Deb Chisholm, Director of Vital Education

The process of learning has fascinated educators, parents, psychologists and others for the last century. Much has been discovered and theorized during that time, and we are in an exciting time of unprecedented possibilities in the field of education and learning.

It was a short 2 decades ago when the Internet came alive, and from there the changes have been exponential in terms of development in technology. We have Google, social networking, smartphones, iPods, iPads, Kindles, etc. And, our children are growing up in the midst of this technology explosion.

This past fall Common Sense Media conducted a research study to gather data about media use by children ages 0-8. Ultimately, they recognized the need for a more accurate understanding of the role of media in children's lives.

Knowing the data is not enough - we then must ask ourselves the challenging questions that will in turn inform our decisions about our children's media use. Given what we know about child development, how might technology best be integrated into our children's lives?

Read the full article here...

Join us this year to make education thrive in your community!  

Interested in how to make the future of education thrive?  Join the conversation on Facebook.

Freshening up after cluttered holiday eating

Marie Frohlich on WCAX's The :30

Your Blueprint For Personal and Financial Transitions

by Connie Livingston  

The following is excerpted from Connie's upcoming book by the same title.

Lea Belair, Director of Vital Business

Here at the Vital Business Division of the Coaching Center of Vermont we're looking forward to entering a new year and a new cycle of business with our corporate customers. Many of you may have heard of the Mayan Calendar predictions for 2012 - or perhaps even seen the movie 2012. But wait...Before you start stockpiling office supplies for the apocalypse, it's worth noting that theoretical physicist Dr. Michio Kaku describes 2012 as the beginning of a "new cycle" - not the end of the world! On that note, we're starting out our new cycle by rededicating ourselves to making what you do best better - for your new cycle...2012 and beyond.

In our 2012 kickoff news

We 're delighted to be collaborating with the Vermont Electric Power Company, VELCO, to help them continue to build a strong leadership team using coaching skills and our proprietary A to B leadership model to navigate the challenges of growth and change. It's a good match of customer needs and resources since VELCO is the country's fastest growing transmission company.

We successfully unveiled our new Coaching for Great Work training
as the kickoff to inspire their leadership team to forward their mission as an organization committed to excellence for all stakeholders.

Click here to learn more...

Markey Read joins Board of Directors for VBSR 

Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR) announced the appointment of five new board members, including Coaching Center of Vermont member Markey Read. "The staff and current board of VBSR are pleased to welcome five talented and capable people to serve on the VBSR Board of Directors. These new leaders will help VBSR continue to be a vital and positive force for socially responsible business policy and practice in Vermont", said Andrea Cohen, Executive Director of VBSR. Read more about the Board appointments here.

And of course, the Coaching Center is a proud member of VBSR also!

Markey was also recently elected to the Association for Psychological Type International Board.  This is a 2-year position. Learn more about Markey here.

January 15th, 2012...Are Your Resolutions On Clearance Yet?

by Amy Magyar

Recently I walked into a major book retailer and was assaulted with reminders that it was January, which means resolution time, and secondly, that our January resolutions often "go on sale or clearance".  Books titled "Rid Yourself of Doubt, or Should You?", "Tremble Your Way to Fitness", or "Reorganizing Your Pockets" serve as great fuel for change and promise ways to become the person your dog thinks you are. As millions of Americans make decisions to "change" their behavior through resolutions, it should delight me as a Performance Coach that so many are willing to face a toleration, a behavior or thought pattern they would like to change. But what dampens my spirits are the resolutions that ultimately become unkept promises. These unkept resolutions then become the fuel for the thoughts like "I can't do anything right, I'll never change, etc..." and for me, that is the head trash that clutters up the mind.

Resolutions are put on "clearance" like a retailer puts products on clearance when they have gone past their shelf life or are unsuccessful. Often resolutions get kicked to the curb because they are "too hard" or because of a possible struggle with how to actually make the behavior change. Even resolutions fail because the change desired is too scary to make because of fear of the "unknown". Change, although inevitable, fights us every step of the way. So what can make a resolution "stick" instead of becoming something you throw away two weeks? 

Read the full article here....

Herbs, Food and February Fun Series with Marie Frohlich

6:30-8:00 PM -Mondays in February at Tulsi Tea House in Montpelier, VT 

Feb. 6th (For the Love of Fats!); Feb. 13th (Got the Sugar Blues?); 

Feb. 20th (Create Your Own First Aid Travel Kit!); Feb. 27th (How to Create an Anti-Inflammatory Diet).   

All workships are $20 and include sample recipes and handouts.  Sign up for all 4 workshops and receive a $10 discount.  Guarantee your spot by mailing $20 for the workshop you plan to attend, or $70 for the whole series before Jan. 31 to Marie Frohlich @ PO Box 364, Williamstown, VT. 

Midlife Transitions- Letting Go and Moving Forward: 

A workshop for women 40+

Marty provides the opportunity to find the courage, vision, and spirit to face challenging external changes by making internal shifts. In the company of other women, you will explore the three phases of transition: 1) letting go; 2) exploring the emptiness of not knowing; 3) creating new possibilities.

Cost is $99; click here to register.

Feb. 7th, Hunger Mountain Coop, 5:30-7 pm.  Building Your Immunity for Winter with Marie Frohlich, Health Coach.  $10 members/$12 non-members. Learn how to make an Immune building soup ("Immunestrone") with warming herbs and spices. Please pre-register by emailing info@hungermountain.com.    

Feb. 8th, Productivity Vermont presents Productive Communications, Shelburne Town Office Building, 8:00-9:30 am.  Open to the Public, $45 fee.  Email to register and for more information.