Congratulations 2015 College Prep graduates! Thank you all that came out to support and congratulate Grayson, Spencer and Camilla as they move on to the next chapter of their lives…COLLEGE!!! Grayson will be attending University of Notre Dame, Spencer will be attending Pomona College and Camilla will be attending Amherst College in the Fall.
The ATA ball has been passed to the upcoming group of ATA seniors.
Coach Lucie discussed this article by Pat Dougherty to Academy and CP students during practices this rainy week. Everyone was asked to take notes and be ready to discuss the characteristics of being a great competitor. Click the link below to read the full article.
Download the article here: www.apbelt.com/images/10_Characteristics.doc
The ATA community will celebrate five seniors this week, as each signs letters of intent to pursue their academic and athletic careers at the universities of their choice.
On Monday, Elena Seifert will commit to attend Claremont McKenna College in California.
“What set CMC apart from the other colleges I applied to was the small college feel within the 5 college consortium in Claremont. With Pomona, Scripps, Pitzer, and Harvey Mudd just across the street, there is an infinite amount of resources available to all students. The Cali sun, the 7 different (and amazingly good) dining halls, and being close to my brother Oliver were just a little added bonus.”
Elena is a five-year veteran of ATA who came through the Junior Academy program.
“I know that I’ve come pretty close to mastering the skill of time management thanks to ATA and my busy schedule, and I feel ready to take on my first college classes,” Elena said.
On Tuesday, the community will celebrate three seniors: Spencer Chiu will commit to Pomona College, Jordyn Kanak will commit to Millsaps College, and Tyler Wilkie will commit to Southwestern University.
Jordyn Kanak has been at ATA for five years. She was also considering Long Island University in Brooklyn, New York.
“My time here has prepared me by showing me what it’s like to have a team, and how it rocks to have a second family you can go to when you need help.”
Spencer will graduate from ATA College Prep this year before heading to Pomona. He also considered Amherst, Wesleyan, Georgetown, Johns Hopkins and Tulane.
“I’m looking forward to surrounding myself with driven people who want to succeed in all aspects of life,” Spencer said. “I look forward to becoming independent and taking on the challenge of growing into a man. I look forward to leading my team to hopefully a national championship. I look forward to the weather of southern California. I look forward to meeting many new people and making many friends.”
Spencer will finish his fourth year at ATA full time before moving on in the fall.
“ATA has helped me mature and helped me understand how lessons I learn on the tennis court can help me in life too.”
Tyler Wilkie will commit to Southwestern University as well on Tuesday.
“I’m excited for college of course for all of the obvious reasons…. It’s college,” Tyler said. “But as well as pushing myself to get the best grades possible to get the job I want after college. Athletically I am looking to be All-American eventually. Also I would like to start top 3 as a freshman.”
Closing out his 6th year at ATA, Wilkie is a veteran around Academy practice.
“ATA has not only helped me grow as a tennis player but as a person as a whole,” Tyler said. “It has helped build character and respect for adults, which will help me later in life, as well as the work ethic and habits that need to be created to become a successful individual.”
On Thursday, the community will come together once again to celebrate Camilla Trapness, as she signs on to attend Amherst.
“I was initially drawn to Amherst for its great reputation, both academically and athletically,” Camilla said. “When I visited, I really liked the coach and the team was very fun and welcoming. When I walked around campus, I could really picture myself going there.”
Camilla also considered Yale, Dartmouth, Williams and Middlebury, before landing on Amherst.
“I am looking forward to being challenged both academically and athletically,” Camilla said. “It will certainly be a change and will require lots of hard work, but I always enjoy being in new situations. Even though Amherst is considered a small college, I am looking forward to being in a larger environment than I have been in at ATACP and at my prior ski academy.”
While she has only been at ATA for just under two years, Camilla has made the most of her time here.
“This short time has certainly helped prepare me for college life,” Camilla said. “I have learned how to balance my school work and practice schedule, as well as developed important leadership and work ethic skills. Additionally, I really appreciate Coach Newman’s emphasis on having respect for the sport, my coaches, and my teammates.”
Everyone is invited to come out and celebrate with these wonderful seniors!
Ms. Flanagan’s Theatre class recently experienced ZACH’s performance of “Peter and the Starcatcher”. Audience members were taken on a magical ride to discover the origins of Peter Pan, Captain Hook, Tinkerbell, the mermaids, and Neverland itself. This was an educational experience for the CP Theatre troupe as they could view the powerful results of teamwork, creativity and commitment.
Josh, Tatum, Adi, Callie, Annika, and Ms. Flanagan
Mark your calendars for March 3 for this special event!
CP Theatre Class proudly presents the first performance of the semester:
“An Actor’s Nightmare” by Christopher Durang
Captain Hook (Ms. Flanagan) getting attacked by the crocodile (Josh)
Adi Ford stumbles into a theatre and suddenly finds herself starring in play after play after play (alongside Tatum Blalock, Josh Clark, Callie Creath, Annika Pandey and Jacob Gauthier). The only problem is…she hasn’t been to a single rehearsal and she definitely doesn’t know her lines!
Join us Tuesday, March 3rd at 5pm in the Fitness Center for this hilarious one-act play!
Coach John Schoenmakers and other members of the ATA staff, along with student volunteers, are teaching tennis to physical education classes at local elementary schools in the area.
“We are introducing and spreading the word on the great game of tennis in general!,” Coach John said. “We would love to get more and more players in the sport!!”
The ATA team has or will visit LakePoint Elementary, West Cypress Elementary, Lake Travis Elementary, and Serene Hills Elementary.
“It is really fun and exciting to be able to pass the sport on and give what you know to little kids,” ATA College Prep sophomore Adi Ford said.
For more information on the ATA programs, see our programs page here!
Dates:
Times:
Cost:
Quick Start Camp
9:00am – 10:30am ($150 per week or $40 per day)
The Quick Start tennis format used by the Austin Tennis Academy gives kids the opportunity to rally a ball over the net and learn to play points as quickly as possible – all in a fun environment. Our coaches recognize the importance of starting kids off well, and with success. The ATA was instrumental in developing this groundbreaking nationwide program and served as the pilot program for the USTA. This program uses the appropriate size racquet, court and ball to allow kids to do more – faster! Suggested Age: 5-8 years old.
Morning Camp
9:00am – 12:00pm ($275 per week or $80 per day)
Players will improve their game by learning fundamental skills, practicing game situations, and improving overall movement. Using the latest techniques and international innovations, players learn valuable athletic skills for tennis and other sports.
Afternoon “Tournament Tough” Camp
1:00pm-4:00pm ($375 per week or $90 per day)
Tournament players will improve their game by using competitive game situations, technical training and point play, as well as movement and flexibility training. ATA Academy players will be training at this time.
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I spent a few days with some of the greatest creative minds in education. The 2013 Advanc-Ed Summit was held in Washington DC and the focus was Successful Learning in the Digital Age. While I was really looking forward to the inspirational architecture, history and messaging intertwined throughout the sites of our nation’s capital, I was surprised to find just as much stimulating insight through the events and speakers at the Summit.
I was honored to meet Sir Ken Robinson, author, inspirational TedTalk speaker, advocate for education revolution, and the keynote speaker for the event. He spoke about the immense opportunities to lead the changes for education out of the industrial age and into the digital age. Sir Ken’s School Kills Creativity is a favorite TedTalk of mine and his books – The Element, and Out of Our Minds – inspire us to demand creativity as the forefront of our education.
Next, I visited with Dr Steve Perry (on Oprah in July) who is an MLK style visionary implementing change as the principal of Capital Preparatory Magnet School in addition to authoring, Push Has Come To Shove: Getting Our Kids The Education They Deserve – Even If It Means Picking A Fight.
I also heard from members of the teaching community of U Penn and Washington U, and had breakfast with Roberto Rodriguez, Special Assistant to the President of Education.
Although many of the break out sessions still asked questions based on the old paradigm of education and one that still stems from an industrial age, many private and public schools are implementing dynamic changes, much like ATA College Prep. However, it is clear to me that we are definitely on the cutting edge of where true education is headed. All of the buzz phrases and ideas – blended learning, credit awarded for off-campus activities, rewarding performance instead of seat time, self-pacing, hiring experts over certified teachers – which were being thrown around in presentations and topical discussions are all things that we have been doing for years at CP, and even more years ago through small, focused, leadership and home education models. You see, the goal of a broad liberal arts education strives to liberate the mind and free its creative nature, rather than fill it with a common list of skills deemed necessary to fit into the assembly line of workers.
The highlight of the Summit, the closing ceremony featured 3 students who are practicing owning the responsibility of education. They have each created and developed their own start-ups, campaigns, or designed part of their course loads during the latter part of high school. They shared personal stories of why schools have failed them, how they have been supported, and what can be done to improve education, as well as the impact of mentor relationships. One young man is creating a template for high school students to defend their knowledge acquisition through unique and performance-based expert presentation options rather than standardized tests.
Out of the mouths (and minds) of babes come a great deal of wisdom… and we should listen!
At ATA CP, I am proud that we create mentoring relationships, stretch the mind, afford opportunity to grow in many directions… and that we strive to do it in creative and entertaining ways. After all, isn’t that what learning is? Loving to learn about who we are and who we are becoming in an ever-changing world of beauty.
Looking forward! ~Carol
CP Instructors continually strive to inspire and create hands-on projects and unique activities to stimulate the developments of CP students.
The universe operates through dynamic exchange – giving and receiving are different aspects of the flow of energy throughout the universe. Through our willingness to give what we wish to receive, we keep abundance circulating in our lives.
Put this to work in your life:
1) Bring a gift to whoever you encounter today – a compliment, a prayer, and kind thought, a flower.
2) Gratefully receive all that life has to offer you today. Notice the gifts in nature and in the people and lessons around you.
3) Recognize the most important gifts of caring, affection, appreciation. love. Gift these to everyone you see today.
At CP, we have been discussing the Law of Giving and Receiving and ways we can commit to give and receive willingly and consciously. As we silently viewed this inspirational VIDEO, we noted that true giving transcends the barriers of language and distance.
ATA CP Alumnus Blake Davis is amid his senior season as a Florida State Seminole. Now in a leadership role on the team, Blake calls upon his lengthy tennis resume, but also his experience of fighting through numerous injuries throughout his career to guide him through whatever challenge is in his, or his teams, way.
With the meat of his senior season looming and a job on the horizon upon its completion, Blake and his Seminoles are dialed in and have high hopes for the coming year.
Below, Blake is featured in a short video courtesy of Seminole Productions, titled Blake Davis: Mind over Matter. Enjoy a closer look into Blake’s Seminole experience.
Recently, we were discussing the definition of ‘bucket list’… one student said, “it’s the things you want to do before you die.” True. But It is also the list of things I want to accomplish while I am living. For me, being a few years older, there is a subtle, but ominous, difference.
I spent a few days in Washington DC at the Advanc-Ed National Summit. It is the organization that accredits ATA CP. During that time, I crossed off a few bucket list items. In awe, I visited every national monument in DC; I stood before our great documents in the National Archives; I sat in wonder as I contemplated great thinkers and the Great Architects that founded this country, and built beautiful structures as tributes. “Amazing places in DC”, check. Another bucket list item was meeting education icon, Sir Ken Robinson. I have been a fan for about 5 years. I have read his books and viewed his TedTalks. He is an inspiration to the shift in the education paradigm. If you have ever been trapped in a conversation about education with me, you have probably heard a few Sir Ken quotes (paraphrased of course). He, too, speaks of inspiring children instead of training them. And individualizing creative programming instead of continuing the assembly line mentality. “Sir Ken”, check.
After being inspired by Sir Ken, I found it quite interesting that everyone’s discussions during the summit meetings claimed to aspire to the same goals: 1) we must prepare students to perform in the new landscape, both academically and socially; 2) we must raise standards (well, of course, that IS better than lowering them); 3) we must give our children a sense of purpose; and 4) we must give them the necessary tools to survive in the work world.
Yet, the questions asked are for a future that is yet unknown. So how does our current education system provide this through a systematic approach? It doesn’t. It is a system that was based on antiquity and the industrial age. It does not aspire to the attributes of the future. So what does inspire the learners of today for the future? “Finding the question”, check.
We must begin to realize that our children are the ones with the answers to the future and the ones who will be implementing them. The best possible thing that we – as parents, teacher, mentors, or coaches – can do is to give our children the opportunities and the support needed to raise them higher than they could go if they were alone or without the means. We must also inspire them to learn as much as possible every day through our own modeling and by encouraging and honoring their ideas. “Revealing an answer”, check.
It is really an awesome privilege to raise a child, to be part of the future through the legacy of thought we leave with them. It is also an awesome responsibility to practice wisdom, patience, awareness, and faith that the acts of supporting, loving and honoring are the most important gifts we can give… to our children and to ourselves.
The top item on my bucket list? As a small drop in the bucket, I aspire to inspire the greatness of those that have come close to me to live and learn. Check.
What tops your bucket list?
~Carol
from Josh Hagar, ATA CP 2012, ND 2016
Hello from South Bend, Indiana! Life here at Notre Dame has been amazing. I am so happy to be on fall break to have the time to relax, recuperate a bit, and give you all an update on how these last couple months have been. I learned very quickly that life at ND is very busy, and free time as an athlete is rare, or non-existent all together. My schedule consists of classes from 8:30 or 9 (depending on the day) to noon, practice and fitness in the afternoon from about 3 to 7, and studying until I cannot stay awake any longer. One thing you learn quickly here as a student is that going to class and completing homework is simply not enough. Students are expected to spend time outside the classroom during the week learning on their own about concepts of the subjects. As a non-student-athlete, this is a viable expectation, but when 4 hours of my day are cut out because of athletic obligations, it makes things seem nearly impossible. Luckily, Notre Dame has one of (if not, the best) student-athlete support systems in the country. Tutors are offered to student-athletes for nearly every class, contrary to the their common notion, as a time saver, not as a helper in comprehension. While tutors are very helpful in understanding certain materials more deeply, they make things easier and less time consuming in a busy schedule. I was a bit hesitant to get tutors at first, but after consistently staying up to the early hours of the morning studying, I thought it necessary to give them a try. The independent college life, I have found, has been all about decisions, and that is one decision I am glad I have made. I tend to think of school, social life, sports, and sleep as the four S’s of college, and tutors really help out putting some of the school hours into sleeping.
Aside from the day-to-day grind of class, homework, practice, homework, I have been able to enjoy the football weekends, charity events, and tournaments in which the team has participated.
Football weekends are crazy. Notre Dame is a pretty small campus (our total student population is no more than 12,000, graduate and undergraduate students), but our stadium holds over 80,000. So, you do the math, the stadium has capacity for a lot more people than just the students and faculty. By Thursday and Friday of home game weekends, people are already tailgating off campus, and you can tell that the size of the average campus tour increases tenfold. The place comes alive, and becomes more like a circus compared to the normal quiet, serene setting on which the University prides itself. Coming from Austin though and growing up going to UT games, I love the football weekends here. They make me feel right at home.
A cool parallel between ATA and ND is that of service. The Notre Dame community offers a large service component to its students. It is customary for each sports team to have a certain cause for which they raise funds and awareness. For the men’s tennis team, our cause is multiple sclerosis. A few weekends into the semester, we hosted two clinics benefitting MS at our home courts, one of which was for the South Bend community, the other for the Notre Dame community, which included the softball and men’s basketball teams. It was a really fun event and a good way to gain some fans, and get to know some of the other student-athletes on campus. For more information on that particular event, you can check out this link to the full story: http://www.und.com/sports/m-tennis/spec-rel/090913aaa.html.
As for the competitive aspect of the tennis side of my life here at ND, I could not be happier. The fall is a time where teams really try and build off of their previous spring season, and our guys have been working towards that. The guys on the team are awesome, and I have been very impressed with the culture of the team: supportive, diligent, and committed just to name a few attributes.
We’ve had a fun fall tournament schedule so far, including trips to Chicago and Ohio State with ebbs and flows of results. My first opportunity representing the Irish was at the Olympia Fields Country Club Invitational hosted by University of Illinois. This tournament was on clay, a rarity for any college event. While I will admit I was a bit nervous for that tournament, I posted my first few collegiate wins against solid players from Memphis and Illinois, and learned some valuable lessons moving on to the next event a few weeks later, which we were hosting. Other teams that competed in Olympia Fields were Texas, Virginia, Memphis, and Kentucky.
I have come to realize the perks of home court advantage in college tennis. For our tournament, the Bobby Bayliss Invitational, there were players from Louisville, Cleveland State, Michigan State, and Western Michigan. As a hosting player, however, your schedule is almost the same. For example, you sleep in you own dorm room on campus, you eat the same meals in the dining halls, and you can go to your locker in between matches. Everything in the tournament is just the same as it is during the week when we practice, which makes me much more relaxed. I had a great weekend, posting a 3-1 singles record, 2-1 doubles record, and being recognized as the most outstanding player! If you care to look, the whole article is here: http://www.und.com/sports/m-tennis/spec-rel/100713aab.html.
As I am writing this, I have just returned from Ohio State where we competed in the Regional Championships. I played fairly well, reaching the round of 16 in singles before falling to the current number 3 player in the country (who ended up beating our number 1 guy 7-6 in the third in the finals today…heartbreaking), and the quarterfinals of doubles, losing to the same guy (who also beat our number 1 doubles team 8-7 in the finals, another heartbreaker). While I played good matches throughout the tournament, I was psyched at getting the opportunity to compete at the highest level of college tennis. That’s what any freshman can ask for, right? College tennis is too fun.
Next up on the docket before classes start again on Monday is a trip to Austin! Part of the Notre Dame men’s tennis team is coming down to Austin this Wednesday to compete in the UT Invitational over the weekend. For those who are in town, we would really love for you to come out to watch some great college tennis… and maybe leave your UT gear at home and show your support for the Irish 😉
I really miss everybody at ATA, and am thankful each day for the invaluable lessons I learned in my time as an academy player there. I am doing my best to represent y’all up here in the Midwest!
I could go on and on talking about the past couple months in my time here, but that being said, I am leaving an open invitation for anyone who is in the area and would like to see a behind-the-scenes tour of campus as a student-athlete. The campus is beautiful, and if anyone is ever in the Chicago area and wants to make a day trip down to see good ol’ God country, hit me up! It is only an hour and a half (if that) from the Chicago area.
Until this weekend and Christmas break, Go Irish!
Josh
from Carol
Choosing the right college is like baking a cake. There are many ingredients that go into the mix to create the desired chemistry and tasty outcome. Colleges can offer: academic challenges, rich cultural experiences, spaces to develop new aspects of personality, a network of mentors, career opportunities, a place to continue developing as an athlete. The amount that each of these flavorful ingredients weigh in on a final decision varies in as many ways as there are people.
In a recent talk I was giving to a group of parents who were embarking on the college process with their first-born, I asked, “How many of you, today, would make the same college choice you did when you were 18? Only 1 person raised his hand. Hmmm. This suggests that things we think are important at 18 may not hold true when we are 25 or 35 or 45.
On that same note, what we, as parents, think is important for our child may not be the only answer. We need to remember that we cannot visit the future of our children and that we are most likely making decisions based on our past experiences.
As an example, ATA CP graduate Blake Davis shares some interesting wisdom and reflection on his decisions at 18 and his decisions today.
Dear Carol,
This e-mail has been a long time coming. I am currently sitting at my desk with a little bit of down time and thought I would give you an update on where I am, what I am doing, and what I want to do.
I am currently in Houston working for Quantum Resources Management team. We are a management team that works for both a private equity fund and public upstream Master Limited Partnership. QR Energy, the Master Limited Partnership, is a pseudo-subsidiary of QRF (the private equity fund) and by only having one management team this allows us to cut down on General and Administrative costs. For the most part, I have been heavily immersed in liquidity, distributable cash flow, and Capital Expenditure analysis which have led to refined lists of possible mergers/acquisitions. This entire summer has been an amazing opportunity that I am blessed to have been a part of, and I can honestly say that I would not have received this opportunity had it not been for ATA, seeing as —– played a direct role in helping me get my foot in the door.
As for what I want to do, where I want to end up, and my long term goals, I would say that I am shooting for a job in banking after I graduate, whether that is sales and trading or investment banking. With that being said, I am in for a very long and arduous up-hill battle due to the fact that I am coming from a non-target college. For any of ATA’s current students who have a slight idea of the industry that they want to be in after college, I would highly suggest they do a thorough analysis on undergraduate placements in that specific industry. In case you would like to show a current student this e-mail, let me put that last sentence in bold. Do the leg work and look at colleges that have a high placement rate for the industry that you would like to work in. Now I know most teenagers have no idea what they want to do after college, I know I didn’t when I was looking at schools, but if that is the case then my piece of advice would be to search for a school that offers the greatest amount of exit opportunities. That way if you are unsure of what you want to do, at least you will have a lot to choose from.
As far as school, it is going well. My focus has begun to transition away from academics and more to job placement, but I have been able to maintain my grades with fairly little stress. My Major GPA is a 3.8 and my cumulative is a 3.5. As long as I keep my head together this last year, it looks like I will graduate Cum Laude which is kind of cool. As for tennis, I am looking forward to my senior year. My doubles partner and I will be heading into the season ranked number 5 in the nation and will have a legitimate chance at winning a national championship. I am looking forward to this year both athletically and academically and it will be interesting to see what I make of it. If you (or any others that read this) have any questions, feel free to give me a ring, I’d be more than happy to give my two cents on the tennis/college journey.
Sincerely,
Blake Davis
ATA CP Class of 2009
Because parenthood is challenging, we can sometimes forget how to just be happy in the midst of it all.
Consider which of these 15 items keeps you from happy parenting. Let them go. Allow yourself to be a happy parent for your child—and yourself!
We were conditioned by our own early family experiences to believe that parenthood or childhood are supposed to look a certain way. But if you hold onto the way things are “supposed” to be, you may miss enjoying how they actually are. Be willing to question what you prioritize as a parent and why.
What does your mental score-card keep track of… Which parent does more? Who’s most consistent? Which mom contributes most in your child’s class? Who’s most involved in your homeschool group?
Keeping score wastes energy. Just do what you feel inspired and able to do. Don’t feel obligated by others’ contributions. Don’t obligate them to live up to yours.
As a parent you have a responsibility to set boundaries. But if a child consistently resists a certain boundary, don’t just force them to comply. Ask yourself and your child, “Why?”
Think of yourself as your child’s trusted and effective guide, not their dictator. When they experience you this way, they’re more likely to listen, which means less struggle and frustration for both of you.
If you’re not a yeller, this one isn’t for you. But if you tend to yell when upset, consider this question: Has yelling strengthened your relationship with your child?
Yelling usually happens in anger and it often frightens and intimidates children. It destroys trust and a child’s feeling of safety. Pay attention to times and circumstances when you yell and then commit to changing those scenarios in the future.
No such thing as a perfect parent. Embrace your imperfections. Laugh at yourself. The best parents are willing to always learn, change and improve.
Compulsive worrying doesn’t make your child any safer. It doesn’t make you any happier. And it teaches your children to live in fear. Release your worries and cultivate gratitude for your child’s safety in the present moment.
Every child is unique. What works for one won’t always work for another. Certain standard rules apply across the board (for example, everyone needs to speak respectfully). But consider the possibility that being a fair parent doesn’t mean doing the exact same thing in the exact same way for every child.
If you demand a certain number of bites from your children, you set yourself up for struggle at the table—and you set your children up for struggles with food later in life.
Guide, direct, encourage, and prepare healthy food. Let your child voice their preferences. Focus on healthy overall patterns, rather than forcing a certain regimen at a specific meal.
If you feel like parenthood is a treadmill you can’t keep up with, you may be taking too much responsibility for your children’s time. Make plans that are supportive to your children’s development, but don’t map out every minute for them.
Downtime is supportive to many children. Moments of boredom allow children to take responsibility for their own time. Make resources available and then let your children create the experience they want. You’ll all be happier.
As a parent, you generously give love, time, and attention. But you shouldn’t give up your core self just because you’re a parent. When you ignore your basic needs, you teach your children that when they grow up, they shouldn’t take care of themselves.
Parents sometimes fall into the self-sacrifice trap because they feel unnecessary guilt. Guilt can be useful if you use it to recognize where you need to make changes. But overwhelming, paralyzing guilt that makes you feel worthless as a person or parent doesn’t accomplish anything. You are enough, just as you are.
As the parent, you often have the final say. But you and your child will both be happier if it’s not the only say. When age-appropriate, involve your child in decisions that will affect them. By showing children the decision-making process, you’ll empower them to make their own good decisions in the future.
So many messages are repeated to children: you’re too loud, you’re too quiet, you ask too many questions, you’re exhausting, you’re demanding, you’re too talkative, you should make more friends, quit moving, speak up, settle down, smile more.
You can comment on the exact same behavior in a positive way. For example, you can see the trait of, “You’re too talkative,” as “You really make friends easily.”
What did you experience that you most want your children to avoid? Being teased at school? Lack of money? Feeling not-enough? Your fears may actually set up that same pattern to be re-created. Don’t trap your children now in your fears of the past. Let them go. Create what you want, not what you don’t want.
I’ve heard from parents who worry that they’ve damaged their child, or that they’ve made a mistake that will last a lifetime. I’ve said this many times:
It’s never too late to be a better parent.
Whether your children are 4 or 40, they respond to genuine love from their parents. The effects of mistakes may take a little longer to overcome if your child is older, but it’s never impossible to show up as the happy, supportive parent that you are meant to be. Don’t give up! You have everything you need to be a good parent.
It’s time to let go of whatever keeps you stuck and let the happiness in!
http://thechildwhisperer.com/15-things-give-up-happy-parent/#sthash.nX2x0RII.dpuf
This article from Psychology Today explains the dangers that come from parents micro-managing their child’s education (and other aspects of life) without the substance of confidence to back it up. Of course we all want the best for our children – to provide the very best opportunities – but the most pampered and force-fed child is not always the most prepared. The one that has learned how to play the game, or better yet, learned how to manipulate mom and dad to manipulate the game often find out later they were playing the wrong game.
Perhaps proper preparation means that we allow them to fall down and then have the courage to get back up. Perhaps it is important to let them face the fear and confront someone and even apologize for doing wrong.
Let’s grow our children with integrity, confidence and knowledge of truth. Give them support to succeed but don’t mow down every sticker bush, and weed out every inch of the path along the way.
Encourage them to pick up a tool and work their own garden. Let them fail. Let them succeed. They know the difference when it is their own. And this will give them the confidence to manage their own important moments as well as enjoy playing the game.
This summer, students are keeping fit with periodic Train Your Brain sessions. From SAT prep to math refreshers to read and discuss workshops, these short programs focus on engaging topics that strengthen stamina for thought processes.
For those of you who participated in Session 1 SAT Prep… read on! For those of you who did not, don’t worry, there might be a few tidbits for you too. And you can always join us during the next session July 29 – Aug 2.
___________
Greetings, ATA players and families! I hope you had a good time Training Your Brain and preparing for the PSAT/SAT last week. As the summer continues, we have some recommendations for ways that you can continue to build your skills and stay sharp.
The best single thing you can do this summer (or in life, generally) to become smarter is to read books, and then talk about what you’ve read with other people. So, our main recommendation is to choose a good book that you’re interested in and read a little of it each day, and then make some time to talk about it with someone; you could discuss it with your parents, your siblings, your friends (maybe they could read the same book?), or anyone else who has the time. At ATACP one of our goals is to build life-long readers, and there’s no time to start like the present!
Another good idea is to keep up the vocabulary work that you started last week. Keep making and using flash cards, app entries, or whatever tool you’re using to strengthen your vocab. Take a little time each day to study new words, and then look for them in the world— you’ll probably start seeing them in the news, reading them in books, and hearing them on the radio. Try using them in your own conversation! Find just the right word to express what you’re thinking.
Finally, hold onto the materials you used in this class— the white binder and the blue practice test book. Begin looking on the College Board website for an SAT test date that will work for your family, and get signed up. Those of you who are taking the official PSAT this year, check with your school to make sure that you are registered to take it.
About a month before you take either test, start looking through these materials again. Read through the notes in the binder (there’s more info in there that we didn’t get to this time) and take practice sections or even full tests in the blue book, focusing on whichever topic(s) you know you need the most work on. A week or two before your official test, try to make some time on a weekend to take a complete practice test— do it all in one sitting, and time yourself (it takes about three and a half hours). Give yourself the experience of taking a test of that length all at once, and make sure you prepare for it by eating right, getting plenty of sleep, and staying hydrated. Then, take your official test and blow it away!
For now, have a great summer! We’re looking forward to seeing you again!
Contact hannahhagarcp@gmail.com to register for the next Train Your Brain session July 29-Aug 2.
As most of you know, CP begins the day with a reflective reading or a moment of silence. And Academy practices begins with ALPHA – a silent moment of visualization and focus. Why do we do this? Because this meditative technique engages the mind-body and precedes true learning.
This youtube video on Mind Science by Dan Rather describes the effects of meditation on the mind.
http://www.youtube.com/watchv=FkXtz72hjDI&feature=player_embedded#
Meditation is an age-old tradition practiced by Tibetan monks
(among many others) that affords us the ability to relax and enter a state of
conscious awareness and being. This practice can be used to calm, alter, and
redirect certain behaviors. Mediation also increases the function of the brain,
which determines the mind’s ability to process. Alternatively, stress and fatigue move the brain into a
primitive mode of functioning, which adversely affects its ability for higher
order thinking.
Brain plasticity in the field of neuroscience has proven that the brain is malleable and has the ability to constantly evolve. Recent studies show that meditation has a direct and positive effect on our brain’s plasticity levels by raising brain fitness and wave production. Meditation increases the thickness
in parts of the brain that deal with increased attention and processing sensory
input, as well as reversing the effects of aging. Obviously, one can extrapolate the value this practice can have on the
learning process.
So, this means that we were not born smart or average or dumb. It means WE have the ability to increase our brain’s ability to learn. That is powerful!
So let’s try an experiment to increase our brain’s cognitive
and plasticity levels. This is an exercise that can be altered to fit any
circumstance, but as with any other training, daily practice is key.
Introduce yourself to a meditation practice by
setting aside 10 minutes, twice daily (first thing in the morning, and just
before bed are ideal times)– it provides the parentheses of the day. Although there are many ways to do
this, the most common is to sit comfortably in a chair or on the floor with
your back straight. Set a timer. Close
your eyes and repeat a favorite inspirational verse, phrase or word silently in
your mind to develop the positive track that your mind can settle into. Relax.
Breathe normally and comfortably.
Allow the ‘jumping monkeys’ in your mind to stop. Redirect wandering thoughts by gently
repeating your word or phrase.
Practice this effort for 30 days, gradually
increasing your meditation time to 20 minutes at each sitting. Know that your brain can grow and experience the results.
A short silent period at the beginning of class, or at the beginning of a lesson, or at the beginning of doing homework can work to set the brain’s intent by visualizing the goal. Ending your lesson time with another period of silence can emphasizes what was learned. This creates positive tracking or wiring in the brain. This technique can also be used for ‘resetting’ when necessary.
The purpose of the silent focus is to allow
the brain to rewire or track the malleable parts that you have been working
with. For those of you who
ever made bread from scratch… it’s like letting the bread ‘rest’
after kneading it – a key to a successful process.
Onward to Alpha,
~Carol
To the community, from ATA CP Parent, Rachel O’Malley
Dear Carol:
Recently, I was given the advice to approach life with “independent curiosity” by observing, being present without always engaging, being patient about drawing conclusions and refraining from immediate action. Using these skills has been rather enlightening for me. They have enabled me to question previous assumptions and analyze situations using a more compassionate awareness, with the end result being a difference in how Mike and I parent our girls.
With Meghan at ATA CP, Lauren sophomore at Vandegrift and Sarah preparing for middle school next year, I have attended numerous parent meetings, participated in informational parent discussion groups, teacher conferences, etc. These experiences have given me many opportunities to practice this “independent curiosity” in the context of helping our girls live their values, establish goals for themselves, and, most importantly, be happy. Below are my rather haphazard observations on my girls, their learning environments and how it has helped us become better parents.
Meghan: I think back to when Meghan started school at ATA CP as a seventh grader and how she has grown over the course of the past few years. Starting ATA CP (or Hybrid as we called it then), she was largely motivated by fear…afraid to get bad grades, afraid to draw attention to herself, afraid to form conclusions in the event someone might disagree, afraid of not pleasing. Her definition of success was to achieve good grades and blend in (notice no mention of actually learning the topics being taught, finding enjoyment from learning, exploring new ideas or creativity). Admittedly,
Meghan got her definition of success from us as parents and from the school environment where she spent her first seven years of her academic career. Fast forward to today, after spending years at ATA CP – Meghan still has a very strong sense of achievement, grades and tennis results are still very important, but only one piece of the equation (additionally:)
* She has made INCREDIBLE strides in her confidence at expressing
herself.
* She finds ways to learn in nearly every situation. I have seen
this in so many situations; however, a few that have stood out include using
the wind a competitive tool during a tennis match, working with Mr.
Rutherford to make sure she is taking effective Chemistry notes, gleaning
life lessons from Coach Newman as she’s helping him in the morning to
wondering how a display was built in Whole Foods on an errand with you.
* She is accountable for her actions and is not afraid to take
responsibility when she makes mistakes.
* She has become one of the most organized people I know, thanks to
all of the hands-on instruction and guidance.
* She is no longer as afraid of failure and uses it as a way to
improve herself. I remember when she did poorly on her first Biology test
and declared a career in medicine hopeless. You sat with her and taught her
a way to analyze her performance so that she could make changes to her
current study patterns / test taking strategies. She, along with all of the
ATA kids, do this monthly when they analyze their tournament results (see
below)
It might be worth saying that we take for granted that ATA kids analyze their tournament results and make a plan for improving and how this transcends into life. I have watched Meghan live a life of perseverance and resiliency. How many teenagers are accountable to adults for their performance? Yet, I have watched Meghan put thought and effort into her achievements and shortcomings, communicate these to her coaches (all the while opening herself to hearing constructive criticism and advice) then
make a plan for improving. These skills, not common in the general population of teenagers, will serve Meg well when she is an adult.
Lauren: Being a student at a very competitive high school is a bit like swimming with sharks. It’s all about numbers – the number of AP classes she takes, her GPA, her class rank, how many annotations did she put in her literary book, what did she score on the last test, how many absences she has for dance related activities (marked as unexcused) what was the highest score on the last test, will there be a curve….and the list goes on. While there are many, MANY dedicated teachers, and while Lauren is having a positive high school experience, the focus appears to be more on the external achievement than on learning and building character. Lauren made all A’s (and one B) last year, while working at her personal best, saw that as a failure because she wasn’t in the top 10{37ef6ac642fae6f93f343032eb62785d28fa7a25a4a4f0267a12512c541c53a9}. As mentioned, despite the many dedicated, wonderful educators, there was no one she felt comfortable with enough to share her insecurities or give her life lessons. This is not a criticism of the teachers but my sadness in the process. There are simply too many students for many one-on-one connections. Lauren’s saving grace in this system is her intrinsic charm, her persistence, and the support she
receives at home.
She also has the ATA community as a resource. An example of this was how ATA CP and Estevam helped her with her AP Science project. Lauren chose to test the impact of caffeine on the human heart rate, not an easy experiment to conduct. Coach Doug, you, Coach Estevam, and all of the ATA CP students participated. The coaching staff chose this as an opportunity to talk about nutrition, how to achieve peak performance and the pitfalls of using stimulants. While Lauren’s experiment failed in terms of finding concrete results, it was a tremendous learning opportunity to be able to sit one-on-one with Estevam to learn about the effects of caffeine on the human body (from a true expert), why her experiment failed, what she could have done differently. Later, she learned that many students “faked” their experiments and spent far less time on the activity only to achieve the same grade. While her first reaction was anger and even outrage, she settled at peace, having gratitude that there were people willing to go so far to help her and satisfaction / pride in her hard work. She viewed this experience as
one of the best learning experiences of her 9th grade year Biology class.
Sarah: 5th grade is a rather difficult year at Sarah’s school. In an attempt to prepare students for the rigors of middle school, students are given a lot more responsibility, a lot more homework, and a lot more tough love. While all of this seems positive, it is a brutal process for a child that is an alternative learner. Sarah struggles with auditory learning and I have spent much of this year trying to “teach the teachers” how to “teach” my child. The focus keeps coming back to test scores and grades and defending their processes / grading policies and preparing for the standardized tests.
While I understand the importance of that, I am saddened that we seem to have lost touch that there is a little girl who WANTS to succeed and we, as the adults, need to find a way to help her feel confident and successful while promoting the joy that learning can bring.
The ATA Learning Environment: I know I don’t fully understand what goes on behind the scenes to make ATA and ATA CP a success. I do know that it’s no coincidence that every coach and teacher seem to be in sync with my girls’ strengths and weaknesses, goals, success stories and setbacks. Just looking at any ATA player’s technical tennis game, I see evidence that our coaches are the best at teaching the game of tennis, but their reach goes far beyond the tennis court. This mindset and dedication is also true for the ATA CP classrooms. I can recall Mike’s comment after a meeting with you that there is such a sense of peace when your children are being taught by people who love and look out for them as human beings. Some examples:
* Kendall probably knows Meghan better than Meghan knows herself.
Some of the sweetest things I remember are: cleaning out Meghan’s tennis bag and finding a note from Kendall telling her she believed in her, seeing a text message to Meg on her first day of middle school, calling on Kendall to help Meg navigate the “girl drama and politics.” There are so many examples of this.
* Kendall has helped Sarah from thinking she was “hopeless” at tennis to now identifying herself as a tennis player and pouring her whole heart into her competitive matches and improving her game.
* Doug sends Meghan texts asking if she’d praised God and done her mental training for the day as well as sending me a request to pray for Meghan’s confidence in competition.
* The ATA CP teachers putting fun and value into learning. Meghan has had science class in her bathing suit at the creek, history class at the Alamo, pottery classes across central Texas, career day at SeaWorld, philosophy discussions at Panera Bread, and the list goes on and on.
How We’ve Grown As Parents: Sitting in David Benzel’s presentation, I recalled in the not-so-distant past when my parental actions included a fair share of helicopter mom and tiger mom behaviors. Gradually, I have shifted based on a myriad of situations and influences (ATA being a strong one). Meghan came home and told me that her Psychology Class would be reading Jim Loehr’s book, The Only Way to Win. Having read some his prior books, I started reading this one. Not surprisingly, it is full of valuable guidance on how to win at the game of life. He states that sports is like a laboratory of life and doing something for only extrinsic rewards leads to emptiness. He argues our joy doesn’t always come with the end result that defines us but it is what we become as a result of the chase. The life lessons my children are learning in their chase are invaluable, and many times immeasurable. I try to remember this when I’m sitting in the meetings I referenced above. It’s about the journey, not the numbers. I would be lying if I didn’t admit that low grades, poor tournament results, and lower than expected report cards didn’t still worry me. They still do, maybe more than they should. However, as I look at USTA rankings, GPA’s, class rankings, test grades and the like, my children’s success can be measured in far greater terms than the “numbers.”
You live that, you’ve helped me to embrace that, and I will always be grateful for how you’re helping shape our girls.
Thank you, Rachel
Saturday night marked the end of one journey and the beginning of another for Jonah, Morgan, Justin and AJ as we celebrated the Class of 2013.
Keynote Speaker, John Ondrasik (FiveforFighting), sings “100 Years”.
