Yellow Parachute Blog
Yellow Parachute’s Blog Mission
Our blog mission is to share the research and resources that inform our unique approach to coaching Executive Function Skills, to advocate for neurodiversity, and to uplift students, parents, educators, and leaders.
And We’re Off!
On Tuesday, we had an amazing first day at Yellow Parachute Academy. What started last year as a unique new option for middle school students, Yellow Parachute Academy has grown to accommodate learners in grades K - 12 [...]
Flat is the New Fabulous… Except Here.
We’re living in a strange, new world when it comes to what back-to-school looks this fall. Masks. Social distancing. Hybrid model. Distance learning. COVID. These are all terms that weren’t part of my vocabulary, much less my daily [...]
What’s in a Logo?
There is so much that goes into designing a logo. This week I want to share with you, in my own words, some details about the Yellow Parachute Learning Partners logo you may have not noticed before. First [...]
What’s a Coach?
At Yellow Parachute Learning Partners, the role of tutor has always been referred to as a “Learning Coach.” This has been the case for over 20 years. We’ve been using the term “Coach” since waaayyyy before it was [...]
Pivoting with a Plan
I live in Chaska, my kids have attended Eastern Carver County School District 112, and my husband teaches art in the District. Thank you teachers and administrators for all you do! Today we learned the District’s plan for [...]
Getting Your Child’s Brain Ready for Learning
This week’s guest blogger is Dr. Pete Brettingen, from Lake Life Chiropractic. It’s that time of year when parents start thinking about back-to-school shopping and fall schedules. While many of us are either waiting to hear from the [...]
Now We Know
Today’s announcement from the Minnesota Department of Education provided some long-anticipated detail on what school will look like this fall. Even after the announcement, I know we’re all likely in varying degrees of continued anxiety about what the [...]
The One Thing
Last week I talked about pulling back the arrow to move forward, and how moving backwards in our journey is exactly what we need to move forward. What can we be doing in the time when we’re pulling [...]
Pulling Back the Arrow to Move Forward
We all remember the unit on archery from our elementary school gym classes and the steps involved in learning the sport. One of the most important steps is the “draw,” the act of pulling back the arrow, before [...]
Bernie’s Blog – Part 2
Once again this week high school student and Yellow Parachute Learning Partners client Bernie Whitely is serving as our guest blogger. Here is part 2 of her blog: Having been diagnosed with dyslexia at a young age, I [...]
Bernie’s Blog – Part 1
This week’s guest blogger is Bernie Whitely, a tremendously inspiring high school student who has worked with Yellow Parachute Learning Partners for a few years. Here is part 1 of her guest blog: My name is Bernie. I’m [...]
Mixing it up
Summer is a great time to reboot routines, including meal planning and prep. On Wednesday, July 8 at 10:30 a.m. I’ve invited nutrition coach Jennifer Duchscherer to present to Yellow Parachute Learning Partners families and Learning Coaches on [...]
What is Yellow Parachute Academy?
For the past few weeks I’ve been hearing from a lot of my parent-friends who have concerns about what school will look like in the fall. In this blog, I’ve been working to address those concerns by talking [...]
School’s out… Time to think about next year!
SCHOOL’S OUT FOR SUMMER!!! (cue Alice Cooper’s 70’s Classic Rock song)... In the past week I’ve wrapped up the 2019-2020 school year at Yellow Parachute Academy, and we’ve had our end of the year celebration. I’m exhausted and [...]
Talking to Your Kids About Race
This past week has been incredibly tough. The video of George Floyd's senseless murder made me angry and nauseous. I needed time to process the footage I was seeing, and I recognize that even the opportunity to take [...]
Exploring Your Options
These are strange times. The sudden conversion from a school environment to distance learning has thrown families a HUGE curveball, and it's something we all are continuing to deal with. On the other hand, things have remained relatively [...]
Survey Says…
Last month we conducted an informal poll on the Yellow Parachute Learning Partners Facebook page where we asked parents what was the bigger struggle of distance learning: work completion or juggling multiple schedules. Of the 88 votes we [...]
Jump In Coaching
"We are not winning at distance learning today. The youngest is already back in bed. He was so crabby he refused to do his school work... even with help from us!" This is a text one of my [...]