education – Page 3 – AUSTIN TENNIS ACADEMY

Hagar Voted Irish Captain, Joins Distinguished Group Of ATA Alums

ATA College Prep graduate and life-long Austin Tennis Academy member Josh Hagar was recently voted Captain of the Notre Dame Men’s Tennis Team. Entering his senior season, Josh joins teammate Eddy Covalschi as co-captains at the helm of a strong Fighting Irish squad.

“Being voted a captain is an accomplishment I’ll remember forever,” Hagar said. “To be voted a leader of the team by my peers is the highest compliment I can think of. It’s one thing to accomplish something on the court or in the classroom, but to be recognized by my teammates, who know me better than anybody, to me that speaks volumes.”

Hagar joins a distinguished group of Austin Tennis Academy alums who went on to serve as Captain of their college tennis teams.

“It’s very humbling to join the list of past ATA players named captain of their team,” Josh said. “They embody the culture of ATA, which translates very well to a college team environment. It speaks to how important character, work ethic, and other off-court attributes are at ATA.”

Here are a few of the former ATA and ATA College Prep graduates who went on serve as team captain:

Trey Phillips – University of Texas

Blake Davis – Florida State University

Claire Cahill – Washington & Lee University

Santiago Montoya – Notre Dame

Brent D’Amico – Notre Dame

Lindsey Periera – University of Virginia

Matthew Bain – Texas A&M

Brandon Davis – University of Illinois

Whitney Waters – Redlands

Brent Werbeck – Boise State

Adam Slagter – Penn State

Jenn Wencel Werbeck – Boise State

Roger Gubser – The University of Texas

Kendall Dabaghi – Duke – Not Captain, but was President of his Class and Fulbright Scholar

Josh Hagar – Notre Dame

“It is exciting to see Josh Hagar named captain of the Notre Dame men’s tennis team,” Josh’s long-time coach and CEO of ATA Jack Newman said.

“Over 25 ATA players have been captains of their tennis teams. This is the accomplishment of which I am most proud.”

Designed Learning Experiences – The Math Mindset

It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer. ~Einstein

Neuro-targeted teaching methodologies are implemented by ATACP instructors throughout the curriculum to build stamina and perseverance in our student-athletes. Primary goals are encouraging students to think critically and creatively, to develop and explore new topics of interest, to be willing to take risks, and to build confidence through failing and trying again. Much like Thomas Edison’s and Albert Einstein’s approaches to inventing, a failed attempt is simply another opportunity to gain new knowledge and master a better understanding for the next attempt.

In the following article, math instructor, Linda Dobbs, explains ATACP’s growth mindset approach to problem-solving.

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First day of classes at ATACP. Algebra and PreAlgebra students enter the room. Pumped up to be learning new math skills? Unfortunately, not. The disclaimers begin. “I can’t do math.” “Math is hard.” “When will I use this stuff, anyway?” What to do?

Teach a new mindset. One component of this year’s Algebra and PreAlgebra classes is a weekly problem-solving session inspired by Jo Boaler’s Mathematical Mindsets (Jossey-Bass, 2016). The book explores the commonly uneasy relationship that many people, child and adult, have with mathematics and proposes ways of altering attitudes toward math. In particular, six questions from the book have helped shape the ATACP problem-solving sessions.

Can you open the task to encourage multiple methods, pathways, and representations? Instead of teaching a single method of solution for each problem, we present problems that encourage multiple approaches.
Can you make it an inquiry task? Instead of asking the student to reproduce a particular technique for figuring out a type of problem, we present a problem that encourages new ideas from the students.
Can you ask the problem before the method? Rather than present problems paired with solutions, we present a problem that allows students to arrive at the method through exploration.
Can you add a visual component? Instead of simply writing equations, we incorporate drawings, color, and movement as a problem-solving tool.
Can you make it low floor and high ceiling? Instead of one problem fits all, we create problems that have easy entry (low floor success) but can provide increasing challenges (high ceiling success).
Can you add the requirement to convince and reason? Instead of demonstrating the ability for rote memorization and formulaic solution, we ask the student to show WHY the math works.

Throughout this semester, each week problems are placed in front of the students that incorporate these goals. The Create a Jack-o-Lantern exercise met many of these goals. Students were given a set number of eyes, noses, and mouths and asked to explore how many unique jack-o-lanterns they could create. Parameters were changed, and the students were asked to figure out how the changes impacted their jack-o-lantern total. The students were exploring permutations and combinations, but without knowing that was a mathematical concept with established solution methods. (Q3) They approached the solution in a variety of ways (Q1) Some of them drew choice trees, some of them drew jack-o-lantern faces, some of them zigzagged lines through the elements on their worksheet.(Q4) The task began with small numbers and relatively simple combinations, but continued with more features and qualifications.(Q5)

Another challenge involved exploring Voronoi diagrams, a way of partitioning a plane into subsets. The students were given a grid and 2 points (pizza parlors) and asked to partition the grid so that each location in the partition was closer to that partition’s pizza parlor than any other pizza parlor. They were then asked to place the points to create equal partitions. Then they moved on the 3 points. The students were given no system for a solution and they worked together in teams. They had to convince each other that their solutions were accurate. Since they did not expect to receive a solution method, they created their own amazing solutions.

Students still can find math hard or irrelevant. However, over the semester, their mindsets have begun to change. They have become increasingly comfortable attacking problems. They spend less time trying to figure out the “right way” to solve a problem and more time finding their own solution. They are even, at times, enjoying math.

This is an excellent example of inspiring students to utilize computational, critical, and creative thinking strategies – all proven through recent research to increase logic, confidence, and resiliency. ATACP is neuro teaching for the future.

Last Year’s Seniors Check In From College

Each Fall, the previous year’s Seniors and current college Freshman send us an update of how things are going. Below, please enjoy the check in’s from Payton Holden at Princeton, Jake Berber at Claremont, Hunter Bleser at the University of Virginia, and Chase Bartlett from St. Edward’s University.

JAKE BERBER – CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE

Thinking back on my time at ATA, I can’t help from getting a smile on my face. It’s such a special place and you’ve done an incredible job at making it a place of such family. As I’m writing you from my room in Wohlford Hall, room 111, there are a few things that come to mind when I think about what I would love to tell the current players at ATA.

First of all, try your best to make life long friendships. Personally, I was blessed with an incredible class of 2016 and I consistently keep in touch with many of my fellow peers. Obviously, the tennis is unbelievable and is the reason why everyone is there, however, the people there are just as special. Take some time to worry less about how poorly you are hitting your forehand and actually ask someone how their day/week/life is going.

Second of all, try your best to get to know the coaches. They may be annoying at times but each and every one of them has an incredible story to tell. Some of my favorite tournament trips were when I was rooming with a coach because they’re all extremely interesting and smart people.

Lastly, enjoy the amount of free time that you have now. Even if you are feeling overwhelmed with school, tennis, or whatever is taking up your time, trust me, it only gets more hectic. For the last 3 weeks, I had 6-8 am practice Monday-Thursday and midterms all of last week. Start working on your time management skills now before you get to college so that you aren’t feeling as if you have negative time to work with once you get here.

Hope all is well back home,

Jake

PAYTON HOLDEN – PRINCETON UNIVERSITY

“The tennis aspect of Princeton is very tough and hectic. Practices are always super fun, loud and competitive. My practice schedule for the fall is MWF 7:15am lifts with 4-7pm practice and Tuesday Thursday practices from 1:30-3:30ish. Then on top of that, in order to receive our warm ups (Sweat pants and sweatshirts) we have to complete certain things in our free time. For instance, to earn one of our pairs of sweats we have to play 4 singles sets, 4 doubles sets and 5 extra ab workouts on our own time. As far as tournaments go, I have played 3 out the 5 fall tournaments we have scheduled this fall. College tournaments in the fall feel equivalent to matches at grand slam; technically it is an individual tournament but the cheering and support is still extremely high. One of the highlights of the fall thus far has been the ITA grass court tournament. Luckily I was able to compete against players from Michigan and TCU in the first ever collegiate grass court tournament. Overall, ATA and more specifically ATACP prepared me very well for the rigorous practice and tournament schedule, it also taught me how to manage my time on the road, which is a crucial skill to have for college tennis.

Academically it is challenging but not impossible. As long as I am diligent with my work and study consistently it isn’t too bad. This semester I am taking Spanish, Micro-Econ, Calculus and a Writing Seminar. CP classes prepared me very well for all of my classes, I feel like I know all of the pre-requisite material needed for all of my classes.

One piece of advice I would give the younger players is to really focus on doing the little things, especially when they are tired. For instance, I wish I had done all of my homework right after practice/dinner when I was still tired, because there is hardly a second here where I feel “ready” or “energized” to do work. Often I am super tired and just have to grind through it.

Well I hope everyone has a great and best of luck to everyone,

Payton”

HUNTER BLESER – UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA

Hey ATA!

I am about to finish up my sixth week at school now and I just wanted to check in with yall and let you know a little bit about what college is really like and what ATA has taught me.

First off, time management is the major key component when trying to balance your academic and athletic life at school. You will not only have to schedule your days around classes and practice, but you will also have to take into consideration tutoring, conditioning, weight training, homework, etc. Those free hours that you have between classes at CP now, use them to get homework or readings done early. Make this a habit so that you when you move off into the next chapter of your life you won’t be overwhelmed.

Secondly, take advantage of CP’s environment and work on your communication skills. Professors and coaches really appreciate and idolize someone who communicates with them 24/7. Get in the habit now of “over communicating”. I promise it will help you out in the long run!

Lastly, take advantage of the advice and instruction your coaches at ATA are offering. They truly want the best for you and want to see you succeed in your endeavors. It may seem somewhat annoying now, but trust me, when you get to school, you’ll miss having them there every step of the way. The coaches and staff at ATA are truly your second family, whether you realize this or not right now. Love your family, because soon you’ll have to leave the nest and grow up.

I hope you guys are doing great! I still keep track of almost all of your results not twitter! Feel free to call, email, or text me if you guys have any questions about the college process or need some advice about anything! Can’t wait to see you guys here in a few months! Miss y’all like crazy!

Take care,
Hunter Bleser
Wahoow

CHASE BARTLETT – ST. EDWARD’S UNIVERSITY

Hey Coach,

Midterms are coming up, and since it’s almost halfway through the year I thought I would give you an update on how college life at St.Edwards has been so far. Fall semester has been interesting so far – I have changed roommates (my first roommate would get back at 4am on weeknights and wake me up, and I think he was selling drugs out of the room when I wasn’t there) and I now live with a good friend on the tennis team. Life is very similar to college-prep life. I set my alarm for 6:50am when I was in CP, and I still set my alarm at 6:50am in college. I feel like CP was a very smooth transition into a liberal-arts college – some of my classes are around 14 students, which is actually pretty similar to Coach Tommy’s English class. Additionally, the content is similar; this year there is an emphasis on community, which is really similar to CP’s focus on what it means to be a good citizen.

I’m not going to say that I find St. Edwards easy – I find it very challenging actually – but, I do think that it is do-able. I’m pretty happy with my choice of school; I think that going to a different school just because of a brand-name diploma would have been a bad choice, because the work load here is hard enough already and because I can’t imagine how much of a “better education” would be possible. I have a 4.0GPA so far, and have worked very hard to do so (I study between 3-5 hours daily). I get assigned about 8 writing assignments per week, and about 200 pages of readings. It seems like a lot, but when you get in college and you HAVE to do your work to get A’s, you figure out that there is a lot of time in the day that usually goes to unimportant things.

Tennis is good; the guys on the team are a lot of fun to be around, and Coach Strecker cares a ton about us and our program, which I think is the most important thing for a coach to have. Fall season was okay for me and for our team, I won one tournament in singles and doubles, but had to pull out of one because I had some sort of virus which lasted a week, and I went into regionals without having trained more than once. I’ve seen the level of competition though – I definitely belong here and have a strong shot at winning regionals next year. Training is interesting though, we are only allowed 25-something days of official practice (which means that we have been doing a ton of running and a ton of lifting). I have probably only spent 6 hrs on court for the past week or two, which is tough. I would tell anyone who is in CP right now to enjoy court time and have fun with it, because it’s much more pleasant to play tennis for 5 hours a day than to run until you throw up or write papers until your eyes hurt.

Overall, school has been good. I’m pretty happy with my choice so far, and hopefully I can hold on to my 4.0 through midterms!

Hope you are doing well and that everything is going well at the academy.

Chase Bartlett

College Prep Students Entered In Children’s Business Fair

The Kids in Business class at ATA College Prep introduces students to entrepreneurial practices and processes, business and marketing plans, and allows them to develop their own products for sale. Implemented through project-based learning, students have free-reign of choice and are guided by exploration and careful questioning to redirect.

“Project-based learning is a powerful and enjoyable way to develop metacognitive skills – such as confidence, decision-making, self-regulation, and autonomy – which are known to increase motivation and self-directed learning,” said ATACP Director Carol Hagar.

Products and businesses designed by entrepreneurial CP students:

JAK’S

JAK’S creates colorful spin art on vinyl records. You can design your own by picking your colors or buy a colorful record that is already made. Also, vinyl record bowls will be for sale. They make great pots for succulents! Come help support Austin Pets Alive and get homemade dog treats!

-Jordan, Abigail and Keana

SCS Designs

SCS Designs makes handcrafted colorful decor for your home. We have a variety of decorated letters that you can hang or stand up, painted canvases with inspirational words and coasters with colorful designs. Come out and help us support A Glimmer of Hope with each purchase made!

-Sasha, Caroline and Sydney

ATACP students Abigail, Sasha, Sydney, Jordan, Keana and Caroline invite YOU to visit and shop their stores this Saturday at the Children’s Business Fair at Pease Mansion, 1606 Niles Road, Saturday, October 25th 10:00am – 12:30pm.

Please come out and show your support for this entrepreneurial event. The students have designed, created and will be marketing unique products. You will be amazed!

Register for David Benzel Webinar

Please join us on Thursday April 14th at 8pm for one of Growing Champions for Life’s most popular webinars – Teach Your Child the Best Kept Secret of Self-Confidence

Click here to register

ATA College Workshop and Coaches Forum

Please join us on Saturday evening March 26th from 7pm-8pm at ATA College Prep (on the ATA campus) for a College Workshop and Coaches Forum. Carol Hagar will give a brief presentation outlining the college search and recruiting processes and college coaches from the area will be available for Q&A.

TennisRecruiting.net has generously offered to provide dinner for this event.

Please RSVP to Carol.Hagar@AustinTennisAcademy.com so we have an accurate head count for dinner.

As Parents… What Can We Do? Try the 30-30-30 rule!

Parents often ask what they can do at home to help reinforce the ATA & CP messaging of ‘strive for the pursuit of excellence’ and ‘study for the love of learning’. I love this! It is truly the village that creates the community, and together we can make a bigger impact. One thought that comes to mind, is to encourage them to “Show up. Listen. Always do your best.” Another thought that comes to mind is to model what you wish for them to do: complete tasks joyfully; study diligently, practice what you love to do; and perform with dignity.

In relating specifically to building better study habits, some things that you can do at home are:

1) Ask the right questions. ie. Instead of asking “How was your day?”, which may result in a one word answer of “fine”, ask “What are you reading about in History?”, which requires thought and dialog. OR instead of “Do you have any homework?” which is task oriented, ask “What will you be studying tonight?” which is habit oriented. This develops a proactive mindset instead of a passive one.

2) Designate an evening ritual as ‘study time’ or ‘family time’. To optimize the effects, it should be repeated each night, at the same time, in the same location, and with minimal distraction. Establish 30 minutes (or longer) to gather at the dining table or in the living room, with no TV, computers or cellular devices. Read. Discuss. Play a game like Bananagrams, Boggle, Yahtzee, etc.

3) Practice this study habit with your child for the next 30 days. Review her day. Ask her to explain the topics she currently studying in each class. Help her locate the process to solve a problem. Show her how to learn.

4) Read aloud to your family or read silently as a family. 30 pages a day is one of the greatest gifts you can give to your child that will result in improved academic performance and character evolution. It is also a beautiful way for your family to connect each day. Suggested books that will spark discussion include: The Chosen, To Kill A Mockingbird, Moby Dick, The Alchemist, Three Cups of Tea, Never Let Me Go, The Giver… or perhaps one that she is currently reading at school.

As parents, we want the the very best for our children. Emphasize the quality of long-term practice over short-term results. Show them that you value how they spend their days. And teach them to appreciate the way in which you spend yours.

Try the 30-30-30 rule: 30 minutes, 30 days, 30 pages.

Let me know what happens next.

Take care, ~Carol

ATA College Prep Students Debate Policy, Develop Skills

The ATA College Prep Policy Debate unfolded last Friday, with many of CP’s juniors and seniors clashing over the topic of ‘Increasing Military Presence In The Middle East’.

“Debate and public speaking are primary components in an education that matches our mission of developing compassionate, communicative leaders,” said Head of School Carol Hagar. “During their years here, all CP students produce both informal oral presentations and formal ones, as in the recent policy debate. I was impressed with the overall level of research, preparation and poised delivery from each our students.”

The debate, which followed the standard guidelines outlined by the National Christian Forensics And Communications Association, centered on the issue of whether or not the United States should allocate more military resources of all kinds to the Middle East as a solution to the growing instability in the region. CP Junior Alejandro Rodriguez argued for the Negative Team.

“I had a lot of fun in both taking the debate course and doing the actual debate,” Alejandro said. “Because of our topic, I felt like I got to engage in something that is current and relevant, and I got to greatly expand my knowledge on the subject. I really enjoyed the final debate because it was kind of a culmination of what we had researched and practiced for a whole semester and it was cool to see how we all did after so much preparation. The amount of reading we did was really high and in depth and it was a good experience to prepare me for future classes/endeavors.”

Ms. Yousef, who has a background teaching social studies, speech, and theatre, got into debate because to her it is a combination of all of those.

“I teach debate for two reasons: it offers skills that can be an asset in many careers and I enjoy watching students grow in ability and confidence. Debate develops skills in critical thinking, research, organization, persuasion, and writing affirmative cases and negative briefs on US policy. This type of research and organization can translate into many fields. The recent exhibition debate before judges gave the students an excellent opportunity to try their arguments and realize how much they have learned. They have spent many hours researching the resolution, which called for more US military presence in volatile regions and studying the rules of policy debate. I think everyone stood up to the task and should be proud of their performance.”

Congratulations to all of the College Prep students who participated in the 2016 CP Policy Debate!

UT Neuroscientist To Speak To CP Students Tuesday

Dr. Kimberley Raab-Graham, a Professor of Neuroscience and a Principal Investigator in the Center for Learning and Memory at the University of Texas in Austin, will speak to the ATA College Prep students and teachers on campus this Tuesday.

Kimberly_Raab-Graham

“Dr. Raab-Graham and her graduate students will give a presentation to our students describing some of their work, and how our memory works,” CP teacher Summer Messer said. “Students will also be broken into small groups for learning activities.”

Her group researches molecular mechanisms used during learning and memory, focusing on how synapses transform the makeup of protein in a site-specific manner in response to changes in the activities of neurons. Their goal is to discover how different cellular mechanisms are manipulated in mental disorders and neurodegenerative diseases.

Dr. Raab-Graham’s research has been published in several scientific journals including Molecular Psychiatry, Neurobiology of Disease, and Journal of Cell Biology.

“We are excited for the opportunity to host and hear from Neuroscientists performing cutting edge research in their field,” Messer said.

For more information on Dr. Raab-Graham and her research go to https://clm.utexas.edu/krglab.

LIFE IS LIKE A PRISM

Life is like a prism.
The way you see it depends on which side of the glass you are looking through.

When light hits water or a prism, it bends. A single beam of white light is really a combination of all the visible colors. So when white light bends, all of its components (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple) also bend. But they bend at different angles because each color travels through water or glass at a different speed.

This refraction results in beautiful rainbows.

We can learn a lot about how we approach life from this simple prism lesson. We are likened to a prism as we have several facets to our personalities. We take in information through our senses and then communicate it through our filters. Ideas come in and we refract, reflect and project them through our lenses – our filters of communication.

In CP Leadership we have been discussing how these filters create perception. The more clarity we have in identifying personal facets, the more aware we become and therefore better prepared for reflection. Some thoughts and actions add clarity and some can cloud the view. What thoughts create your prism?

Life is like a prism.
The way you see it depends on which side of the glass you are looking through.

~Carol Hagar

College Visits: Try Before You Buy

from Carol

There is no better way to understand the culture of a school than to be on the campus, take a tour, and visit with current students and admissions officers. If you are able to take advantage of this part of your college search, it will bring you confidence that your selection is the best fit – academically, athletically, and culturally.

During a visit, you are evaluating the school.

How will this environment serve your growth and development? What criteria are most important to you? Consider the location, population, class size, programs and degrees, social opportunities, post-graduation opportunities.

During the application process, the school is evaluating you.

How will you positively impact this community? Do you have the necessary attributes to be successful here – competitive grades, scores, rankings, community service activities? Do your homework. Research the school’s website.

On your visit… Be Yourself

Take a tour. Ask questions. Visit with the guide. He or she is usually a student and will love to talk about personal experiences at the school. Walk the campus, set up an interview with admissions. If available, sit in on a class. Visit the student center or lounge. Visit the dining halls. Visit the library. These are the places that can give you a sense of the campus culture.

Academics… Educate Yourself

How many students can you expect in your lower and upper level courses – 15 or 150? Is this a teaching university or a research university? Who teaches classes – professors or grad students? What year are you required to declare a major? Can you double major? Is your major available to athletes? Is academic scholarship available? Meet with an admissions counselor.

Athletics… Develop Yourself

When you are considering the best fit for pursuing athletics, consider the goal. How do you hope to use tennis as a tool for your personal development? Which school is more appropriate for your goals? Are you hoping to further your training to become a professional athlete? What type of coaching style do you prefer? How many are on the team roster? How many spots do they have for your graduation year? Is scholarship money available? Are you competitive with the players currently on the team (UTR)? Visit the sports facilities. Meet with the coach.

Culture… Know Yourself

All of the above criteria creates culture, but you should also pay attention to details. Is the school located in the heart of a big city? Is it a small school? or is it a school the size of a small city? What is the ratio of undergraduates to graduates? What clubs or other student activities may be of interest to you? Art? Singing? Greek life? Philanthropic work? Is there a travel abroad program? What are the opportunities after graduation? Does this culture fit YOU?

Before You Go

Write: 1) your personal statement – a few sentences about who you are and what you want from your college experience; 2) your numbers – GPA, SAT/ACT, UTR; 3) questions for admissions, coaches, students. Keep this with you during tours and interviews to take notes and to remind you of your questions.

After Your Visit

Jot down pertinent and interesting facts. Take pictures to remind yourself later of some of the unique things about the school and the people. Do this during or immediately after your visit while it is fresh on your mind.

Summary

A ‘good college’ is one that fits you. It supports your goals and dreams. College visits are like trying on clothes before you make a selection. Prior to purchasing an entire 4-year wardrobe of a college or university, try it on for size, color, style, and comfort. It will likely increase your satisfaction by ten-fold!

College and the Perfect Mix by Carol Hagar

Carol Hagar, Head of ATA College Prep, has written the following memo on how to get into the college of your dreams and factors to consider in deciding if that college is a good fit for you. Click here to download a PDF version of the memo.

College Picks and the Perfect Mix

by Carol Hagar

What is the magic formula to get into the college of your dreams? And how will you know if you can pay, play, and make the grade? There is no single magic formula, but there are some basic ingredients that can get you into the kitchen… IF you are willing to dedicate yourself to the process.

The complete potion requires time and discernment – which can be aided by parents, coaches and mentors – but let’s begin with the basics. A few key ingredients are: grades, tests scores, senior schedule, athletics and most importantly, your character.

1) Grades: Most schools (and NCAA) will look at your GPA using your core classes, not with the added inflation of electives and PE grades. As a general rule: there is no minimum number of courses for college entrance. It is expected that you complete an English, a math, a natural science, and a social science class each year, as well as 2-4 years of a second language, and an array of electives. It is also expected that you have taken the most challenging course load that your school offers AND that you can do well in. College admissions will review and ask, “Are you a good fit for our school, meaning will you be successful? Have you been steady and diligent throughout high school and kept a solid GPA? Have you taken a challenging array of courses?” If you are looking at top tier schools, they expect you to have taken top classes in your high school – AP or honors or dual credit – proving your ability and desire to study and learn. If not, what are the extenuating circumstances?

2) Standardized tests: Because it is difficult to fully assess the variants inherent in comparing hundreds of thousands of high schools, teachers, courses, etc., college admissions compare standardized ACT or SAT scores. Critical Reading and Math comprise the number that colleges use to determine your admissibility. A quick visit to the school’s website will give you the middle range of scores for incoming freshmen. Merit-based aid is usually awarded beginning at 1200 (critical reading + math) but requirements may be higher or lower depending on the school’s percentage acceptance rate. For students who are motivated to do well and have the aptitude to study, there are many companies, tutors, websites and books available for test prep at a variety of fees. Before employing a service, I recommend that you request a baseline assessment and a guarantee for a percentage of score increase.

3) Senior Course Schedule: Colleges determine your acceptance based on your performance through your junior year. It is expected that you will continue in a disciplined manner throughout your senior year. The courses you select for your senior year are the last opportunity for you to prepare for the next level of academic rigor. College admissions officers want to see that you are challenging yourself and performing at your best in preparation for their coursework for the following year. Choose wisely!

4) Athletics: What does it take to get noticed by tennis coaches? On a recent trip to the boys 16-18’s nationals in Kalamazoo, I visited with several college coaches and from those discussions, I compiled the following list of desirable traits:

a) Rankings and significant wins against players with similar profiles to their current roster

b) Technique and technical skill

c) Potential and desire to further develop as an athlete

d) Intelligent shot selection and ability to craft a point

e) Attitude and resiliency

f) Discipline and work ethic

g) Ability to lead teammates by positive example

5) Character: If you will notice in the list above, it includes more character attributes than physical or ranking results. Winning is very important, but so are your attitude and sportsmanship. How do you translate to others the all-important, intangible character attributes that you possess and practice? Are you active in any community service activities? Do you volunteer? Have you been committed to a cause or project over a period of time? Do you have a job? Have you experienced hardship? What makes you unique? Your ability to prioritize, goal set and make the decisions to meet them will set you apart from the rest.
In summary, winning matches is the best way to get the first look from college coaches. Your discipline and dedication will keep them looking. But it is your attitude, resiliency, and ‘coachability’ that will make them a true fan.

How can parents help in guiding the college process?

As in all major decisions affecting the life of your child, you want the very best for him or her. Determine whether this is yours or your child’s decision, or a combination of both. This will avoid frustration and will serve to clarify goals. Guide your child in how to research colleges using the factors meaningful to your family values and requirements. Make sure that the school is a good match academically, culturally, and athletically. Your child will be spending a great deal of time with the coach and team, who will serve as a second family during the next four years. Here are a few things to consider:

Philosophy of the school
Academic match
Network for chosen studies
Coaching style
Culture of the team
Importance and potential of playing time
Cost: athletic/academic scholarship vs. financial aid
Location, distance, and ease of visits

Although it appears to be an arduous task with many variables, this creative process can be an enjoyable experience. Prioritize your personal formula and stay true to the recipe.

The time you begin this process depends on the preparedness of you and your child. Begin to gather the ingredients and, regardless of where you are in the process, categorize them and play with the possibilities. Eventually, everything ripens and is ready to create a unique and powerful opportunity.

Looking forward!

Carol Hagar

Head of ATA College Prep

Carol.Hagar@AustinTennisAcademy.com

The Process of Being Unique : The HOW & WHY of Learning

If you are going to make a difference in the world, you will soon learn that you can’t follow the herd.

In order to lead, one must possess a strong sense of direction. One must have a purpose and understand the meaning behind his or her action. One must also be able to communicate this so that others may follow.

To educate means to ‘lead out’. Our world’s greatest political and spiritual leaders have dedicated their lives to educating and leading… as have parents, teachers, coaches and mentors.

As such, parents sometimes can become more concerned with how little Johnny is performing when compared to others instead of as compared to his unique progress. Sometimes we can lose sight of the larger, more important factors of learning in lieu of just getting the grade. However, if a student is encouraged to understand “how” she learns, and “why” something can be exciting, and then be inspired to satisfy the curiosity… it can make all the difference between her success and her failure.

This is the primary difference between a linear, one-size-fits-all education which can create followers – regurgitating back what is given, and an individualized education which can create leaders – sparking interests that bring about change. One takes the same ingredients of structured content and attempts to produce a standardized outcome, and then order each one in numerical order. The other attempts to structure time in order to teach a student to think, to learn ‘how’ to learn, and to discover ‘why’ this adds interest and value to his or her life… in other words to lead out and to feed the curiosity that is within and develop one who can gain mastery of himself.

At CP, students are encouraged to focus on the HOW and WHY of learning. Through identifying their own learning styles and learning about varying ways brains process information, they are learning to use their unique strengths to gain knowledge, problem solve and consciously create their future.

So, projecting forward, which one will more likely stand out in the stacks of resumes and college applications? Which one will be more likely to further the vision of an idea… of a company… of the world? Number 5 out of 789 or this ONE who masters pieces of his or her Self? Hopefully… both.

Remind YOUR child that he or she is a unique ONE… regardless of where he or she may be in line.

~Carol

DAILY bREAD for Families

“The decline in SAT scores has a lot to do with not reading … The ability to read is linked to the ability to process, analyze and comprehend information, … I guess that’s called thinking.” ~Donald M. Stewart, College Board President

Michael Silverblatt of “Bookworm” uses an analogy that young people might find more persuasive: “Just as people who don’t work out can’t do certain things with their bodies, people who don’t read can’t do certain things with their minds.”

There is no way to cram for reading comprehension… just as there is no way to cram for stamina. You may want to run a marathon, but you won’t be able to succeed without regular training that builds up to the culminating event or events. You may want to squat 225lbs, but you will need to practice with diligence for an extended period of time to build up the required strength. You may want to have $1 million dollars invested in your retirement account by age 30, but unless you begin the investment early and care for it over a period of time, you are likely to come up short. And you may want to score well on the SAT exam, but in order to do so, you need to put in the time, the diligence, and the vested effort in growing your brain, your thought processes and your stamina for thinking. You cannot build a muscle in a day, but you can choose to practice strengthening it every day.

So it is with reading. It should be a daily practice. Like eating… you don’t eat a week’s worth of food in 1 hour… so why would you try to do it with reading. Take a bit each day and with each word, grow your stamina and your comprehension. Yearn to learn and learn to read.

So… what is your Daily bREAD? Instead of turning on the television, why not sit down for 30 minutes and read as a family? At first, it may take more time and energy, but as with any good investment, it begins to grow with less input… and the payoff is well worth it.

Aptitude or Attitude… What Are We Looking For?

Harvard receives over 40,000 applications each year. About 2,000 of those applicants are accepted and just over 1,600 enroll as freshman*. And each year at Harvard and at each of the other 2,000 degree-granting colleges and universities, this process begins with admissions counselors pouring over applicants in a dauntingly speedy manner in order to flesh out the most interesting XX {37ef6ac642fae6f93f343032eb62785d28fa7a25a4a4f0267a12512c541c53a9}. So how do they accomplish this? Who meets the criteria? What are they looking for?

Inquiring CP students want to know, so we engaged in an interactive discussion featuring the questions that college admissions boards members have ruminating in their heads while reading. They include questions that roughly fit into four categories: Growth & Potential, Interests & Activities, Character & Personality, Contribution to Community. We took the sampling below and read them aloud, contemplating how we think about and exemplify each in our daily lives. It is a thought-provoking list and may offer many topics for conversation around the dinner table.

Have you reached your maximum academic and personal potential?

Have you been stretching yourself?

Have you been working to capacity in your academic pursuits, your full-time or part-time employment, or other areas?

Do you have reserve power to do more?

How have you used your time?

Do you have initiative? Are you a self-starter? What motivates you?

Do you have a direction yet? What is it? If not, are you exploring many things?
Where will you be in one, five, or 25 years?

Will you contribute something to those around you?

What sort of human being are you now? What sort of human being will you be in the future?

Do you care deeply about anything—intellectual? Extracurricular? Personal?

What have you learned from your interests? What have you done with your interests? How have you achieved results? With what success or failure? What have you learned as a result?

In terms of extracurricular, athletic, community, or family commitments, have you taken full advantage of opportunities?

What is the quality of your activities? Do you appear to have a genuine commitment or leadership role?

If you have not had much time in high school for extracurricular pursuits due to familial, work, or other obligations, what do you hope to explore at college with your additional free time?

What choices have you made for yourself? Why?

Are you a late bloomer?

How open are you to new ideas and people?

What about your maturity, character, leadership, self-confidence, warmth of personality, sense of humor, energy, concern for others, and grace under pressure?

Will you be able to stand up to the pressures and freedoms of college life?

Will you contribute something to Harvard and to your classmates? Will you benefit from your college experience?

Would other students want to room with you, share a meal, be in a seminar together, be teammates, or collaborate in a close knit extracurricular group?

*information compiled from CollegeBoard, Harvard and personal counselor meetings

The Religion of Tennis

from Carol

The commitment to elite tennis is a challenging one. It takes a great deal of time, money, faith, and sacrifice along the way. You may be at the beginning of this process or somewhere in the middle, or perhaps you are coming to the end of youth sports and embarking on the college process.

This journey is not only a commitment from your child, but from you and perhaps even from your entire family. It changes the dynamic of how you spend your weekends and holidays. It restructures how you will spend your money and your vacations. It may also be a challenge to explain to your friends who just don’t quite ‘get it’.

When my son was embarking on the next higher level of commitment, I remember saying to a friend that tennis had become our religion. No longer were we heading off to church on Sunday mornings, but off to another tennis match. There was a shift in our commitments and focus. I no longer felt that his life was ‘in balance’ since so much more time and energy were focused on tennis and less on other aspects of his life.

Balance vs Harmony

As tennis progressed, my ideal image of holistically parenting the well-rounded, balanced child slowly began to morph. Our dialogs about choices became discussions of why and how this choice was what he wanted to pursue over other options. At no time during his tennis career was it absolute that he would continue. He always had the option to stop or lessen, or to dive in deeper. There were times that he questioned his choices and he was given the space to do so. There were also times that I questioned his choices… and my choices to support him. My idealistic balance transformed into harmony.

Parenting is a funny thing… there is no right or wrong way of doing it… and what works for one child definitely does not work for another. But when you want your young daughter to stand up for herself and make her own decision, let her go and do it. And sometimes, you need to make a decision for your child. When that is the case, let her know that you will be doing that for her. At times, that is totally appropriate and necessary, often relieving stress from a situation that is beyond her control.

Having said that, if you are going to allow your child to make the decisions… then you must be totally on board and not waiver from your support … even if it means being somewhat out of balance. I remember a tennis mom telling me stories of how awful some of her friends were to her because they just could not understand why on earth she would send her son to a tennis academy and pursue his dream of playing D1 college tennis. She had to defend a choice that she made that was incredibly difficult and heart wrenching… not ever really knowing if she made the ‘right’ choice. But it was her decision to support her son, regardless of the outcome.

So as parents, let us do everything we can to support our children in their chosen tennis career. Everything we say can encourage her on her path to success – and success may mean winning matches or it may mean winning at being confident, or it may mean allowing her to be in harmony with her chosen path. But if we doubt her level of commitment or her ability to succeed, then she will definitely experience doubt in herself. She needs to know that she is more than her tennis. She is important because of who she is and what she can bring out of herself and into the world.

It is hard to fully determine or express how very different Josh’s life is because of the USTA/ATA communities and the foundational support he has received… so whether his tennis takes him anywhere beyond where he is today… I would say the journey has been very worth it, not because of his tennis-related results, but because of what he has learned about his abilities and the community of support that he has been fortunate to be part of.

The Expense

From a monetary perspective, it is an expensive journey. From other aspects, it is a bargain. But remember, the choice to commit financially to support your son’s or daughter’s tennis and development is your choice, not theirs. I never made finances part of Josh’s decision, because devoting his time and effort was his part of the commitment; the financial aspect was his father’s and mine. If your child begins to look at tennis as an investment, it becomes a job and a burden. While this might be appropriate when he has chosen to play DI tennis and is being paid to play, it is completely inappropriate to expect the same response from a 10, 12 or 16 year old. I have witnessed many children become angry or apathetic at this age and then quit altogether because the joy of the game has ceased to exist due to the pressures of parents. Help him keep the playfulness of the game.

In moving forward and moving up in the world of junior tennis, your child’s journey will require more financial and time commitment from your family as she increases in level. This is not your child’s choice; it is yours. And having been through it, it is not one to be taken lightly. You must choose to commit to your part, and let your child commit to hers. If your child is concerned about how much this costs and whether she is performing at a level that is a good return on the investment, she may not be able to perform at her highest level. (This same rule follows in academics.) Relieving Josh of the responsibilities that are mine or his father’s allows him to be fully committed to his.

I think many children struggle because they want to please all of the voices that speak to them, and that is an impossible task. This includes the voices of a social life. Josh made decisions to miss parties, ACL weekends, family holidays, etc which were never easy decisions. And he had guidance. But the ultimate decisions had to come from him – not me, not his dad, not his coach, not his friends. There was never a decision that could please all of those voices.

Parenting is tough… as is growing up… and the manual is not a static one, but an ever-evolving read. Obviously, we want only the best for our children and we want them to feel successful and happy. And wanting those things makes you an awesome parent. Model to your child how to be strong and confident and engaged by doing so every day. Let her grow and know that she is being guided by people who really care for her personal best.

The outcome is a mystery and we can’t yet visit that destination. But as with any religion, it requires faith so that we can get to the end of the journey with our head and heart in tact. So let’s help our child build the vision in her own mind, help her set some great goals for herself and then, help her get there.

Four Agreements

from Carol

Each time the holidays approach, I am reminded of family gatherings when I was a young child. The beautiful moments of food, frolicking and football were always scattered among a few arguments about God or politics or the best make and model of a favorite car. Things haven’t changed much, and although these conversations are mostly unimportant and inconsequential, they evoke some pretty powerful words and emotions.

CP is a small school and I often {jokingly} say that it is like Thanksgiving… every day. Meaning, that due to the intimacy level, the students often speak and act toward one another like siblings or close family members. On a daily basis, there are students helping students, playing a chess game or two, walking and grooming the animals, and collaborating on a project. There is also the occasional argument. With awareness, these disagreements can be used as excellent learning opportunities.

One such moment occurred recently – some of our students experienced some family/brotherly arguments and altercations. While it is never appropriate to be disrespectful, it does happen.

We took this opportunity to discuss, in small groups, the following items:

1) Our words are as powerful as our fists and both need to be respectfully honored and controlled.

2) Our actions and behaviors have the ability to build up each other and the group, or tear them down.

3) Confronting our shortcomings and speaking our understanding and apologies to one another face to face, and acknowledging our own insecurities can be humbling and provide healing.

Although there are times that behaviors occur and things are said that are not appropriate and certainly not expressing the highest version of ourselves, we learn to be compassionate, patient, and an exemplary part of a larger community.

Let is remember to focus on the long term positive expectations of character that we hold for our children, instead of on the temporary and occasional lapse or regression.

And, of course, let us remember to always model that which we want followed.

I am reminded of the Four Agreements of Toltec wisdom: 1) be impeccable with your word; 2) don’t take anything personally; 3) don’t make assumptions; 4) always do your best.

I encourage you to share and discuss these with your children at your next family gathering. If you are interested in reading the book with your family… it will serve you and your family well… with many giving thanks.

Nurturing Nature

According to Joshua Leibman, author of Peace of Mind,

“There is here no fatalism of endowment.”

Recently, I was gifted with a Bonsai tree.
I always admired images of these miniature works of art – carefully
cultivated and delicately crafted over long periods of time. I used to
imagine the patience involved in watching something so precious progress so
very slowly and the assiduity necessary in guiding its growth.

I spent days, weeks, months looking at my new
charge, wondering in what directions its branches might tend to grow. I
would occasionally turn it and put it in a different place so as to admire it
from another perspective, visualizing it in its future. In an effort to
gain ideas of how I wanted to form its shape, I began researching other Bonsai
creations, hoping to find the perfect one to inspire my new canvas ready for
change. I found images of amazing oak trees so tiny in stature but
grandeur in shape and personality. I found fall colored maples and
evergreen pines that mimicked the most majestic forest specimens.
Then… I peered back at mine. It was then, for the first time, that I
noticed It was really rather… ordinary… and sort of lopsided; most of its
leaves were too big for its trunk size… some were even yellowed, and I really
wasn’t sure how to tame its awkwardness. I became less enamored with its
nature and a bit more obsessed with trying to change it into one of its more
majestic counterparts.

Well, it was not a maple, nor a pine, nor a
mighty oak… it was in fact a ficus with a tiny trunk and oversized
leaves. What happened to my love affair with this newborn project?
Had it changed? Had I changed? Or was I simply comparing it to other Bonsais
that held different DNA? It was then I began to question, like most
beginning Bonsai caregivers, whether or not I had the ability to maintain a
healthy plant. (I thought back and remembered when I was 10… I talked my mom
into stopping on the side of the road and spending an inordinate amount of
money to purchase one for me… I proudly took it home, loved it for days, and
then it died.)

I took a deep breath, picked up my clippers and I
began to carefully clip a few leaves that protruded beyond the limits of the
container… the outliers. Clip, clip, clip. As I did so, a tiny bead of
liquid formed on the tip of the clipped surface in an attempt to heal the
affected part. This process changed and limited some growth of all but
one protruding branch… and I left it there to do as it wished. It is well-known
to Bonsai artists that the key is in being able to control the degree of stress
that a plant will take and still remain healthy. He must have the
willingness to learn, experiment and accept the results of these efforts. He
must also recognize that the growth process takes time, and there are no
shortcuts. Overall, I have not done too much to my beautiful ficus… I
spent more time observing its nature – where it leaned, where it was too big,
where it needed to grow, which leaves needed taming – than attempting to create
an entirely new breed. But its shape has gradually and ever so slightly
begun to change. I am in love with the way the leaves are clipped and
then push forth and then grow back to a more refined maturity.

The ultimate challenge for the
bonsai designer – as it is for a
parent, coach, or teacher – is to expose and draw out the essence. And then… ever so
gently… creatively guide the refinement of maturity.

Happy Growing! ~Carol

Did Thomas Edison Get an “A” in Light Bulb Design Class?

In all of the serious aspects of our lives, do we really remember the powerful relationship between creative play… and thinking?

Problem solving comes from exploration. If the silly ideas of the ‘impossible’ are ignored, passed over and closed down in our children, they will stop thinking creatively. They become embarrassed by failure, when in reality, failure is how we learn. Failure is how we learned to walk – we stumbled through it. It’s how we learned to ride a bike – we fell over and skinned our knees. Failure is how we become intelligent… otherwise, how would we recognize success? In today’s success-driven world, failure is often perceived and treated with negative connotation.

Thomas Edison failed many, many, many times before developing a successful light bulb. But each time he failed, he embraced it as an opportunity to learn again… only, the next time, with more knowledge. He did not hide behind his embarrassment, or shy away or quit. He persevered. He did what we all should strive to do.

However, I wonder what would have happened if Mr. Edison had been graded by an instructor over that period of time of epic failure and had received a failing grade for each failed attempt. Would he have passed his ‘light bulb development’ class? Would the final result of the light bulb make up for all of the failed attempts? Or since he already had 52 failing grades, should he have quit since it was obvious he would never pass the class, since the successful attempt would only account for one grade and definitely not enough to raise his grade to a passing one. What if the course was over before he had the en’light’ened epiphany? Or… would he have continued his explorations – putting aside the grade or what others thought about his failures – for the sheer love and passion of solving the challenge?

Failure is an opportunity to begin again… and learn again… only this time… more intelligently.

Learning is a mystery. One day, knowledge of a certain topic is unknown and does not exist… and then on the next… it appears. The brain is a malleable organ. It is capable of growing and stretching as far as we challenge it to do so. So how do we keep it open? Keep it playing. Keep it thinking. If we ask the right questions… the results are wonder(ful).

~Carol

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