Increasingly, parents have written kind notes to The Learning Consultants regarding our teachers and counselors. Historically, given our niche, we have the great role of being the “help button” for parents and children. So, we have often received thoughtful praise from families throughout Connecticut and Westchester County, NY regarding our tutoring, test prep, and college […]
Read MoreMcKinsey is widely known to produce thoughtful research pieces that have no ideological agenda. The renowned consulting firm’s research illustrates what seems obvious: education gaps between children will widen considerably during this time. But more stunningly, the article opines that the gaps will last a lifetime. Here’s what I know from running The Learning Consultants […]
Read MoreEssay writing on the SAT may be optional, but good writing skills aren’t! All students with college or career aspirations should develop their writing skills. Beyond the obvious advantages, knowing how to write well also helps us think better. This is why Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos insists that employees write out their ideas in narrative […]
Read MoreThere will be an education gap. But this gap will not be exclusively due to Covid creating three months of terrible schooling for most. Instead, there will be a distinct gap between those children who developed themselves during Covid and those that did not. And, of course, while parents cannot take all the credit or […]
Read MoreReading skills predict college attendance Reading skills matter when it comes to getting into college. This isn’t new information, but a study just published its sobering findings. As Michael T. Nietzel’s headline in Forbes sums these up, “Teenage Boys’ Lower Reading Skills Helps[sic] Predict Why Fewer Males Attend College” (June 11, 2020). Reading scores for […]
Read MoreI attended public school with a strange mix of students. Some were from real affluence and some were one step above poverty. When I exaggerate, I note that some kids in our school got Porsches for their 17th birthdays and some kids were taught to steal Porsches for their 17th birthdays! That would be the […]
Read MoreA few years ago, Kaleigh Moore wrote a story for Inc., in which she headlines a study that found the majority of employers–73%–favoring job candidates with strong writing skills (https://www.inc.com/kaleigh-moore/study-73-of-employers-want-candidates-with-this-skill.html). Fast forward to May 2020. And the impact of COVID-19 on the economy has surely upped the ante for workplace communication skills. With companies shifting […]
Read MoreAcademic Ramifications of COVID-19 School Closures Just what are we going to do about “covid slide?” After about 8 weeks of “remote learning” in CT and elsewhere, many educators have begun asking this question. Despite the tremendous efforts of everyone involved, our kids just aren’t learning as much remotely as we’d hoped after CT schools […]
Read MoreWhile I am a perpetual optimist, experience has taught me to adapt my optimism to forces beyond my control. I will no longer drive during a snow storm. I will take precautions if forecasters suggest that hurricanes may hit and I will take seriously notions like the pandemic will stop colleges from opening in the […]
Read MoreYesterday, I was in a conference call with two higher ed administrators in Connecticut. Both are expert researchers in education. They are friendly with one another but have distinctly different philosophical outlooks on education; one is highly practical and the other is more idealistic. Yet, they absolutely concurred on one point: there will be a […]
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