Some children struggle to keep up at school, and they tend to lag behind their peers. Although this can be easily related to their laziness or irresponsibility, sometimes so much more is happening underneath. This is where Lynette Munich focuses her work on empowering minds of young learners as a holistic neural growth learning success coach. Joining Kohila Sivas, she shares how she educates children in a more engaging way, going beyond the limiting and rigid culture of the institutional education system. Lynette also talks about practical strategies to make kids more attentive and interested in reading, especially in this distracting age of mobile phones.

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Watch the episode here

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Empowering Minds Of The Young With Lynette Munich

Hi, Lynette. How are you?

Hi.

How are you?

Good? How are you?

Very good. How was your New Year?

It was great. I go back to school on the 9th. It was a very nice break, but I was very very busy, very productive though.

Yeah, awesome. That's really good. You made a website, that's awesome.

I did. Yeah, so I finally finished it.

Been busy.

Very.

Happy New Year. How about your student? What happened after the dad died? Was been meaning to ask you.

Well, he still hasn't come back. I've been in touch with his mom, Christina, and she just says that he's having a difficult time obviously, and she does want to resume with me, but he needs some time right now.

Yeah. Do they have counseling? Are they doing counseling and stuff?

She said that her two other kids, who are older than Thomas, happen once in counseling but Thomas is just more apprehensive about that. He's more of that strong silent type kind of person. She said all of his teachers are aware, obviously what happened and they're being very understanding and that they all know about me, but he had missed a month of school.

Yeah. That’s good that she wants to come back that says so much.

She does. I sent him a text a couple of days ago just to let him know that if you ever needed someone to talk to that I'm here. He did respond, “Thank you.”

That's good.

But, I'm trying to handle this very gingerly because I know he's having an extremely difficult time.

Of course.

Because as you know or maybe you don't know? They were going through a divorce but still living in the same household.

Yeah, that's what you told me. I didn't know that. Yeah. That’s hard.

Yeah, I mean, I don't have any details. I don't know how he died. Nothing.  I don't want to ask. Christina knows that if she thinks she wants to talk to me anyway, I'm let her do that when she's ready.

Yeah makes sense.  Any questions about the program? How are you doing in your business? Tell me a little bit about where you're headed.

I'm doing great.

Did you get more students?

In December, I just enrolled three students from the same family. That was a word of mouth. It’s someone who lives in my community?

Okay.

Fantastic family. I have her sixth-grade daughter and eighth-grade son. They both attend my school actually, so I knew them already and their freshman in college, son. I will start back up tomorrow because I needed a break. It's going great. I'm excited about that. Shaylin is the one from Chicago, Swady's son. They're in Vienna right now. I asked her like, “What does she want to do? Does she want to continue?” She says she'll get back to me when they come back from Vienna because they're on vacation right now. We'll see that. That one is my most difficult student. He's a nice kid, but I guess I'm used to working with kids who have an actual academic need, and he doesn't have that need. Even though I have helped him with Spanish, and with some things with ELA like Heart level things which is fine, but that was my most challenging one because he wanted to fight me. I guess lack of a better word. Not disrespectful but again, that was just tough on me. The other kids, they have obvious academic needs so it's a lot more exciting for me because I have something that you can see the progress. That’s just, I don't know, makes me feel like I'm accomplishing something. Yeah.

That's awesome. How many students do you have now?

Well, if Thomas comes back and Swatty renews, that’s six.

She still has one son with you, the other one was gone, one of them, right?

I have her. Yeah, I have her ninth grader with me or sixth grade. I just did alignment days last summer because he was going to work with his own teacher and I asked her about him and she said he's doing fine. The whole point was working with her older one is they wanted me to challenge him with SAT stuff but he's only a ninth grader so it is kind of too early for that. I give him other things that we work on and the things that he's working on in class. Again, mainly Spanish. That's the area that he needed the most help with so I've helped him with that.

Are you finding the group [00:06:08] to work for you or send you the new one, right? Did you had a chance to go and try it?

No. Only when you had the Zoom call. Group work honestly, with what I needed, that's just where I meet with the student because we do a lot with Google Docs and sharing a document where I can see their writing live. We just communicate using [00:06:37]. I don't plan on renewing it. It expires on April 12 and it doesn't help me a whole lot because I want to upload documents and it limits me. If I upload one, it won't let me upload any more. It says I don't have any space. It's just not the most user-friendly for what I needed. Again, if I tell math, it would be different.

Yeah. I did not have that issue before. I think they changed the amount of files you can do because before, I could upload unlimited. Now, it keeps selling me even though I've bought extra storage. [00:07:10] tells me after four or five students upload a whole bunch of stuff. Sometimes one student has 90 pages of uploads. Right? I've had lots of uploads of that.

Yeah.

But what about the new one? Did you like the new one? 

When I was in the Zoom call. I loved it. I don't know if you sent it to me.

Yeah. I sent it to you.

Maybe you did. I have to look at it.

If not, tell me because I'm gonna send you because I'm gonna give free access for you.

Yes.

Just check it out. One month there is free access so you can check it out and tell me. I think that might work better for you but the only problem is they don't get their individual room.

You know what? I think that's okay with what I needed for, that's okay. Yeah, like I said, I use Google Docs a lot and Google Drive so they have their own dedicated documents there. I think that'll be fine. What I did like about the new one is that cool browser.

Yeah.

Because I was playing around with that program that he was demonstrating and that would work super well for me.

Yeah. Lots of games.

With that, I did like it.

Can bring in lots of videos. Absolutely, and the whiteboard is nicer and it's also good. I've been playing with it and I've been building the playground as well. I'm gonna launch that. I'm gonna send you some information on that so you have information to look at it as well.

Yeah. I love the fact that a student do not have to have their own dedicator room because what I want to do with my website, I'm trying to figure out how to do it is have the kids be members so that they can log into that platform via my website. If it's just one room, I think that would work out fantastic.

Yeah. I think the link is always the same.

Yeah.

It's always the same link. Therefore, you can put a tab that they click and it just brings them to that room.

I love that idea. Yeah.

Then you have to still admit them anyway. If they come early, they could just wait in the waiting room.

I like that.

They’re not going to appear in other class while you’re working. That’s good.

I like that feature because [00:09:14]

No. Because they are using different rooms, we can't have them coming in. The other thing is that we have a platform. I don't know where you're hosting your website. Is it Wix?

Yeah.

We have a platform that we have. It's $97 a month. The whole set of stuff. What comes with this is you can create courses inside of it. Like how I have a portal, that type of course, you can send email campaigns, you can send SMS campaigns. It has everything. You can build funnels if you ever want to do some kind of sequencing. If you're interested in that, I'll send you that information as well.

That's something it's $97. It comes with some of the setups, but if you want any further setups for example, special funnels or something, we have team members that can help you for an extra price, but this is $97. Some of it you can do with yourself. It's pretty simple. It also includes a calendar so you can blast out to people. If you want to email some people, you can do that as well. If you're in the future of hosting a hybrid model where you have some courses plus coaching like groups.

Okay.

There are some of the people in the program who are doing that, that's why I brought it in. I will send you some information about that.

Okay. What is it called again? Is it a new platform?

The teaching one, the coaching one?

Yeah, the coaching one.

It’s just I've licensed it under our brand. It's just called Learning Success Academy. If you go to my website and click it, I have a link there. That's the kind of stuff you can do on our website that if you buy their program, the $97 one, you can have Vlogs, you can have all of those things. It's like you can host your website. It's a bonus.

Yeah. I think I have to be a little bit grow a lot more, but I want it for what I need. Yeah.

Yeah. Next year or end of the year when you start moving into India.

Yeah.

Okay. Any questions about the show?

No.

Do you have any tips you want to share? One of the things I will ask throughout the show is whenever there's a possibility when we're discussing stuff, I might ask, can you share a tip that parents can use now and stuff? Is there anything you want me to ask you in terms of that? Any tips?

Yeah. Well, I jot down some notes and I have three tips for parents.

Okay. Perfect.

These are things that I used to share with parents and frankly still do, but do you want to hear what they are?

Sure. You can tell me. Yeah.

Okay. The first tip is to understand and accept that all kids are different and they all learn differently and success looks different for everyone especially when I get a whole family.

Yes.

You know parents want to quickly compare their kids to others and they can't do that. That's one. My second tip is to give kids space to figure things out on their own. A lot of times parents want to just give them the information, what kind of block out, any hurdles for them? No. If they want them to learn, they got to give them that space and time to figure things out on their own. My third tip which I strongly believe in this, is that it takes a village. We know the saying, “It takes a village to raise a child.” However, when it comes to their learning and that's how I always approach reading and teaching, it definitely takes the village, the parents, the teachers, and the student together. Because at the end of the day, the goal is for that student to learn and succeed, but it takes off all of us together. Those three things. Those are my tips.

Awesome. Those are very good. I'll just ask them in between.

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Coach Vs Tutor

Hi Lynette. Thank you for coming in today. How are you?

Hi Kohila. I'm doing great. How are you?

Very good. Lynette, you have decided to become a Wholistic NeuroGrowth Learning Success Coach.  

Yes, I have.

That’s what you are doing now with the students. One of the questions that people have confused with this. What's the difference between a tutor, because you didn't become a tutor, you're a teacher by profession, and now you have chosen to become a Wholistic NeuroGrowth Learning Success Coach, why not become a tutor? And what's the difference?

Well, a coach versus a tutor. A coach definitely goes a lot deeper in understanding students. A coach doesn't just focus primarily on the content. I always consider tutoring more surface-level. The relationship building is typically absent from there and I would think that a phenomenal tutor is probably behaving like a coach. I've had some friends who are tutors and they explain what they don't like, a tutor. However, I have one particular friend who tutors. Well, he calls himself a trainer and he behaves like a coach, but he chooses to be called a trainer, which he's a lot more than just a tutor. Again, I think a tutor is just very superficial. Not that it's a bad thing, and I think it's more beneficial for kids that maybe do not have huge learning gaps or any learning gaps at all, maybe it's just a student that needs a little extra push, a little extra help and fine. Coaching that is considering the entire child. Who they are, getting to know them, getting to know their families as well because again, it takes all of us together, but a coach digs a whole lot deeper than a tutor ever can.

When a parent is looking to hire a tutor or a coach, what should they look for in your opinion? What should they consider?

Well, they need to consider what their child needs. Sometimes they don't know, which is why it's great working with someone like myself that I can go ahead and get to know the student and give them the battery of assessments to really get to know. Again, that's a snapshot as well. Again, tutors don't do that. The parent has to know and be able to articulate some of what the issues are and in having that conversation with, “I can pick up.” “Yeah. I think you need to go this way.” That's when kind of having a conversation with them, getting to know me, and then sharing with them what it is that I offer is like that light bulb goes off and like, “Yeah. I think that's what my kid needs.” Again, they need to be able to articulate, even if it's just a little bit, what that child is struggling with because that is the only way to know which direction to go.

As parents, sometimes we don't know what our children are struggling with because we see the behaviors right, and then behaviors don’t typically tell us exactly what's happening under the surface.

Yeah, definitely. I agree because sometimes parents I guess get the results of a child maybe not understanding what's going on in class. A lot of times kids are afraid to look dumb. A lot of times kids don’t want to ask their teacher so they keep each to themselves but then you have the flip side. You have those students who may be causing a disruption in class. A lot of times it's because there's something deeper going on. They're not grasping the materials. Maybe they're upset at themselves. Maybe they get angry that they don't get it as fast as their peers do and they act out. They act out at school, in class, or sometimes at home. Sometimes kids don't want to talk to their parents either. Again, that's where a coach comes in and can be able to ask the right questions to try to get to the source of what's going on. I'm a firm believer that kids who struggle in school, there's a reason. I think it's a very small amount of kids that just don't care. I refuse to believe that kids were feeling just don't care. That's not the case. There's a reason why they're struggling. Maybe they reach a point where they feel they don't care because they don't know how to get the help.

There is a reason why children struggle at school. Most of the time, they reach a point where they don’t care anymore just because they don’t know how to get help.

Over time if you're failing repeatedly, I mean who wants to do that same thing again, right? Even adults such as us, if I suck at something again and again and again, I'm not going to be excited to do it again.

Yes.

I'll be making excuses. I'll be making stories to get out of it. That's what's kids  do because that's all they have. Right?

Because we human beings convince ourselves of things that could be completely false. Sometimes it requires stepping outside our comfort zone. A lot of times even as adults you need someone there by your side who's going to give you that push, and it's going to make you understand that you know what if you fail, it's okay. You get up and try again. A lot of people don't have that including kids.

Becoming A Teacher

If we were afraid of that, all of us could never walk, right? How many times did we fall when we learned to walk as infants and also toddlers? Tell me a little bit about why you became a teacher in the first place.

Why became a teacher, that's a loaded question. Okay. Well, I kind of took a different route to education. I started pretty late. My life in a nutshell after college was I went into the military. I worked as a graphic artist for several years. I had my own business, but my heart was always with education. The funny thing is that the reason why I did not go into education right away is because I always wondered why my teachers looked so tired. Why they were carrying so much stuff? Then once I came when I realized why. Still there's something beautiful about teaching and that's where I got my most Joy. Being a part of another person's learning. Being a part of another person becoming successful even if that meant, “Hey, they got an AI spelling test.” I helped them get there. That made me super happy. On the flip side, I always say education is both my pleasure and my fortune because while I love the Art and Science of teaching because of the system we're in, it became painful which is why I'm kind of going into coaching instead. I still believe that working with students especially those who have the need, oh, it just brings me a whole lot of joy just to be able to help them. It does. It does a lot for me.

Parents sometimes have misunderstandings with teachers when their child starts struggling. You're also a Dean, right at the school you were at?

Yeah. I'm the seventh-grade Dean which I deal with discipline all day long.

Working With Parents

Yes. Discipline. How do you handle parents when you require disciplining with the students, obviously, it's gonna make the parents upset because sometimes parents are not even aware of a lot of things their child is going through, how do you handle that relationship?-

Well, very similar to how I did in the classroom, very similar. I'm a strong believer in building those relationships. It can't just be limited to the students. It has with the parents as well, and how I deliver the message. My job right now is I've suspended out of school multiple students, however, the way I approach it is, unless it's something really bad that they need to be suspended right away, is do something wrong, I like to give the kid a chance to redeem themselves. I make sure the parent is aware of that.

Because in the event there's another discipline issue, that I have to give them a consequence, but it all boils down to understanding the parent and how it must feel to get that phone call from the school. I can't imagine a stealing good. I never had that with my child so I don't know what it feels like. I'm very good at understanding people. I approach it in a way that is respectful. It’s not condescending even though I might be upset if a child is something really bad, but at the end of the day, we're here to work together to teach this child that XYZ is long and there are consequences for the choices that we make.

Thankfully, I've been very fortunate. I've been doing this in my second year being a dean and some of my clients I, have been a result of disciplining their children. That's how I first met them. Again, I think people are able to read me and know them very genuine because I truly am. I love what I do, and I love kids to be successful in a safe manner. Again, it's kind of simple to say but it's building that relationship so that the parent understands, “Hey listen, I'm here for your kid. That's why I do this,” and they get that.

Yeah. Absolutely. In a lot of schools, teachers are leaving for this kind of problem where they're not heard, and they're being blamed by parents or the admins, throw them under the bus because I want this show for parents to understand what a teacher goes through too in the classroom when dealing with this. It's not easy. As teachers, you're not there to discipline or you're not there to give them suspension, it's not what it's for. At the same time, you have protocols and you have things you need to in place. How can a parent understand a teacher in a situation like that?

I think when I was in the classroom something that I did like very early on in the school year, which was a lot of work for me, but I made sure that with my email I created a massive email group with every single parent and I worked at a very big school. It took me a few weeks to gather that address group together, but I would introduce myself to the parent and I would speak from the heart. Because I believe you have to bring them on your side so that they can understand that we are in this together. I cannot educate your child. This day and age is different. Okay.

I've been doing this 22 years. It has changed a lot. To get a kid's attention in class, it's extremely difficult. If the teacher in the parent are working together, that child has no choice but to comply with what we ask because we're here to help them be their best self. I think it goes back to that. Again, I go back to the building of relationships. I would call parents frequently when I had to.

If teachers and parents work together, children will be more attentive in class and experience an easier time unleashing their best selves.

Unfortunately, because of the size of my school and how fast-paced things are, I might not have been able to give them a phone call and say, “Hey, your child did a great job today.” Guess what? I could send them an email or I can send them a text because we have apps today where a parent signs up, boom, you can send them a really quick text saying, “Hey, your child is a fantastic job today.” I believe that a parent needs to see is that the teacher is a human being who does care.

I think if a person's able to see that you're more apt to win them over because, from my experience, I think most parents understand how difficult teaching is. I've been fortunate enough that every now and then you get one parent, but that one parent that's really hot, they're not thinking clearly at the moment. It's like when teachers are upset, ideally, you should not be sending an email when you're upset. Give yourself time to think it over and cool down before you respond to a parent's message.

I've done that. Again, I started teaching fairly late unlike a lot of my coworkers that are super young and out of college. With my life experience military corporate world, I brought all that with me when I started teaching, hence, I've also trained teachers. I was an instructional coach before and I would train teachers. Those are some of the things that I would say to them. Just little strategies because we're human. Parents make mistakes when they send those emails and they're not thinking, they want to blame you, but that's because they're upset. Pick up that phone call, them have a human conversation and that's really all it.

That's a great tip. Also, it could go for parents too, not to send that email right away when you are upset and mad. I would say at the end of the day the child is in the middle of all of this chaos, the blame games, and all of that.

Listen, our job is to model for kids and you don't want to model poor behavior either from the teacher or the parent. That's not the way to go.

Becoming A Coach

Absolutely. Tell me a little bit about why did you chose to become a NeuroGrowth Learning Success Coach.

Well, I learned of learning success coaches almost by accident. This was December of 2022. I literally just got a text message. I've never heard of learning success coaches ever. I was at my kitchen counter. It was right before Christmas break. I had maybe a few days left of the school term and I got a text message and I thought it was a joke. I thought it was spam and it was like, “Are you interested in leaving the classroom? Pursuing your practice.” I'm like, “What is this? I never do this, but I texted back.

Low and behold, I learned everything there is to learn about learning success coaches and the rest is history. I went ahead, got all my information spoke to your wonderful husband because I was very apprehensive like, “I don't buy this. I don't buy this,” but it's real. It's true. Like I said, the rest is history and once I learned about I'm like, “Oh, wow. This is exactly what I need. This is exactly what I've been looking for for years.” It happened for me like that.

Yeah. What is it that you were looking for?

I was looking for an opportunity to run my own show if you will. I was looking for an opportunity to be the kind of educator that I've always wanted to be that I really could not be fully in the classroom, and in the current system as we have, and I wanted an opportunity to gain my freedom. That's what I wanted and I found this.

Yeah, and in this, what are you able to give the students because that's powerful for you?

I'm able to give them a lot of all of the skills and knowledge that I have without the constraints of the system and having to follow a single linear path that leads no room for creativity not just for myself. As the educated before the student as a learner. Even though I have some students that are In the public school system, and at school, they’re boxed in but with me, they're not we can.

Break down those walls and we're going to work on the things that I feel you need based on the assessments that I gave you. I also help them with things they're doing in class as well because I have to be relevant. They have to take it back to what they're doing in class, but we're not boxed in. There's a lot more freedom. I'm able to pull resources without someone telling me, “No, you can't do this. No, you can't do that.” No. Because I'm saying that I can and that's what my student needs. Again, freedom.

That’s what you mean by freedom and have control for the teacher. Right? That's so much

I do yes, but also freedom and direct to the ground where I would to take my own life, even though I'm currently still employed, my attitude and outlook every day are totally different. It's a lot more positive and hopeful because my plan is to be able to continue to build this practice and do it full-time. And how

Students’ Response

How do students respond to coaching? Because these are students who are struggling in so many different ways and you meet them and then you transform them at the end. Tell us a little bit about that.

Yeah. It does take time. I have one student I've been working with since the summertime, and the wonderful thing is that when he's able to look at his notebook that we created together and compare to the work that he has done on his own, he can see the difference. Where he is on his own with no coaching, no help versus what his work, and I'll just say writing for example, what his writing looks like with my coaching. I always like my students to get involved.

If there's something in particular they want to read about. This is very different from being in the classroom. You got to do what your teacher tells you. With me, however, “Hey you like soccer? You like Lionel Messi?” I'll pull up a piece of text on him and the student is actually interested in it because the student really drives this. I'm their servant. That's how I see it because I want this to be meaningful to them, and they respond.

How important is that to learning, relevant and meaningful?

It is completely.

Yeah. That's why they disengaged. Right? That's why students are unmotivated. That's why sometimes they appear lazy. Because we're telling them things that are not relevant to them. They don't see that.

Exactly.  When you have 25 kids in the classroom because I've been there, the teacher has to do what she's told to do, but with coaching, it's completely different. I become a part of their family. It's different.

Parenting Tips

If a parent is listening, what tip can you give them if I'm looking at my son saying, “He's lazy.” Sometimes we tend to label our kids too as parents because if they're not doing what they're supposed to do, we're hard on them. As you said earlier, when we started you mentioned that it's not that they don't want to do it, they don't know how or they got lost in the process, right? They appear like that. What tips would you give them a tip?

Well, one of the tips that I would give is for a parent not to compare their child to either their other children or their friend's children because every learner is different. You and I are very different, you and I learn differently, and kids are no different. Again, it's really easy to label them and I'm guilty of that as well with my own child. Also, I know how to ask the right probing type of questions to kind of get to the core of what's going on, and because when a student first meets me, they're not familiar with me, they're more apt to speak.

It's the same thing with parents, if you ask the right questions, try to understand what is going on, because like I said, I don't believe that kids are failing because they want to. I don't believe that. There are many reasons why we just have to kind of get to the core of what their reason is because only with that will be able to kind of build something and move forward from there. The comparison just understands that every child is different.

Reading Issues

Absolutely. In your coaching practice when a student comes and let's say they're not reading, what do you notice about why they're not reading? What is the reason why kids are not reading these days? Because there are a lot of kids who have fallen behind this big gap and what they can read and where they should be, what are you noticing?

It depends on the age.  I've worked through this practice. I've worked with Elementary, Middle, High School, and College. Let's talk about the little ones because it's a lot easier to identify in younger kids. When a young child, let’s say a third grader cannot read through the assessments, I'll know. They have a decoding issue. That means they don't know the sounds of individual letters and letters together, which is a massive problem. The sooner a parent catches that and seeks help, the better it is for the child. Okay. That's a young student.

When it comes to like middle and high school, it's lack of Interest. Again, the assessments give me so much information, and I have one particular student. His decoding skills are fine. He's fluent. It's the comprehension piece. That's the last level when it comes to reading comprehension. He's just not interested in the things that he's given to read. That's working with me, that we read topics that he actually enjoys and he asks questions. It's really for older kids, it's just the lack of interest because again, and it's not their fault, they're boxed in.

In school, they have to read massive texts on topics they are so not interested in. With me at least if I give them something that they're interested in, I can help them with the comprehension piece because they want to comprehend especially when they're reading about a soccer play that they love. That helps to push them and then teaching them the comprehension strategies that they can take back to school. Those are the differences there. Again, to pinpoint what the issue is, it depends on the grade level and how far behind the student is.

Let's say I have a great three child, myself, and they are not reading, what can I do as a parent to help them, myself?

As a parent, modeling reading. When a child grows up seeing their parents read? Just for fun. They see that and that helps them. Reading together with the child is something fun and exciting. Having the child read back to you while they're reading or after they're reading, ask them just basic comprehension questions to see if they're fully understanding what they're reading. I'll be honest with you, my daughter just graduated from college. She had a library of books before she was even born. I was always a big reader because my mom would take me to the library.

I saw my mom read and school was the main thing and my love. With kids, that's how it has to be especially today. How many babies do we see with a cell phone in their hand? You see that everywhere. Not a book, but a cell phone. That's a whole separate issue but it does affect reading and the love and desire to want to read. I'm still a little old school. I love an old-fashioned book in my hand. I cannot stand to read on the computer. It all starts with that because a child's first teacher is his or her parents. What they see at home, especially when it comes to learning, education, reading we're gonna take that when you leave the house.

Whatever children see or learn at home, they will surely take it with them when they go out.

Let's have a little bit of a tough conversation here. How about I'm a parent and I started giving my child the phone and when they were maybe one year old, you just want them to sit in and be quiet. I have a lot to do, it's busy, maybe I have another child. It's just a lot for a mom. We know how it is to be a mom, I think. Then now the child is not reading and they just want the phone because we now have developed the hobbit. This is what we want. How can the parent take that away and bring love for book again? Is it possible to introduce again, the book, into their life?

It is possible and depending on the kid. It might need to happen gradually. My thing is, if you're going to give a child a device, then have some apps on that device, they’re educational. That's what they're going to plug. But ABC Mouse is fantastic. Not YouTube but there are a lot of educational platforms Hooked on Phonics. That's what I grew up with. They have a whole digital platform with Hooked on Phonics. If that's how you choose to parent, that's on you. However, make it relevant at least.

Then again, there's a time and place for everything. Have some rules established at home that is certain time there are no devices, let's sit together and just readable. Let's talk about it. Let's have our own little family book club. There are so many things that could be done. They are very simple actually, but that would be my advice when it comes to the devices that we're so addicted to.

We know there's a debate about this is our new world. We have to teach our kids to have this phone. We have to let them learn about technology and screen time is all important, but at the same time literacy and where children are graduating unable to read or write.

At a level that they, definitely. I don't buy into that. I mean, I love technology as much as the next guy. However, there has to be a balance even through our coaching platform, my students are required to have a notebook. They are required to write in their notebook because I believe in a blended model. I don't think that just doing everything 100% online is the way to go. Let's talk about their handwriting. Even that has fallen by the wayside and that is not okay. That is not okay. We can't rely on the technology 110% is wonderful as it is.

It serves its purpose, however, there's a lot more to learning than just a device. If you actually ask kids, I know that when I was in the classroom, my school had to have a blended learning model because our school's digital so all students have a device, my students used to love to have a pencil in hand and write. They used to love that and have papers especially when it came to reading and what I taught which was English Language Arts, where you have to annotate the text and right notes, I had them do it on paper and they loved it. They loved it. Then at the end of the year, they had a wonderful resource, their notebook that they put together.

Yeah. Something proud that they can keep it and they could read it again but also, the handwriting is so important because it gives you that extra layer of putting information into your system, into your brain, and coding it. It’s so important because it's just one way of typing. It doesn't get in even I have to write something down in order for me to remember.

So do I. With my students, I have them have a document camera because I have one as well, so if I'm writing something in my notebook and I want them to see it, I just switch to that camera and they do the same thing so I can see their handwriting live with the use of a document camera.

Very important. Yes. Parents can make that a part of their routine as well like for ten minutes a day, five minutes even right and it doesn't have to even look good, but just the act of sitting and writing and sitting and reading, these are our time we have to do these. They still have phone for another 20 minutes to 60 minutes if they want it, but that should come as a routine. As you said, setting balance and boundaries with these important skill set as well.

Advice For Teachers And Administrators

Because in life, we can have whatever we want any time we want. It's not how an adult looks like, “Wait. I got to go to work and do what you're required.” You have to learn life skills. What can you say to a teacher because some of the people who listen to our programs or teachers who are probably struggling in the classroom, sometimes this has become the hardest? Many teachers are saying this is the hardest year in their career even this year. What would you say to them?

Well, it depends on where they want to take their career in their life. I always have said that teaching is not for everyone. I'm gonna say that coaching is the same thing. However, for a teacher who still loves the Art and Science of teaching but they are no longer happy or satisfied or fulfilled in the system or in the classroom, there is hope. There are options for them and this definitely is one of them. I left the classroom and I have my reasons for that, but I did not want to leave the education teaching learning part and still work with kids because that's very fulfilling. In this model, for example, a teacher that's still craves that, can have it. Again, if they're unhappy and unfulfilled, there is hope. They have a choice. They have skills that they can use in this manner.

What about administrators who are working with the teachers? One of the biggest things teachers say these days is there's a lot of micromanagement from the top level down, right? What can they learn? What can you tell them if you were to advise those administrators?

Administrators? Again, since I've been doing this for so long. I've had many different types of administrators. I had the micromanagers. I've had the ones who are totally absent. I've had the ones that are phenomenal coaches. True administrator understands that they are the instructional leader and they understand that they have to support and coach their teachers. I guess a general thing that I would say. Administrators know that I've been very fortunate throughout my career.  I've even had a friend administrator who was asking about coaching. Again, an administrator who loves education and loves teaching understands the trials and tribulations of teachers.

Then you also have those who act like business people, and luckily for me, not all of them have been like that. I think almost all administrators are also under the microscope. They have XYZ to do and it trickles down to the classroom teachers.  Again, I've been doing this for so long and I've been in and out of the classroom so I understand both super well. There are a lot of times administrators have to do things that they themselves do not believe in, that they themselves do not want to do but it's the system. That's the issue that teachers have. Teachers don't really have a problem with administrators. It's the system that we're all under. The system is very powerful as you know.

Student Behavior Post-Pandemic

Yeah. How do you think students are responding since the COVID and lockdown in terms of behaviors now that you are a Dean so you must know about behaviors?

Yes. Well, it is just now that it's starting to stabilize. We're coming out of that craziness. It's beginning to feel normal. Now, I anticipate next year even being more normal, but as COVID is behind us. We want to keep it back there and let's just move forward. Last year for me was my toughest and most difficult year in my career. This year, however, it's a whole lot better. I still want to get out but that's just something I've always wanted to do. It's just starting to stabilize now. I mean depending on the state and I'm in Florida. If you heard anything about, Florida, It's a little crazy. We're still very boxed in so kids are not going to know. Kids just know, “Oh, this is boring or oh this is not working.” It's us. We're the ones that have to make the difference.

Giving Children Space

Yes. Absolutely. Is there any other tips you have for parents that you want to share with us?

One of the tips I would like to share with parents is to give your kids a little space. What I mean by that is to give some space to fail because without failure they will never know success. Kids need space and time to figure things out on their own. That doesn't mean that you're completely absent, but if I say little Johnny, if Little Johnny is having an issue working something out, don't go rescue him right away. A big part of learning is struggling. That's the rigor.

It's true struggling through learning because that in and of itself is where the growth comes in. A parent has to kind of know when to step in or if they need to hire a coach for example, the coach can step in but you got to give a child space and time to grasp the material and to struggle. Struggle is okay. Struggle is not a bad thing. If you had a struggle with a plan in place, that's even better. They got to give their child some space.

What about if I’m a parent who's feeling like I don't want my child to feel bad like failing is they’re going to feel bad, they're going to get hurt?

The parent needs to get schooled because there's not one single successful person on this planet that had not had their failures. It's impossible. Again, you will never appreciate success if you cannot respect but they accept that failure is part of the process. Success is not something that happens overnight. It is a process and the parents need to understand that.

Yeah. What a great way to actually take those opportunities to teach our children something instead of just fixing it too fast, and they don't even know they made a mistake. You keep fixing it. I always say even with my kids, I thought sometimes I made them feel like they're handicapped. I wasn't letting them learn like when will they learn like, “Do it like this? I'll do it for you.” Then if they didn't do it the way they did it, they could have dropped it and that's okay if they dropped it because now they know that carrying like that I will drop this instead of what I grab it then I never gave them a chance to even drop it. Protecting them like that doesn't serve them in the real world.

Our job is to prepare kids for the real world and that real world is constantly changing but there's something that will never change, struggle will always happen, and success will happen as well. Again, it's part of the process and learning is a process. It is a process.

It is the teacher’s job to prepare kids for the real and constantly changing world. They must help children understand that struggle is part of the learning process.

Closing Words

Yes. What do you want parents to remember about your process and about you, about this episode?

Well, I am a person that has always valued education. My background comes from the inner city in Brooklyn New York, raised by a single mom. I understood very very early on that education was a lifeline for me. I was a good kid. I listened to my mom but kids today for the most part unless they grow up where I did, they don't see education like that as a lifeline, but it is for everyone because that is your your introduction into the world.

I'm a person that I don't care where the child comes from, what their struggles are, or what they're having difficulty with, I care more about where I can take them, and where they're going. My way of teaching and coaching is to prepare them for tomorrow. Tomorrow could be next year, five years from now. Even when I was in the classroom, I was like that because I like to teach them life skills to not just reading and writing but these skills that I'm teaching you, you take with you forever. They're yours forever. Once you learn them. They're yours.

Beautiful beautiful. I like how you made what you've been through and education was very important for you. You always said to me that now you're giving that as a gift to other kids and those kids who struggle who think that they can't do it, but now you make them that light bulk movement in their life and they feel like I can do this. I can really do this. Thank you so much, Lynette, for offering all the tips.

You’re welcome.

Yes. In the show notes. I will have all your information about your business. Parents who are listening you can contact Lynette and she has a free meeting, her clear coaching call where she will offer you information session where she can dive into what's going on in your child's life and she'll tell you exactly where you need to begin. As a learning success coach, she doesn't begin by just start working with reading or writing because we don't know what's really wrong with your child until we do the assessments and find out exactly where they are. I will have that in the show notes, Lynette. All your information so parents can contact you. Thank you so much for me here today.

You are very welcome Kohila. Thank you.

Thank you.

---

Awesome. Now, it’s good. Did you like it?

Yeah, I did. It was good.

It was natural. It's not very good. Okay, I'll finish this off. I just gonna do your intro and then wrap up here and then I will tell you when it's gonna be airing as well. I’ll drop that in for you and I will send you a couple of different emails. I'm just finishing up this weekend. I'll have some information about the portal and all of that stuff and then I'll email it to you.

Yeah. Send that to me so that I can clear it.

Yes. You don’t have it though, right?

Yeah. I don’t think so. I thought I might have seen something. But if you can just email it to me so I can go in there and play with it.

Yes.

On a side note kohila, look at my shirt. It has my logo.

I was gonna ask you. Yeah, it is nice. It's beautiful. I like the color.

Forty shirts, but I know I mentioned to you before I have other businesses and one of them is a print-on-demand business. I designed products. well, like the design on any type of product, this is a shirt and I put my logo on it.

Okay, maybe you can print something. I was posting it on the group. I don't know if you saw it like we're gonna have a live event.

Yeah. I saw that we. Yes.

Maybe we can make a shirt for all the coaches.

Yes. You have any details on it yet?

No. I'm just starting to plan it. Yes.  I’m thinking about Florida. Few areas, so it has to be in US for sure because the majority of our clients are in the US.

Orlando.

Okay. I'm thinking and I’m going to figure out and I'm definitely going to keep that in mind to ask you to print something. It would be nice.

That would be great. Yes. I was gonna ask you. Do you have any products with your logo on it? Because I do mugs and I do most pads and just any product you could think of, I could design.

We make it and send it to some coaches as well, right?

Well, what I could do because I sell on Etsy and Amazon. It'll give you an idea of all the different types of products that anybody could get with pretty much anything.

Yes. Send me the link.

I'm gonna send it to you so you can take a look at it.

Yeah, because Rod was talking about it because sometimes we go to these events. I'm going to be going to some speaking events in the US. Maybe I should just wear my shirt then I can just have my logos.

I would have stayed at work and asked me, “Oh, what is that?” “Well, let me tell you.”

Yeah. It’s a conversation starter, right?

You know what? Kohila I don't have it here. I have it downstairs. I am creative for my students, A student handbook I have a cover and a welcome page on the back cover and it's with resources that I like to use while I'm coaching students. So rather than kind of like emailing it to them. It's just a One-Stop shop and I'm gonna send it to you just so you can see.

Yeah. Maybe we could put it for all the coaches to buy as a link. Yeah. What I'm gonna do is when [01:04:08] I’m going to do that. Parents when I sell them on ongoing coaching, like I'll just include in the package because a lot of the resources, some I created myself but a lot is their resources I've created throughout the years that I hadn't used with my students in class and they can just pay for the shipping and handling but I'm gonna show it to you guys. I think and especially for any teacher actually.

Does that come with the calendar.? Is there a schedule in there?

No.

Yeah. I will be sending them a schedule. Then people who are teaching the kids how to schedule themselves. It's one of the programs, a lot of teachers a lot of coaches implemented a scheduling? I like writing with hand rather than using an app because the kids are so distracted by those phones. The last thing you need is to put an app on it and give them to use it as a Sketchbook.

I'll do that. I'm gonna send you the links on my bookstore so you can see what it is that I do and then I'm gonna send you the handbook that I designed and created. My undergraduate degree is an advertising graphic design. I was a graphic artist long before I started teaching. Yes, like all my logos I designed myself, my website I did it myself because I could design and I could draw so yes. Posters, pamphlets, groceries you name it? I do all those.

 We will need to print some of those things. If I'm gonna do the live event, I need some of those.

What I'll also do I'm going to send you the link to my portfolio for instructional design. That's the other side of me so you can see because I also know how to design eLearning courses.

Yeah. We were talking about that right? You send it to me. I think that link you sent it to me.  Yes.

Did I go portfolio?

Yeah. I think so. You can send it again. I don't know where it went, but I have it because after I make my stuff I was going to send it to you to review it. Do you remember?

Yes. I do. The automation[3]  software that instructional designers use I like it a free version for 30 days because it is expensive and I wasn't gonna purchase it unless I was getting a freelance instructional design job. Like I said, it's not cheap. Yeah, I'll send it to you again just to give an idea of the multi-faceted Lynette.

Yes. I love it. You got everything going that's awesome. That's awesome.

Yeah, why because I want to leave the system.

When can you leave the system?

You know, my mortgage just went up.

Because the interest rates.

The interest rates and homeowners insurance. Yes. I mean I had said May of this year. However, one thing that's for sure is that if I do go back to my school next year, I'm not gonna be a Dean anymore because I have a principal and she fantastic and she knows I don't like being a Dean. I'm gonna go back to being an instructional coach. Meaning a trainer for teachers.

Okay, so that you like?

Yeah, that I did love. Well, it's just like working with kids. Those teachers that really want help are fantastic. Those who know it all. Well, can't really help them.

How many students do you need in order to leave? Like you don't want to leave I guess because you're changing role, does that mean you don't want to leave in May? You don't mind going down?

No, because here's the thing I've been looking for instructional designer positions because I would love to do that remotely. That replaces my regular job. Therefore if I have a remote instructional design job, I can work on my own time. I can do my coaching. I can do all the things I do without having to get up and go to school. That's really what I want to do.

Is that what they're offering in May? The one, it's going to be remote?

No, the offer was to go back to my school but as a coach for teachers.

Instructional coaching.

Instructional coach, right? Instructional designers are different. That's all.

Okay, you want it to be a designer. I see. They come against the words there.

Yeah, and again an instructional designer is a person who designs learning, but it's for adults, not for kids. A lot of corporate companies when they have their training programs for their employees, they need an instructional designer to work with a subject matter expert and design the learning which includes e-learning courses and things. Those are things I know how to do. It's just kind of competitive because they hire really former teachers. A lot of teachers who have left education become instructional designers.

Yes. Have you been applying for that?

I have and it's hard. It's competitive.

Why not you advertise to companies as a person who just do it?

well, my LinkedIn is updated. I have that, the website with my portfolio, and I actually got certified at the tail end, I mean, certified with you. I'm actually certified as an instructional designer and learning developer. I actually took a course while I was balancing coaching. It's still education but it's with adults.

Okay. Perfect.

Yeah. I also filled out this, there's this online portal called Upwork. A lot of freelance instructional designers, go on there to try to get work. That's what I would like to do because that's another area that is of interest to me. I have a lot going on.

Yeah, it's good though, it keeps you busy, right?

Very busy, but it's stuff that I love and really enjoy and I'm really improving my skills.

Yeah, and you look a lot happier.

I am.

Yes, prettier.

Thank you.

That's awesome. Beautiful. Let me let me finish this show. I want to wrap up before I forget what you told me because I want to do a highlight and then I will send you some emails and I'm going to do a couple of classes just to get everyone on the same page. I haven't really started recording or making the new course that's why I haven't sent it to you, but I do want you to look at the slides that I make or is it better that I give you the information and you make the slides? You have something that you will grab, right? You said you have a design program. Can it makes the slides for you if you put in it?

Well, it depends. What is it that you use?

I just use Canva.

I use Canvas as well. Yeah. That's fine. You can send me what you want me to kind of proof read it and tweak it I can do that. Yeah.

I'm not there yet because this month has been gone fast. I didn't think December was gonna go that fast.

I know right?

It's just like yeah before I knew it was 31st. I'm really staying up late now and fixing it, but I'm also launching this other learning alignment to learn program. I don't know if you read it. it's another part of this. As a learning success coach, you can offer this on its own. You don't have to have a subject right? That is something that I'm working on right now because there are some coaches here in the program who need that because their subject expertise is not something they're strong like yourself, you're very strong in what you do, right? Others they're kind of doubt their ability. If you doubt it, you cannot be a good coach. For them for them, it's better that they have a structured program that they can just deliver it.

Got you. Let me ask you this. You mentioned creating E-courses, right? What software is being used to create the E-courses?

That's the platform that I was selling you the $97, one. It's includes everything. It has the program Creator. It has a program delivery method. You've got the email system. You got the SMS system and then you've got the payment plan. You've got the calendar like it's a full system. You don't need everything you can host your website, everyone. If you run ads, you can have funnels coming into it as well and you can send people to it.

Everything landing page everything you can build. It is still like a big program that we're white labeling it and we're selling it. Because I have my team, with the tech team, they can anytime if you need to do advance anything, you can get them to work for you. I will have a actual website. They're just finishing it. He's finishing it this week. I'll send it to you so you can see all the stuff that it does.

Okay, awesome.

It comes with a template. If you need something else for them to do that's advance, which the templates cannot explain to you then you would have to pay them extra.

Got you

That's as I said [01:13:40] wants to do that because she's in her business. She's making great money. She wants to do that hybrid model, right? Have some courses plus have some lessons that kids can watch and then come to her coaching so she doesn't have to repeat it.

Okay. I like that.

That's what I'm helping her create as well.

Okay.

We'll keep talking. I’m going to finish this up because I don't want to forget what I talk to you and then I'll talk to your book another day, and then I'll talk.

Okay.

Have the rest of your holidays. Enjoy it and then we'll talk soon. Okay.

Thank you. Kohila.

Thank you so much. Bye.

There you have it. Another interview with Lynette our Wholistic NeuroGrowth Learning Success Coach as you heard.

She was explaining how she's enjoying the work. She's doing with her students in this way because she's able to deliver transformation and she's able to take students that are struggling to someone who is succeeding. That was so important for her and it's not possible when you have to work in a box, as she kept saying, so it's really also important for parents to understand the dynamic of the situation and the school system with the administrators, and the teachers, and the student, and the parents, and we are all working sometimes against each other.

That's because the system has put us all in that place. She didn't blame anybody. She was just saying the system is not working. The system is failing everyone but in the middle of all of this is your child. As I always say, our ultimate job, or all of us who are involved in this, is to protect our children, your child. A very important aspect of it is to make sure that you always be gentle with that teacher when you're talking, when you're writing that email. If you're angry, just take a moment, go for a walk, and come back and send that email because, as I said always in the other interviews as well, you can never send something to a teacher and then you cannot send your child to go back to that classroom because it's going to be so bad for that child to be with that teacher even though the teacher is not going to be against it, you think about it as the situation has changed. They're not dealing the same way anymore.

They're being blamed. Who wants to be blamed and then still continue to do a great job? That's why as parents, we have to be very mindful of what we say and how we do it because at the end of the day what we want is the best for our children. Next time if you are going through any problems, take a moment, and think about it. Also, instead of writing an email, It's actually better to go in person or on a phone call to talk to the teacher because it will be better in a conversation because we have feelings with our words. Whereas in emails, there are no feelings. You might write something, it might mean something else for the person who's reading it. The other tip that she gave that I really liked is that I think it’s very important not the compare your children with anyone, in the family or anyone outside of the family that you may know, your friend's kids because if you compare them, that means that the child's going to start feeling that they're not good enough. They don't have the skills. They're not talented. They're not smart.

They're stupid. Now all of these things are stories that they're going to start telling themselves and we can really take away those stories. They're just going to validate them. It's gonna create more stories to validate those stories and your child's going to start feeling really bad and that wasn't your intention. Your intention was to just give them a boost and give them something to look at and say, “Okay, why are they doing it? Why aren't you doing it?” That was your intention but as children, they do not take it like that. Compare skin can lead to really really bad mindset and that can affect your child really negatively.

Just remember, when you're talking to your son or daughter if they appear to be lazy and unmotivated, just remember that they're going through something and maybe they have learning gaps that you're not noticing and that's when a tutor cannot assist you. That's when a service like what Lynette is offering will be a great opportunity for you. Even book that Clearly Coaching Call. She can tell you the information. She can educate you and then you can help your child. Just remember in this equation in this Learning Journey, the most important person is your child. Make sure to protect them at all times. Thank you, and I'll see you in another episode.

In this episode, I want to introduce our Wholistic NeuroGrowth Learning Success Coach, Lynette. A remarkable individual with a rich background and a strong dedication to education. She is a military veteran and she is also an educator with 22 years of experience. Lynette firmly believes that every child can learn and she is passionate about helping them gain confidence, grit, and appreciation for learning. As a Wholistic NeuroGrowth Learning Success Coach, Lynette focuses on building up students and instilling in them a love for learning. She wants them to understand the value of education from a young age. Let's welcome Lynette to the show. Hi, Lynette.

 Important Links

• Lynette - Her website

• Learning Success Academy