These last few weeks, my frustration with our schools has worsened. As always, I’m deeply concerned about our broken educational system. But I recently heard from several parents that a prominent, well-respected high school in Oakland County is ditching textbooks. I thought that there was a misunderstanding. I thought that maybe they misconstrued the message […]

You know that your child’s reading skills are not on par with other students. You have been looking for a reading professional who can finally help her become independent in school, sans tutors or your help. Do any of these statements sound like you? ”I’m exhausted because I’m always helping my child with understanding the textbooks. “The […]

This past week I told a 12th grade 4.0 student that we would soon be applying our reading skills to her Advanced Placement book. Her response was the typical. “We don’t use that book in class and I already have a 4.0.”  So, I retorted, “Let me get this straight. Your teacher is providing you […]

I want to get top grades and test scores and be better prepared for college boards and college life. Which type of college preparation professional is right for me? Every student is different and there are many choices for boosting academic skills. There are also many types of professionals and programs available, depending on a […]

Good grades dominate as the primary success measurement in school. The unfortunate aspect of this grade-driven format is that grades are not rewarded with the same guidelines across the board.

Many parents and students alike share the belief that there are “tricks” to standardized test taking and they search for those programs that specialize in helping students who are challenged by multiple-choice tests. These companies that market to increase scores are excellent resources for helping students to alleviate pre-test jitters. In many cases, these programs […]

Dyslexia can be a scary word. Often misunderstood, this broad term covers all reading disorders, including phonics, comprehension, and test-taking challenges. Some people with dyslexia struggle to sound out words and often confuse letters; others can read words but struggle to understand what they read. The dyslexia umbrella covers four types: Dysphonetic dyslexia (letter/sound) Surface […]

During the latter part of middle school and the start of high school, many bright students start to struggle with test taking. So why has testing become so challenging? If  you have studied the review packet for hours, or have re-read the passages over and over, then you probably do not have a conceptual understanding—an ability […]