Day 1 | Art of Motivating Students

Self-Regulation Strategies

One of the least taught topics in modern schooling is how to deal with yucky feelings, otherwise known as “self-regulation.” And yet both learning and life create a lot of stress! Tutors and coaches can make a big difference for students by teaching them strategies for regulating their nervous systems in pressured situations.

Enjoy the presentations below for the next 48 hours!

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Top Foods to Eat on Test Day | Mike Bergin

How could a student optimize performance on test day, particularly for high-stakes standardized tests like the SAT or ACT? Students often focus solely on academic preparation but neglect other crucial factors that can significantly impact their test performance -- like the proper nutrition to stay focused and alert for multi-hour tests. In this presentation, Mike shares helpful guidelines for what to eat for peak performance.

After the presentation, don’t forget to click here to pick up your copy of Mike’s presentation.

  • After 30 years of intensive experience in every aspect of standardized test preparation, Mike Bergin knows what works in test prep and what doesn’t. A nationally recognized leader in test prep, Mike founded Chariot Learning in 2009 to deliver on the promise of what truly transformative, individualized education can and should be. Besides overseeing Chariot Learning’s national programs, Mike is an ACT Certified Educator who trains teachers across the country to implement critical skills and college and career readiness standards.

    Mike is proud to be the founding President of the Board of Directors of the National Test Prep Association, a non-profit dedicated to promoting the highest ethical standards and best practices in the test prep industry while advocating for the appropriate administration and use of standardized tests for admissions and assessment purposes. Learn more about Mike’s central role in the international test prep community in this interview.

    Mike is also the creator of the TestBright SAT & ACT curriculum system and Roots2Words vocabulary program, co-host of the college admissions industry podcast Tests and the Rest, and admin of the Facebook industry group for test prep professionals, Test Prep Tribe.

    Lastly, Mike is the co-author of the Amazon bestseller Crash and Learn: Lessons in Business.

    Born and raised in the Bronx, Mike loves raising his two kids in Rochester but brings them back to NYC often so they don’t lose their edge! He moonlights as nature writer and bird watcher, and also loves travelling the world to explore new places. 

    You can find out more about him at https://www.chariotlearning.com.

  • Ready to watch Mike's Deep Dive interview? Click here to find out more and purchase your All-Access Pass.

Breathe Better to Lower Test Anxiety | Ben Bernstein

Performance psychologist Ben shares a powerful technique to combat test fatigue and anxiety. Learn about "3 Point Breathing," a simple yet effective method that helps students stay alert and calm during long exams. Discover how this strategy has led to significant score improvements on standardized tests like the SAT and ACT. Ben will demonstrate this easy-to-implement technique that could be a game-changer for your students' test performance.

Enjoy the presentation, then click here to grab your copy of Chapter Four: How to Stay Calm from Dr. Ben’s book Crush Your Test Anxiety.

  • Ben Bernstein is a senior psychologist and educator specializing in top performance. Known as the “Stress Doctor,” he is the author of four books on how stress affects performance: "Test Success"; "A Teen’s Guide to Success" ; "Stressed Out! for Parents"; and "Crush Your Test Anxiety". His monthly blog posts on the Psychology Today
    website regularly receive thousands of hits.

    ‘Dr. B’ is a performance coach for Academy Award, Tony Award, and Pulitzer Prize winners. His client list includes CEO’s, business owners, dentists, athletes, attorneys, physicians, parents, opera singers and actors. He lectures worldwide, live and online, to audiences of business executives, professors, parents, and healthcare professionals as well as at conventions, corporations, universities, colleges and hospitals.

    An educator for the last fifty years, Dr B has taught at every level of the educational system and was recently honored with the Distinguished Educator Award from Bowdoin College. Dr. B also has extensive involvement in the performing arts.Hehas directed theater at the Juilliard School (New York) and the National Academy for Dramatic Art (Sydney). An award-winning composer, a Master Coach at the San Francisco Opera, and he is the Founder and Artistic Director of The Singer’s Gym, a non-profit training workshop

    Bernstein has coached his three younger siblings in their successful artistic careers: sister Didi Conn, Frenchy in Grease; brother Andrew, the former senior photographer for the NBA; and youngest brother Richard, in leading roles at the Metropolitan Opera. Bernstein’s wife, Suk Wah, is a novelist. The couple divide their time between northern California and south India.

    Find out more at DrBYourBest.com

  • Ready to watch Ben's Deep Dive interview? Click here to find out more and purchase your All-Access Pass.

Be a Sensory-Informed Student & Educator | Emily Kircher Morris

Unlock the power of sensory awareness in your students! Join Emily Kircher-Morris as she reveals how understanding sensory processing can transform student behavior, focus, and learning. Discover the eight sensory systems (no, there aren't just 5 senses!) and learn practical strategies to help all students, especially those who are neurodivergent, harness their unique sensory experiences for better self-regulation and academic success.

Tune in and then click here to grab your copy of Emily’s free gift, an Executive Function Student Self Assessment Tool!

  • Emily Kircher-Morris's journey into neurodiversity advocacy began with her own experiences as a twice-exceptional (2e) gifted/ADHD child.

    Driven by a desire to create positive change for similar children, she entered the field of education, starting as a third-grade teacher in 2001. Her passion led her to pursue two master's degrees: one in education with a certification in gifted education (K-12), and another in counseling and family therapy.

    Currently, Emily provides mental health counseling at her private practice, Unlimited Potential Counseling & Education Center, in O'Fallon, Missouri, and founded the local nonprofit Gifted Support Network for high-ability children and their families.

    As a prominent voice in the neurodiversity movement, Emily co-hosts The Neurodiversity Podcast, which she and her husband started in 2018 to raise awareness among parents, educators, and professionals supporting neurodivergent children.

    Her expertise has culminated in the publication of two books: "Teaching Twice-Exceptional Learners in Today's Classroom" (2021) and "Raising Twice-Exceptional Children: A Handbook for Parents of Neurodivergent Gifted Kids" (2022).

    Emily is dedicated to changing perceptions of neurodiversity and regularly provides training for educators and mental health professionals, as well as speaking at conferences as a keynote speaker and for breakout sessions.

    Find out more about her at: https://www.emilykirchermorris.com/

  • Ready to watch Emily's Deep Dive interview? Click here to find out more and purchase your All-Access Pass.

Reality vs. Expectations: The ERAS Model | Laurel Black

Students often experience negative emotions like dread, avoidance, or annoyance, particularly in academic situations. These emotions can lead to procrastination and get in the way of students meeting their goals. To address this issue, Laurel Black introduces the ERAS model, a tool designed to help students bridge the uncomfortable gap between expectations and reality and become more self-directed in pursuing their academic goals.

Watch the presentation, then click here to grab a sample SMARTS Executive Function Lesson Plan.

  • Laurel Black, Ed.M. is the Director of Educational Therapy at the Research Institute for Learning and Development (ResearchILD) in Lexington, MA. In her role, she oversees executive function coaches and educational therapists to support students with learning, attention, and executive function challenges. Laurel works one-on-one with students, coaches parents, consults with special education teams, leads professional development, and designs curriculum. Her services empower students to take a self-directed approach to self-understanding, goal-setting, and executive function strategy use. In collaboration with Dr. Lynn Meltzer, she directs the Executive Function & Equity Fellowship.

    Before joining ResearchILD, Laurel had a 13-year career as a special educator. She started as a high school science and special education teacher in Austin, Texas, where she was named "Teacher of the Year" in 2014. After earning her master's degree, she transitioned to middle school special education and served as a Dean of Student Supports in East Boston, Massachusetts. Laurel holds a Master's Degree in Mind, Brain, and Education from Harvard and a bachelor's degree in biology from Vanderbilt University. She is a certified practitioner in Collaborative Problem Solving through the ThinkKids Program at Massachusetts General Hospital and a certified ADHD coach.

    The Research Institute for Learning and Development, founded in 1995 by Dr. Lynn Meltzer, is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization committed to changing the lives of children, adolescents, and young adults with learning differences and executive function challenges. Our work is based on more than three decades of research, multiple publications, and ten books. Through our research-based SMARTS Executive Function curriculum, school-based teacher trainings, as well as our conferences and workshops, we focus on creating a level playing field where all students can succeed, We are dedicated to transforming students’ lives by empowering them to learn HOW to learn.

    Find out more at www.researchild.org

  • Ready to watch Laurel's Deep Dive interview? Click here to find out more and purchase your All-Access Pass.

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