As a response to school stress, students are often dissected, labeled, and urged to "remedy the problem" of their underachievement and perform up to potential. But Sandra believes that young people are fun, not flawed, and that teens are incredibly creative and capable. Frequently, it is society's approach to education that is broken--and sometimes kids just need a little help to navigate and negotiate through a tough situation.  “Emotions are the on/off switch to learning.” writes Priscilla Vail, author of Smart Kids with School Problems, so often the first part of the process is to help students (and their families) reinvest in what is working well right now--and then build on what can happen next.

This shift at school often starts through making positive changes on the inside, by developing stronger self-esteem through learned optimism, and by making different choices on the outside with personal planning, study habits, nutrition, organization, rest, and healthy relationships.

In each session, we increase academic confidence by identifying what is working--not what is weak. Instead of emphasizing external achievement, we focus on the inner joy of learning. Corner Kids are coached how to consistently prepare for class, develop new tools for thinking, engage in the journey of discovery, and create innovative approaches to problem-solving. As a result, independent, optimistic individuals emerge in the place of formerly stressed students who were anxiety-ridden about their ability to jump through the next intellectual “hoop” or struggling to find their voice in the crowd...