The past year has presented unprecedented challenges to parents, children, students, teachers and families. Virtually all of us have had to adjust, literally overnight, to working from home. Teachers and students were thrust into navigating untested (often unreliable) online systems. “Staying home” and “staying focused” have become—for many of us—an oxymoron. Even the most accomplished and motivated students have reached a point of exhaustion.
Success in this new educational paradigm requires our kids to call upon their executive functioning skills, now more than ever—to stay organized, adapt quickly to online/virtual learning, and self-manage. That’s where Illuminos Academic Coaching & Tutoring comes in. This local, noteworthy academic coaching company was founded in the DC Metro Area in 2016 by cousins Evan & Wendy Weinberger, expanding Evan’s successful sister company from Houston, Texas.
Evan explains that he built the curriculum that he needed himself:
“I was lucky enough to grow up with a live-in shrink—my father was a well-known clinical psychologist,” he says. “That certainly helped, but there wasn’t a turn-key solution in the 1980s to help young, smart, struggling kids like me with executive function challenges succeed in school.”
Starting in 2006, Evan developed a unique, effective approach to supporting students that has garnered a lot of attention, accolades and followers—including heads of school, teachers, counselors, learning specialists, parents, students and clinical practitioners. Wendy explained, “Illuminos goes well beyond tutoring. While help in core subjects and standardized test prep is available, the company’s primary objective is to teach students the foundational executive functioning skills critical to navigating their own academic challenges independently.”
Wendy continued, “We don’t just teach students what to learn—we focus on teaching them how to learn.” It’s reminiscent of President Ronald Reagan’s life lesson: “You can give a family a fish and feed them for a day, or teach them how to fish, and feed them for a lifetime.”
According to the Weinberger duo, Illuminos is not focused on a sprint to learn a subject; it’s a well-designed tool to navigate a learning marathon. These successful cousins note that really getting to know their students and families helps them connect students with their perfect Illuminos coach.
Illuminos coaches patiently, positively cultivate in their students the skills to “learn how to learn”—how to organize, plan and prioritize tasks, set goals, take essential notes and study effectively. Illuminos coaches are carefully vetted, experienced and certified in the company’s proprietary and research-driven executive function curriculum. Coaches teach students learning strategies, problem-solving, clear communication, managing impressions and self-advocating.
Instead of simply memorizing or repeating lessons, Illuminos students are equipped with the systems and habits that are nurtured into a routine. Students are taught tools to manage workload and time, sustain focus and effectively cope with stress to achieve success.
“Students only spend a fraction of their academic pursuits in the classroom, particularly over the last year,” says Evan. “Most of their ‘mistakes’ occur outside of the classroom: on their way to and from school or extracurricular activities—they lose a homework assignment, find it difficult to focus at home, are tired and overwhelmed, can’t figure out how to start a night of demanding homework assignments, or are just paralyzed by a fear of failure.”
It helps that Illuminos Academic Coaching & Tutoring is local, too. Wendy points out that they have relationships with DC, Virginia and Maryland-based teachers, counselors, clinical and medical professionals, learning specialists and case managers. The roots of this company, its science-based curriculum, its knack for finding talented, caring coaches and sincere focus on the needs of students, have all helped this Texas-to-DC company thrive, even during this challenging time. Illuminos has catapulted into one of the best academic coaching, tutoring and support service companies in the DC Metro area.
Find out more by visiting their website or follow Illuminos on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn. To learn more about how Illuminos can help your child, click here to Schedule Your FREE Consultation.