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YEA FLICKER, M.A.

University of California Eases Admissions Requirements

4/1/2020

For high school seniors and their parents, there have been a lot of questions and concerns about how colleges will respond to some classes moving to "Pass/Fail" and if/how a downshift in academic content this semester will impact college admissions.

The University of California has just released updates about their admissions process that will address many of your questions and hopefully put you at ease.

Students Enrolling in Fall 2020

"The University has temporarily suspended some of its requirements for admitted students to ensure that they are able to enroll as planned. It also expects to work with students to adjust financial aid packages if family financial circumstances have changed.

UC has temporarily suspended the letter grade requirement for A-G courses completed in spring 2020 for all students, including UC’s most recently admitted freshmen. A-G courses completed in spring 2020 with Pass (P) or Credit (CR) grades will satisfy appropriate A-G requirements."

Students Applying for Fall 2021

"The University recognizes the challenges that students are facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic and, in response, UC is suspending the standardized test requirement for students applying for fall 2021 freshman admission.

Students applying for fall 2021 are not precluded from taking standardized tests (SAT or ACT) and sending scores if they are able. Doing so can support their statewide UC eligibility, application for certain scholarships, and help them fulfill some University graduation requirements. Campuses will adjust their internal processes accordingly to ensure that no student is harmed in admissions selection should they not submit a test score. This modification to the test requirement is not intended as an admissions policy shift but is rather a temporary accommodation driven by the current extraordinary circumstances."

Read more on the UC website.

California classrooms will not reopen this school year due to coronavirus, superintendent says

4/1/2020

Juliette Schoenberger, (11), a 6th grader at Montclair Middle School does school work while she and her family self isolate during the shelter-in-place order on March 20,2020 in Oakland, Calif.
Photo: Kate Munsch, Special to The Chronicle

Yesterday, the SF Chronicle reported that California students will not return to classrooms this school year due to the coronavirus. Superintendent of Instruction Tony Thurmond said “Due to the current safety concerns and needs for ongoing social distancing it currently appears that our students will not be able to return to school campuses before the end of the school year,” Thurmond said. “This is in no way to suggest that school is over for the year, but rather we should put all efforts into strengthening our delivery of education through distance learning.”

You can read the full article here.

UPDATES from the College Board and the ACT

3/31/2020

I just heard from the College Board about test cancellations and rescheduling, and I'd like to share their update with you, as well as a link to resources from the ACT including a free practice test and information for parents and students.

College Board Update

Dear Colleagues,

We hope this finds you and yours well. Let me begin by saying how deeply everyone at the College Board appreciates the vital role school counselors, teachers, AP coordinators, principals, and superintendents have played in the past few weeks providing guidance and comfort to students and their families, even as you deal with the stresses on you and your own families. We wish you the best during this immensely challenging time.

In the face of the significant disruptions caused by the coronavirus, the College Board has been seeking and listening to your input on how we might best support you and your students now and in the coming months.

You have been clear: The College Board needs to act to reassure students, counselors, high schools, and higher education that we're committed to providing support, flexibility, and solutions during this crisis.

Because students overwhelmingly told us they want to take their AP Exams, we're providing online learning and AP Exams available at home for all students this spring. We're so grateful to the community of extraordinary teachers who stepped up to teach live classes on YouTube, as well as all the AP educators helping students continue with their study.

We're working to ensure students have the supports they need, including approved accommodations, that low-income students have access to devices and connectivity to participate remotely from home, and that students receive the AP credit they've earned through these exams. Finally, the security of the AP Exams is a top priority. The exam questions are designed and administered in ways that prevent cheating, and we use a range of digital security tools and techniques, including plagiarism detection software, to protect the integrity of the exams.

We know that students are anxious about how the coronavirus crisis will affect the college application process, including taking the SAT. We're committed to being flexible and innovative to give all students opportunities to test as soon as the situation allows. We'll share more details as soon as possible, but today we can tell you the following:

•Currently, the next SAT is scheduled for the first weekend of June. We'll make a decision about whether we can safely hold that administration as soon as it is feasible, given the evolving public health situation.

•We'll add U.S. and international test administrations in response to canceled administrations. We'll be flexible in making the SAT available in school and out of school as soon as the public health situation allows. We're looking at a range of creative solutions to address increased demand and are in direct conversations with states and districts about School Day administrations. Throughout, we'll continue to place a special focus on students with fee waivers and those with accommodations.

•Students can stay sharp and get personalized practice support online for free with Khan Academy.

•If, unfortunately, schools cannot reopen this fall, we're pursuing innovative means to ensure all students can still take the SAT this fall. We'll provide updates about those plans if they become necessary.

Counselors are working especially hard to help students navigate the changing environment, and we're deeply grateful for their commitment to students. To support their work, we're introducing a spring counselor webinar series highlighting updates and resources for the SAT and AP to help counselors navigate and guide students through the college admissions pathway. We'll also help with the increasing need for tools and resources for college affordability.

We're working closely with our members in higher education to minimize the disruption of SAT administration cancellations this spring and to encourage flexibility in the college admissions process whenever possible. We're heartened by those institutions that have already made clear, calming statements that emphasize flexibility in admissions at this time—encouraging students to submit as much information as they can, and reassuring applicants that they will not be disadvantaged should they have to submit Pass/Fail grades for the spring, have incomplete extracurricular profiles, or miss a testing deadline.

Thank you again for all you have done to help your students during this unprecedented time. We look forward to working with you in the months ahead.

Sincerely,

David Coleman
CEO, The College Board

ACT Resources

FREE WEBINAR: Sunday, 3/29 at 3:30 pm PST

3/27/2020

Parenting in a Pandemic:
How to Navigate the New Normal

We are hosting a free webinar for parents this Sunday, March 29th at 3:30pm PST: "Parenting in a Pandemic: How to Navigate the New Normal." The webinar will be led by Jai Flicker, Founder of LifeWorks, and Dr. Jeremy Jensen, child and adolescent psychologist. Jai and Jeremy will provide you with insights and strategies to best support you and your children, and then we will have a live Q & A.

We look forward to connecting with you on Sunday!

Zoom Webinar Link: https://zoom.us/j/330825738

Best Practices for "Zooming"

3/14/2020

Now that we're all about to be "Zooming," or teleconferencing via other video chat platforms more than ever before, here are some best practices for running a smooth meeting and putting your best face forward.

Check Your Frame

Do you have dirty laundry strewn across your bed and is it in your screen? Are you sitting at your desk with your open closet door in your screen and the hot mess that lies therein visible to everyone on your video? Check your frame to make sure that you are showing only what you want to show and what is going to represent you well.

Weak WiFi? Don't Use Video.

If you are using video and the audio quality is poor (e.g. the sound is stuttered), turn off the video and the sound usually improves. If it does not, you might have to switch your meeting to audio only.

To Mute or Not to Mute?

Should you keep Zoom on mute while hosting a group? That depends on how many people you are hosting and the tendencies of the people who are on the call. If Joe is running a fan in the background, everything might hear that seemingly small noise as if it's a jet engine. If Jane is constantly sneezing or coughing, that may interrupt the flow of the call.

The Zoom host has ability to mute you from the Zoom session. In the lower left-hand corner of the screen is a microphone; if it has a line through it, you're muted. You just click on the mike and you are not muted. Many PCs (and mobile devices) also let you mute yourself. Just double-check when Zoom comes up so you're aware. If you keep Zoom on mute, it means that should you need to remember to unmute yourself before you speak.

Exit out of Apps with Notifications

If you or your meeting participants leave your messenger or other chat app on and open when you are videoconferencing, your time will be interrupted by a bunch of "dings." Exit out of messenger and chat apps before starting or joining a meeting. If you’re on a Mac “do not disturb” mode can silence notifications.

Note Your Speaking Volume

Speaking volume is important. If you are not using a headset or other listening device, what we've found to be the right level of volume is to imagine the person you are talking to as far away from you if you have your arms out and they do as well. The need to project as you might do in front of a classroom isn't necessary on Zoom (or any teleconferencing system). Most folks using headsets modulate the volume automatically as they hear their voice from the headset, and adjust.

Regarding headsets: AirPods are OK but It’s best to use a headset with a microphone, such as a small boom or built in mic near the mouth. Corded headsets that can flop around are not as ideal, as other people will hear it crinkle and scratch against your clothes every time you move.

Give Instructions to Novice Zoomers

Notify your attendees ahead of time that they'll be prompted to download Zoom the first time they click through a Zoom invite link. Give instructions clearly and slowly. Be explicit about what people should be doing with the technology, and let them know what should happen, and what they should see on their screens.

Let Attendees Know How to Ask Questions

The host or presenter can use “Gallery view” to see everyone and call on participants with physical hand raises if desired. If you prefer that people ask questions over the chat function, let your attendees know.

Break Out into Breakout Rooms

Break out rooms are great for when you have a group of people but then need smaller conversations, such as group projects and 1-on-1 meetings that need to be separate from the larger group. Breakout rooms have several set up options that can make things easier for participants, e.g., automatically sending participants to specific rooms so that they don’t have to click around looking for where to go.

Beware What You Share

If you're sharing your screen, please note that you have the option to share just one application or your entire screen with each and every tab (and every associated pop up that may come with it). Only share what you intend to share, and downsize or click out of screens that are not relevant to your meeting.

Dress to Impress (Or Not, But Wear Something)

This seems obvious, but many people have reported to me that this has been an issue in their video conferencing. You don't have to wear a suit and tie, but at a minimum it's good to wear a clean shirt without stains or holes (even if you're wearing sweats or leggings on the bottom). And again, check your frame to see what portion of your body is showing and that those portions are covered if necessary for your clients and students.

Have Compassion and Flexibility

School closures and social isolation mode means that many of us will have children at home with us while we're trying to teach, work, and connect online. Have grace and compassion if your colleague's child suddenly appears in the screen to ask mommy for a snack, or if there's a kid meltdown happening that requires a two-minute pause in the meeting. Remember that everyone is adjusting to a new normal, and we are all doing the best we can. Let's continue to take care of ourselves and each other!

Five Tips for Staying Sane During Social Distancing & Virtual School/Work

3/14/2020

By Yea Flicker, MA

As we move deeper into social distancing in order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, we are entering a phase of transition from in-person classes, meetings, and collaboration into the world of remote education and work. Here are my tips for staying healthy, balanced, and sane as we adjust to these changes.

1. Process your emotions and reach out to friends.

Right now many parents are concerned about how they will help their kids with their schoolwork while trying to work remotely; students are confused and worried about how their virtual or remote schooling will work; and the rapidly changing news updates are causing people to feel a sense of panic or anxiety. There are big and small things coming up for people right now, and it's okay to take a minute to acknowledge what you are thinking and feeling. Checking in with family members, having phone calls to process with your friends, journaling, and blogging are all good ways to release and process your emotions.

2. A new routine = new habits & new ways to use your space.

Remote learning and working means that for many of us, the hours of our day spent commuting to work and school are now going to be spent at home in our jammies. Take advantage of the opportunity to create some new habits with your new schedule. For example, if you haven't had time to exercise in the morning because of an early commute, now you might be able to go for a run before getting online. For students who have always had grab-and-go breakfasts in the rush out the door, now is a great time for them to take a turn cooking something hearty for themselves (and maybe for their parents and siblings too!)

Now is also a great time for students to clear off their desks or create a corner at the dining room table that will provide them with a comfortable space where they can settle into the new routine of virtual school. Students can print their new class schedules and tape them the wall so that they can have an at-a-glance source of information for courses without having to constantly check online.

3. Take "Brain Breaks" and "Bio Breaks."

There are two types of breaks that are important: "brain breaks" and "bio breaks." Brain breaks are moments when you give yourself some down time to decompress and rest before engaging in material that is going to require your attention and focus. A brain break from class or work might include some screen-free time, virtually checking in with friends, or playing with your pets for a few minutes. "Bio breaks" are the moments when you refuel and reset your body so that you can re-engage with what you are doing in an optimal condition. You can't focus if you're hungry or thirsty, or if you need to pee. Grab some water, make a snack, go for a brisk walk to get a bit of exercise, or try some free online exercise instruction from the comfort of your living room.

Students in virtual school mode may have 5-10 minutes in between classes. Encourage them to get up from the computer, stretch, step outside for a few minutes and have some screen-free down time before having to sit down and be in front of a computer for another hour+.

If you are working remotely and having teleconferences, take your earbuds out, clamshell your computer, turn your phone over and turn your attention to something else for a few minutes in between taking calls and sending emails.

4. Host virtual lunch tables and "water cooler" chats.

Students can get a two-fer with a brain and bio break by hosting a virtual lunch table through Google Hangouts. This is a great way for to connect with their friends mid-way through the virtual school day.

Work colleagues can do the same thing by bringing their water cooler chats, lunches, and coffee meetups online so that you can still benefit from the casual but meaningful social interactions that happen in faculty rooms, across lunch tables, and in coffee shops.

5. Self-care through new skill acquisition.

The time gained from having fewer outings and social gatherings means that you might have more spaciousness in your daily schedule. Have you been wanting to pick up a new skill? Now is a great time to finally learn how to play chess, knit or crochet, bake, cook, paint, sew, or take that guitar out of the closet. There are lots of resources online (many free) and more popping up every day with instructional videos, webinars, and virtual workshops. Learning a new skill may take some of the edge off the monotony of staying close to home.

Overall, I encourage folks to continue to connect with each other in any way you can at this time. It feels good to hear someone's voice over the phone or see a grandparent's face on a video chat. Remember, we are stronger together than we are alone. Take care of yourselves and each other!

Here is a link to my Virtual Teaching and Learning Resources page that I'll be updating frequently in order to provide parents and teachers with good resources for support.

Keeping Kids Safe

3/9/2020

Dear Parents,

In light of the current concerns about COVID-19, I thought I'd let you know all the steps I'm taking to help keep everyone healthy and safe in our sessions. By following a combination of CDC recommendations and common sense practices, I am committed to helping reduce the likelihood of community spread.

For my clients with sessions at one of the LifeWorks offices: we are using CDC and EPA-recommended anti-viral disinfectants to wipe down all surfaces, door-knobs, keyboards, mice, etc. before and throughout each session. For an extra layer of protection, we will also provide ample access to 99.99% anti-viral disinfectant wipes. Students are invited to disinfect mice and keyboards before each use (similar to how people wipe down grocery cart handles before going shopping).

In addition to these steps, we have also invested in multiple high quality anti-viral HEPA rated air filters. These filters remove 99.99% of bacteria and viruses from the air, which will, of course, help greatly reduce the spread of all germs going forward.

Finally, we (fortunately) have a generous supply of hand sanitizer at both offices and have placed bottles of 99.99% alcohol-based sanitizer throughout. Students are encouraged to both wash their hands and use hand sanitizer as often as they see fit.

For my clients with on-campus sessions at Bay Area schools: I will have hand sanitizer and anti-viral disinfectant wipes on hand during our sessions. If at some point schools close and move into virtual school mode, I will provide remote tutoring via a video conferencing platform. More details on this will be provided if necessary.

If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out. I hope that you and your families stay healthy.

Warmly,
Yea

When Hard Work Leads to Failure

6/6/2019

Source: Time Magazine, May 23, 2019

"When parents demand excellence in their kids while still promising them that effort is king, they tell them, wrongly, that they should be able to rise above any obstacle. But research has found that young people who push themselves onward in the face of unattainable goals experience physical and emotional stress...Researchers have found that adolescents with purpose report greater life satisfaction, have a strong sense of identity and are more psychologically mature. Instead of allowing our kids to beat themselves up when things don’t go their way, we might all pause to question a culture that has taught them that being anything less than overwhelmed is lazy, that how they perform for others is more important than what actually inspires them and that where they go to college matters more than the kind of person they are."
TIME Magazine article by Rachel Simmons, May 2019

Several years ago I held a workshop for students in advance of final exams titled "Don't Fail Your Finals! Strategies for Final Exam Success." A fellow educator chastised me for using the dirty "F" word -- FAILURE -- and said that it's not a word that I should use around students because it would bring on negativity and fear. I thought that it was a well-intentioned but illogical warning, and contemporary research on embracing failure proves my point.

The well-intentioned actions of shielding students from the idea of failure and "snowplow parenting" has led to a decline in resiliency and an increase in anxiety in children and teens. As we grind through these final days and weeks of the school year, filled with projects, presentations, and final exams -- and often a fair amount of sleep deprivation and overwhelm among our students -- let's remember to keep our students and children in the stretch zone of their capabilities without pushing them into the panic zone of perfectionism. Not all effort is going to lead to an A, and not doing as well as well as you wanted on an exam or a paper isn't the end of the world -- it's an opportunity for reflection and growth.

The Real College Scam

4/15/2019

The beliefs about college that drive parents to do insane, and sometimes illegal, things for their teens are based on a fundamental misunderstanding of what young adults really need to thrive in today’s world.

By Yea Flicker, MA and Jai Flicker

In the aftermath of the college admissions scandal, involving millions of dollars of bribes, doctored sports photos, fraudulent test takers, and instructions for kids to “act stupid” in order to qualify for extra time on college entrance exams, reactions from educators, institutions, and parents across the nation have ranged from stunned and appalled to not surprised at all. The brazenness required to execute the scope of this fraud is sobering. However, as many have pointed out, this kind of fraud is exactly what one should expect from an unfair college admissions system taken to its logical conclusion.

As guilty pleas are entered, and the lives of families and young adults are forever altered, we began pondering why such wealthy, privileged, and powerful people would risk so much for their children to be admitted into certain colleges. After talking at length to fellow educators, administrators, parents and students, and after reflecting on what we’ve witnessed in our own work as educators over the past twenty years, we arrived at the following conclusion: underlying all of the extreme, unethical, and illegal actions taken by these parents is the mistaken belief that where kids go to college will single-handedly determine their children’s future success and happiness. This belief clouds the minds of parents, and it is paralyzing for teens.

Is an elite college credential our children’s golden ticket to a life of success and happiness? Empirically, the answer is no. According to a study conducted in 1999, and a larger follow-up study in 2011, for most students there is no long-term payoff to having a degree from an elite institution compared to a degree from a less selective school.

Developmentally, the answer is no. College credentials do not automatically translate into personal competencies. What does create competent, confident, and healthy young adults are strong relationships (connectedness), autonomy (fostering independence without helicoptering), and the acquisition of knowledge and life skills. Children are best positioned to gain the latter through hard work, struggles, and sometimes, failure, within the context of loving and supportive parents, teachers, and mentors who provide a safety net for these experiences. Yes, we said failure -- an undervalued tool that builds resilience and personal growth in young adults.

The debilitating anxiety that so many high school students wrestle with each day comes not simply from heavy homework loads or time-consuming extracurricular activities. The real problem is that so many teens feel as though their whole lives hang in the balance, as if every test and every grade is going to have life-altering consequences. This is too much for any child to bear.

In order to counter our students’ rising anxieties and fears, we’ve been telling them something that many parents and educators would never dare say: going to a “good” college isn’t as important as you think. We’ve worked with students who graduated from some of the most elite schools in the country who are now struggling in various facets of their lives. We’ve also had students who have gone to “just okay” colleges who have ended up being incredibly successful and extremely fulfilled in life. Going to college is important. Getting into a “good” college on your own merits is wonderful. However, the key to leading a happy, fulfilled, successful life as an adult in no way depends upon going to a particular school.

One of the consequences of the mistaken belief that “getting into a good college is everything” is that it leads people to focus so narrowly on getting kids into college than they forget to actually prepare them for college. Adolescence includes one of the most active phases of brain development of our entire lives, second only to the first three years of life. So much of what we teach kids during this phase of heightened neuroplasticity ends up shaping their brains for life. There is something consequential about adolescence: not only is it the last time many young people will live at home, making it feel like a parent’s last chance to influence their child, but it also is rich with opportunity to foster character development and encourage intellectual exploration because the adolescent brain is so primed to learn.

Parents think that what their teens need to thrive in today’s world is a credential from an elite college. Teens don’t need credentials, they need competencies gained from their own experiences and efforts. They need confidence built from successes that are hard earned through persistence, mistakes, and failures. Teens need relationships with adults who will shepherd them through the trials and tribulations of adolescence and see them as more than a melange of grades, standardized test scores, and college essay worthy extracurricular activities. Teens need us to see their potential and give them the dignity and respect to actualize it on their own accord.

Yea and Jai have a combined 40 years of experience as educators. Yea is an educational consultant, academic coach, and a high school educator in San Francisco, CA. Jai is the founder of LifeWorks Learning Center in Marin, CA.