Educational Consulting Blog

Who needs a consultant with the Internet’s information at our fingertips?

Leslie S. Goldberg, M.Ed., CEP — Tue, 19 Aug 2014 19:47:00 GMT

It is truly amazing to put a word or phrase into Google and get all of the information that one could possibly need! Really? The biggest question is: Do we actually have all of the information by doing a search online for specialized programs and schools for our children? The answer is a resounding NO!!! But why?

The advent of the Internet has in some ways hindered a person’s ability to navigate the world of specialized schools and programs. Much of the online information can be accurate such as location, number of students, accreditation, etc., but obviously this information is written to market the school or program, not to render professional opinions on the best fit or in other words what type of student, be it child, adolescent, or young adult, would thrive there? They can list the profile of the students they want, but is it a good place for them to move forward in their academic and therapeutic growth?

Is it possible for a great consultant with an excellent reputation to recommend a place for your child that has a terrible write up online? Absolutely! Every company has had a disgruntled employee who perhaps was fired or not rehired, who has an axe to grind and in retaliation writes some horrific lies about the school or program that has been recommended! They also may have poor write-ups from students who were dismissed and want the school to suffer. But how do you know the difference: what is the truth, and what is not? The information out there (both good and bad) should not be dismissed, but how do you know what is from a disgruntled parent, student, or past employee and what is the truth?

The answer is to engage the services of a consultant who does his/her due diligence by visiting often. At the Goldberg Center, Josh and Leslie are visiting and revisiting programs a minimum of two weeks out of every month. Why? We visit our clients who are at each one and get an upfront and personal view of how they are REALLY doing. If we have no clients at a particular program, either because it is new, or they have new ownership, or we didn’t have a good visit the last time around, or our students have graduated, or they have such a particular type of diagnosis that we don’t see it often enough to always have someone there, it is just as important to keep up on every specialized program on a regular basis. This way if a parent has read something online, good or bad, we can respond with a comment that is backed up by truth not hearsay. Are they using best practices? Are they sustainable? Are all of the students safe, thriving, and moving toward a more mainstream educational setting? Our goal for each and every student is for him/her to graduate and move on toward the most independent life every child and young adult can have and that each and every one of our clients can find joy and success in their lives.

Leslie Goldberg on LA Talk Radio: Why need an educational consultant?

Adam R. Goldberg, M.Ed. — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 19:06:00 GMT

Leslie S. Goldberg, M.Ed., CEP was interviewed on LA Talk Radio. In the discussion, she outlined why someone would need an educational consultant. She also spoke about her role as an Advisor to Saving Teens in Crisis Collaborative, a non-profit dedicated to helping families manage the financial burden of assisting a struggling teenager.

Click here or on the image below for the archived audio file:

Parenting Troubled Teens: An Alphabet of Emotions

Hannah Cleveland — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 16:46:00 GMT

As a parent living in the trenches with a struggling son or daughter you may be thrust into our world. This likely seems like an alien world which you did not choose to visit. It is a labyrinth of wilderness therapy programs, residential treatment centers, therapeutic boarding schools, and much more. Emotions run the gamut.

Parents tell me they feel…

…Afraid

Angry

Anxious

At a loss

At wit’s end

Battered and bruised

Confused…

TALK TO US!

…Defeated

In Despair

Desperate

Disappointed

Discouraged

Distraught

Embarrassed…

WE LISTEN!

… Enraged

Exhausted

Frazzled

Frustrated

Guilt ridden

Heartbroken

Helpless…

WE HEAR YOU!

…Hopeless

Overwhelmed

Panicked

Sad

Stressed

Upset

Worried…

WE GET IT!

If you see yourself in this blog, give us a call!

Leslie Goldberg Interviewed on NPR

Adam R. Goldberg, M.Ed. — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 17:45:00 GMT

Leslie S. Goldberg, M.Ed., CEP was interviewed on the Faith Middleton Show on NPR last week. In the discussion, Leslie describes a couple of student cases and recounts her career journey as one of the pioneers in the educational consultanting field.

Here is the archived audio file - click the link for direct audio or the image for the full media page and make sure to fast forward to around the 31-32 minute mark (around 2/3 through the show) when it begins playing since the feature is in the latter segment of the 50 minute program:

Leslie Goldberg on NPR Audio Link 03 06 2012

College Bound or Down? Back on Track After Therapeutic School

Leslie S. Goldberg, M.Ed., CEP — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 03:19:00 GMT

As educational consultants we work with many families whose children might be labeled “troubled teens” or have had issues with emotional problems, substance abuse, underachieving, or are simply oppositional. Many are very bright, college bound teenagers; they are good kids who have made poor choices. Some have had issues with computer games, texting, or bullying. One thing is for sure—it is far better for this to happen during the middle and high school years than after s/he turns 18. Really?

But what happens if he goes to a wilderness program? What will people say if she goes to a therapeutic boarding school? How on earth will he get into college, not mention a GOOD college? Who will want to accept her into their school? It’s hard enough to get into college these days without having been sent away to a special school or program!

Think about it—how will your son or daughter get into college doing what s/he is doing now? You could be the poor parents who lose their $40,000-$60,000 tuition if these problems aren’t handled now and your student goes off to college with no tools to handle the craziness of college life today. You won’t even know about it because with the privacy laws grades and disciplinary letters go to the student, not to the parent, even if you are the one who pays the tuition!

OK, so it sounds like getting some help sooner rather than later makes sense. But why should a college consider a kid with issues? Honestly, all colleges have students with unmet needs for therapy, medication, substance abuse treatment, and coping strategies. Admissions professionals love to read the essays about the growth and change of students and what has impacted them the most. They don’t need to hear the details of what went on before treatment; however these stories, if told without a “poor me” attitude, rather a story coming from strength and maturity, will make the admissions team sit up and take notice of such students. That said, there are many nuances to both the timing and strategies for getting a child the appropriate help, while maintaining a steady view of what possibilities lie ahead.

Educational consultants who provide both special needs guidance and college advising, are in a unique position to help you determine when and how to get your child back on track to college.

Wilderness High?

Leslie S. Goldberg, M.Ed., CEP — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 16:11:00 GMT

No, this blog is not about a new concept for a high school. Nor is it about getting intoxicated in the woods. “Wilderness high” is the incredible feeling that participants with a successful wilderness experience feel upon completion of a specialized outdoor therapeutic experience. The feelings of confidence and competence, the feelings of “can do” rather than “can’t do”, the feelings of excitement and optimism… the transformation is simply amazing for these students who had prior feelings of hopelessness and helplessness before participating.

As an educational consultant for 25 years, I have seen the growth and changes in the industry, but the power of this experience remains the same. There are some down sides, however, to this incredible sense of power when leaving such a program. Since wilderness cannot last forever, participants must necessarily move on to a longer term therapeutic program, a school, or home. Please don’t misunderstand; this is not a bad thing, but parents, adolescents and young adults must realize that they will be the “newbies” at the next step, whatever that looks like. For example, if it is a therapeutic program or a new school, the student will typically begin at the bottom of the social and academic ladders, having to gain respect and privileges all over again. If they are going back home or to a former school they will have to work doubly hard to “prove” themselves.

A barrier to success? Absolutely not! A challenge? Sure. This transition is actually a life skill that everyone will experience when entering a new job, school/college, or relationship. The most important lesson is that this occurrence is inevitable and the more preparation on the part of the student and the family, the better. There will be no surprises when the honeymoon period wears off and the reality may induce some brief regression and old behaviors. If we are all prepared for this, however, we can remind ourselves that this is, in fact, what we knew would occur and that it will be over quickly if we, the collective transition team (students with parents, educational consultants, therapists, etc.), handle it collaboratively and productively.

The Anatomy of Our Own Personal Crisis

Adam R. Goldberg, M.Ed. — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 20:12:00 GMT

Dad was failing rapidly and needed a new kidney. The world stopped. Nothing else mattered. We came together...

Enter team #1, a hospital whose philosophy and practice revolved around looking to our family's decision-making process: "Which of the three sons (all anatomical matches) would step up to be the donor?" "How would we manage the period leading up to the transplant?" "How would we handle the recovery period?" All good questions and perfectly rational... that is, if we were not in crisis and were thinking completely clearly.

Enter team #2, a different hospital team which anticipated that we would not be thinking clearly and advised us accordingly: "Based on our experience, here's what's going to happen..." "The following are things you probably have not thought of yet, but that you need to know, no matter how hard to hear." "Based on our assessment, here's who should be the donor and why." Big, big difference.

Why do I bring this up? It dawned on me the other day that this is exactly what prospective clients are weighing when they are in a bind with their struggling child. In crisis, people need conviction and experience since they cannot be expected to rationalize every step on their own.

I've been there. I'd like to think that those in my family are loving, sensitive, rational, intelligent, and problem-solving above all... but, you can throw that all out the window when a crisis takes hold (even when some of those family members are in crisis educational consulting themselves!).

For the families who reach out to us, they are doing so for good reason. Most have been directed by other professionals or former clients who have been there as well and know in hindsight from their own tribulations that they need that level of conviction and experience to make it through.

In case you're wondering, our family is doing well several years later. On most days, we even forget what we went through. Imagine that...

Cyber-Bullying | In Your Face… book!

Leslie S. Goldberg, M.Ed., CEP — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 14:50:00 GMT

We have always heard stories about kids saying unkind things to others. Remember reciting "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names can never hurt me"? Never did I imagine I would become nostalgic for that.

Unfortunately as media and technology have become more sophisticated so have those who hurl insults at others. In times past, bullies simply spread rumors person to person. Then they went virtual, moving insults to email messages and texting. Now they're leveraging the Social Mediasphere (Facebook, My Space, Twitter, etc.) and the hurtful content is out there for all to see.

It seems that nothing can or will be held back by the kids who are out to belittle another student. Fabricated stories are published online, photos are shared with the world, no matter how personal, hateful, or illicit they may seem. Hardly a month goes by that we don't hear about the child who took his or her own life as a direct result of such harassment.

What can parents do? Nearly every child has a cell phone or computer. It is our job as parents to oversee what kinds of messages are being sent and received. This is not a matter of being nosy or invading our children's privacy; it is simply a way to know if they are involved in either cyber-bullying or sexting. (sending inappropriate pictures by text on one's cell phone, which can then be distributed online).

Talk openly with your children. Let them know that you are current in your understanding of these issues. That way, you establish credibility as a savvy parent. The more your children, especially adolescents, know you can relate, the more likely they are to share thoughts, opinions, and concerns with you.

Get involved. Recent cases of suicide due to cyber-bullying covered in the media have opened a lot of eyes. As a result, parents, community leaders, school officials, and clergy have jumped into the mix to urgently address the issue.

Finally, keep on top of the issue. As quickly as bullying jumped into cyberspace, it is likely that it will continue to morph into new formats over time.

What will that look like in future years? Share your thoughts and any predictions...

Educational Consulting Tools of the Trade

Hannah Cleveland — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 19:09:00 GMT

Educational consulting is not a science in the literal sense of the word. There are a myriad of factors to consider when placing a client; therefore the more tools we have, the better equipped we are to ensure that we provide families with the most viable options.

One such tool is the Goldberg Educational Placement Inventory (GEPI)^TM. The GEPI^TM is a proprietary assessment tool developed by Adam Goldberg, M.Ed. in conjunction with Boston-area neuropsychologists and special education administrators for use by professionals consulting on school and special needs program placement.

This particular tool can be useful even before a family has engaged our services. The GEPI^TM results provide insight into the general types of programs which would benefit the student, for example: Public or Private? Traditional or Non-traditional? Day or Boarding? LD or Therapeutic? This basic information can be extremely useful in laying the groundwork for the direction of the initial conversation between family and consultant. In most cases this would allow them to start off on the same page and at least have a solid basis for discussion.

If you think the GEPI^TM could be of use to a student you know, click here. If you complete the form and return it to me I would be happy to score it and share the results with you.

College Scary?

Karen Plescia, M.S. — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 22:12:00 GMT

College is scary. For parents. For high school students applying. For students already enrolled.

It seems that every time I hear a news story about "college" lately, the undertone is fear. This was especially the case as I watched our local news one morning recently. The headline stories included: the stabbing of a student at a well-regarded local university and a murder in which a man shot his daughter to death, critically wounded his wife, and then killed himself. The reason for the latter has been alleged to be financial strain - including upcoming college tuition bills; his daughter was a high school senior heading to college next year.

In international news, compliments of NPR, I read about the New Zealand 19-year-old who auctioned her virginity online claiming she "was desperate for money to pay university fees." Prostitution is legal in New Zealand, and she fetched $32,000.

Less extreme, perhaps, but ever present at this time of year are stories of high school seniors receiving admissions rejection letters and disappointment over financial aid packages and the frantic appeals that each trigger.

In the midst of all of this, college counselors - both school-based and private - are supposed to get high school juniors and their families excited about the idea of going through this apparently frightening - sometimes even life-threatening - rite of passage. Something doesn't jive.

I'm left with such a sense of bewilderment that I don't know where to begin teasing apart the madness. My egalitarian heart still holds on to my conviction that every capable young person should be able to pursue higher education. No matter how scary it may seem socially, emotionally, or financially, they should have the opportunity to give it a shot. On the other hand, my practical mind reminds me that there are many paths to higher education and that taking a path that is well-suited to the individual can, and should, make the whole process of applying to, paying for, and completing college less scary.

My heart and head aside, experience has taught me that college is not "one-size-fits-all." Unfortunately, our collective societal mentally has pushed students and families to believe that a 4-year, top tier college experience is the measure of success. Success is measured by what one does with the opportunities presented to him - not by where those opportunities occur.

As someone who counsels families through the college process, I want to stop the madness and take the "scary" out of the application process. And somehow my colleagues who still work at higher education institutions, parents, and the students themselves will have to figure out how to take the scary out of being in college.

Are you scared? How so? Let us know...