HOW Winik Educational Consulting HELPs Your Child Thrive

 
“I believe that a team approach works best for the student. The more we all talk about a student’s current needs, and what has worked and what hasn’t, the better the results for the student. ”
— Sylvia Winik

Winik Educational consulting (WEC) provides These vital services:

Creating an educational experience that will be the right fit for your child requires understanding of the many parts that come into play—learning assessments and the school environment, appropriate accommodations and advocacy, as well as behavioral, emotional, and psychological considerations. WEC has the understanding, and the knowledge, teaming up with other professionals as needed, to change your child's life. Specifically, WEC will, as needed:

  • Analyze your child’s strengths and weaknesses.

  • Analyze your child’s situation in the context of the school environment and help develop an educational plan with you and the school.

  • Help find tutors who would work well with your child.

  • Assess whether your child needs more or different help or accommodations in his/her current school; or whether (s)he might do better in another setting. If so, Ms. Winik will consider what kind of school would enable your child to increase his/her strengths while improving in weaker areas, all while helping your child to “fit in” and begin to experience the joy of learning.

  • Advise you on whether, when, and by whom to have your child tested, if appropriate.

  • Based on testing results and observations, Winik will work with testers, teachers, and parents to determine what your child needs and how to best meet those needs.

  • Advocate for your child with school administrators and teachers, as needed.

  • In the unlikely event that you and the school cannot agree on how to help your child and the controversy ends up in court, Winik’s legal degree and experience would come in very handy and allow her to work with counsel to make your case.

  • For children raised in abusive or other unhealthy environments before landing in your home, WEC is well-positioned to address your child’s unique needs.

    WEC will work with you and your child to ensure s/he thrives. Generally, these children have experienced trauma and abuse, frequently physical, psychological, or emotional. Many also have learning disabilities. Often they are in schools that have little or no idea how to teach them or how to treat them so they feel safe and successful. If Winik confirms that your child’s school is not meeting the needs of your child, and that the school is either unresponsive or unwilling to do what is needed, we will provide you with assessment, research, counsel, and placement assistance to find a school that IS the “right fit” for your child. With kids that have such compromised self-esteem and behavioral issues, we cannot expect a change overnight. But we will work very closely with the fine professionals at these schools, who are experts in how to work with these kids, and we will get there, with your help.

WEC Teams Up with other professionals, parents, and students to achieve Optimum Outcomes. Winik explains:

  • Coordinating with testing psychologists on “accommodations”

    “When I see from in-class tests and general functioning in class day-to-day that a student needs more accommodations than the tester requested, I call the tester to explore whether their observations, supplemented by mine, justify adding accommodations, such as extra time, use of the computer rather than handwriting, testing in a separate, quiet room or sitting in the first row, with better access to the teacher and fewer distractions.”

  • Coaching students on how to make smart use of accommodations

    “My students are usually able to demonstrate all they know because I train them to use their accommodations when they should, and to use them smartly. On the other hand, when a student has trouble focusing and producing when they know they have extra time, or the extra time actually adds to their anxiety, I will recommend that this student try not to use extra time.“

  • Coordinating with teachers

    “When I tutor, I regularly check in with teachers to see if my student is struggling in any particular area that I should work on with them. I also get a reality check on whether the student’s understanding of a particular concept was any better after working on it with me, and learn what the teacher will be teaching the next week and when quizzes and tests are scheduled. Most teachers welcome this coordination.”

  • Identifying therapeutic services if needed

    I am also available to find therapeutic services, such as speech language therapy, occupational therapy, social workers, psychologists, or psychiatrists.

  • Improving school-parent-student communications

    “WEC helps parents:

    a. talk with teachers about their child’s needs or behaviors;
    b. talk with their kids about the issues they are struggling with, and;
    c. talk with reluctant spouses, who may be in denial about their
    child’s special needs, believe their child’s struggles are caused by “laziness,” or are troubled about a possible stigma attached to their child’s issues.”