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THE DEEPEST WORK COMES WITH FOCUS
In This Issue:
The Transformative Power of Deep Work
Study Tip: Building Focus One Step At A Time
Coach of the Month: Sonia Sanchez
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Academic Success Partner 
of the Month
This month we revisit with one of our favorite Success Partners, Pattie Earlix, Educational Therapist and School Placement Consultant. Pattie works with students, teachers, school administrations and parents to provide strategies that help students make informed, thoughtful choices based on their individual academic, social and family needs. As an Educational Therapist, Pattie addresses challenges related to written language, reading, math and organizational-executive functioning skills, among others. As a School Placement Consultant, Pattie begins with an understanding of how her client learns. She knows that an appropriate match of a school's teaching profile with a student's learning profile greatly increases the probability of future academic and personal success. Pattie has been in private practice for over fifteen years and has devoted her life to helping students and parents make transformational changes in the quality of their lives. To learn more, contact Pattie via email
or call at 310-488-7888.
Looking For A Student 
Community Service Opportunity?
Meet Rickey Smith, social entrepreneur and owner of the sustainable food business Urban Green. He's started a community education venture called the Urban Green Kids Row program, creating opportunities for kids from diverse backgrounds to participate in many activities related to food sustainability, from planting seeds  to learning about how organic food is grown and harvested. For more info on a terrific
community service and volunteering opportunity for kids, email Rickey, 

or call (800) 200 3320.

Check out Our  YouTube Video!
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Academic Success is very proud of the two-minute video we recently produced to give you a feel for who we are, our philosophy and the way we approach our work
How Academic Success Can Support You
At Academic Success we take great pride in finding the right coach to support the unique needs of each student we help.  Please check out the areas where we work on our  web site and let us know how we can support you.

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Looking for a College Counselor or Ed Therapist?
We work and partner with excellent Educational Therapists and College Counselors throughout the L.A. area.  Give us a call and we can recommend the right fit for your child.

310-823-4398
Welcome To Our June Edition!

We are back after a month off in May! In our last edition before the break, we explored the topic of how to educate our millennials and the challenges associated with reaching students raised in the digital age. 
With summer and its attendant leisure time approaching, we thought it was the right time to publish a follow-up edition that explores a topic absolutely crucial for this generation of students: the ability to focus.
Earlier this year, Georgetown professor and acclaimed author Cal Newport published what many believe to be his most important book, Deep Work, Rules For Focused Success in a Distracted World.
The book makes the case that great pieces of work in any domain have one element in common at their core: sustained, intense focus on the part of the worker. 
With millennials' attention spans shortening by the minute, there's never been a greater imperative to begin training our kids to improve their ability to focus. 
This month, we'll dig into the tenets of Newport's work. We'll also offer advice on how to build focus and increase output. Finally, we'll explore the extent of the attention-span crisis and offer insights from experts that have the power to transform our kids' work flow.
 
At Academic Success, we believe that the unique challenges facing this generation of students are the harbingers of amazing opportunities for personal and academic growth. 

Please call with any questions at (310) 823 4398 or

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All the best,

The Academic Success Team

"Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus."

-  Alexander Graham Bell

Education News 

The Transformative Power 
of Deep Work
  
Although his book has fantastic applications for students of all ages, Deep Work has also had an enormous impact on the corporate world, where ideas and productive output are essential. This glowing review (plus tips) from Entrepreneur magazine could have you rushing to your nearest book seller. 
Attention Spans All But Disappearing
 
Most of us have long suspected that our millennials' attention spans are short- but nothing could prepare us for the results of recent studies: The average person now has a shorter attention span than a goldfish! If you think that's an exaggeration, this Time Magazine article has a surprise in store. 
  
Deep Work 
Can Begin With 'Flow Hacks'

What is a flow, study or life 'hack'? Simply put, it's a shortcut to a more efficient and effective way of doing. This stimulating piece, written by the host of a popular creativity podcast, offers his experience of using hacks as a means of opening the door to greater focus and deeper work. 

Training Ourselves 
For Hard Focus  
In addition to writing books that regularly land on the
New York Times bestseller list, Cal Newport also writes a blog for students, entitled Study Hacks. This typically insightful piece, written before the release of Deep Work, explores what Newport calls Hard Focus: the ability to continue working even as the pull toward distractions grows. 

Focus 
The Key To Long-Term Success

While parents often obsess over their children's IQ, recent studies out of New Zealand have hit upon the prime element that powers successful people: the ability to concentrate. Digital technology may be here to stay, but those who can resist its distractions and build their concentration will be the ones to finish up ahead in the long run. 

Study Tips 

Building Focus One Step At A Time

If you aren't used to the rigors of doing deep work, it is crucial to adopt an incremental approach to strengthening your stamina for concentration.
Step 1: Begin with small time periods. Commit to focusing on a task for twenty-five minutes with absolutely no distractions. Add five minutes a day for a week and by the end, you'll be doing deep work for one hour. 
Step 2: Explain things out loud. This is an excellent way to steer your mind back to the subject at hand. It also increases comprehensive skill and reinforces memory.
Step 3: Tolerate boredom. This is one of the secrets of success among the vast majority of high-level performers. Resist the urge to check your phone the minute your mind seeks stimulation. 
Step 4: Create A Ritual. One of the best ways to keep up your deep work practice. Closing the door, turning off your phone, gently opening a drawer and putting the phone inside can be a wonderful way of switching your mind on to deep work.
Students who are prepared to stick with the practice of building their mental stamina not only get higher grades; they also experience the satisfaction of doing quality work and enjoying the feeling of absolute commitment to their task. The best part is that this practice sets you up for the rest of your working life. 

Coach Profile 

 
Meet
Sonia Sanchez,
  Coach Profile of The Month   

This month we're catching up with one of the established core of our coaching team, Sonia Sanchez.
As with any high-level professional, Sonia is always evolving and refining her process. With that in mind, we asked her a few questions about how her process has changed.
How do you address students' lack of focus?
"Each student is different. Some students need a 2-minute dance party break mid-session to get out some excess energy. Others just need to switch subjects and go back after they've done something different for a bit. Some students need to have a snack before the session starts so that they're ready to go. We work with the individual student to find the best ways to help them focus."
How do you feel your tutoring has evolved over the past few years?
"In the past few years my tutoring has evolved most noticeably through the types of material I teach. Along with test preparation and coaching students with their school subjects, I'm also working more with students on their motivation to do well, their focus, and their goals when it comes to academics."
What are you enjoying most about your tutoring right now?
"The variety of students I'm working with right now. Every student is unique and has a unique take on learning. Since each student does have different needs when it comes to learning, I've been able to find ways of explaining concepts that make it understandable and interesting. I learn something new every day from my students and I'm able to pay it forward!"
 :   
We consider it a privilege and an honor to support students and their families throughout the Los Angeles area.  Please call us at any time; we welcome your thoughts and input.  We are available at 310-823-4398.

Sincerely,
 
Jamie Altshule
Academic Success, Inc.