting important attention to detail.  One study, conducted in 2010 by Dr. Matthew J. Kempton at King’s College in London, revealed that even slight dehydration causes brain cells in the frontal lobe (which is in charge of executive functioning) to shrivel…just like plants!

Another experiment, conducted at the University of East London in 2009, revealed that “having a drink can help kids think.”  When thirsty six and seven year-olds were given a glass of water before an exam, they actually improved the accuracy of their answers.  These results can give teachers pause—when a student asks to visit the water fountain, we sometimes assume that this request is a delinquent diversion or devious detour, but kids are intuitively wise and they often instinctively understand the connection between being hydrated and having access to essential information.

“Ruled by the Body” by Erich Kasten addresses additional angles of health, especially physical conditions that can cause depression.  Check out how inflammation, lack of iron, and hormones affect both our moods and mind by reading more at:   http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=ruled-by-the-body.  While we deal with March showers outside, let’s not forget that—like flowers—our children need lots of H20 to grow!