"Before meeting Lisa, my daughter was spending a lot of time on homework and studying and just not getting the results she was hoping for. Because of Lisa's experience and intensive training, she suspected right away that my daughter had a different learning style and suggested an assessment to determine what that might be.
My daughter found the assessment to be fun and interesting and I found the results to be eye opening and telling. As a result, Lisa taught my daughter techniques that helped her focus on the most important aspects of her studies and how to tune into her teachers. This in turn improved my daughter's school performance. Of course, there's still lots of homework, but because of her improved focus on how she learns and with better organizational skills, her time spent is much more productive. Today my daughter is on the honor roll at her school and feeling much more confident in her scholastic abilities.
Lisa has an excellent rapport with her students and is committed to improving not only their grades, but equally important, their self esteem. It's been well over a year since my daughter last worked with Lisa and still, periodically, Lisa will contact us to see how she is doing in school and is always willing to give advice. We are very grateful to Lisa and for her proven program."
-CH, West Newbury, MA
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"Eariler this year my son verbalized that he'd begun to identify himself as "not smart" in school—it just about broke my heart. He's a brilliant child but has had blocks to his learning. I knew we had to do something drastic to help his self-esteem.
I love Lisa's approach because she first taps into the child's strengths, and addresses their blocks. She is incredibly intuitive and knows just what each student needs, and is willing to adapt her work with them to accommodate their interests, keep them engaged and feeling positive.
Within 5 weeks of beginning his work with Lisa, something "clicked" for my son. He became more independent in doing his homework, became more engaged in school, and started making connections that he hadn't been able to make before. His transformation is hard to describe, but it is definitely obvious that a shift has taken place in his brain!
I am thrilled with the work Lisa has done!! She is incredibly knowledgeable, and knows how to turn on that light in the students she works with. It is truly amazing to see. I think the most compelling reason for working with Lisa is that she "reads" each student as an individual, and customizes the program for that child, which really makes a difference in how much they get out of the program. Surely we could all send our kids to a franchise learning center for brain-enhancing techniques or tutoring, but I feel that in their attempt to make their programs accessible, franchises dilute the effect on each child. Lisa is different - she is uber-focused on each of her students and truly wants to bring out the best in each of them, and she has the tools to help them do just that, and in short time. "
-EL, Topsfield, MA
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"My work with Lisa has opened many opportunities for me. Before working with Lisa, as a person and a student, I was unable to comprehend instructions. When it came to conversations, I could not partake in what I wanted because I had difficulty expressing myself in words. To feel lost and disconnected from the world is a miserable feeling. After years of searching for unanswered questions, my family and I discovered Lisa. My first reaction towards Lisa was “oh, she’s just another tutor”, not realizing that I was about to be introduced to a whole new perspective. She was the answer to every question that my parents and I have had for years. She helped open my mind to a positive level that I thought I was not going to ever get to. In conversations, I am now able to partake and give feed back that actually makes sense. I am able to get a grasp on instructions and schoolwork now comes easier for me. I am able to feel present and connected with the world around me and I am able to seize every opportunity without any hesitation."
-SB, Newburyport, MA
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"Lisa Keegan is one of those people who makes a difference because she is passionate about finding the best solution for each of her students while showing extraordinary understanding and sensitivity to their vulnerabilities.
I know that I am fortunate to have experienced this dedicated, determined, and excellent teacher when our son was not only in Lisa's classroom but tutored in his learning style as well. Her time with our child is one of the greatest gifts a parent could desire for their child. As a former educator, I understand the importance of recognizing how each student learns in their own unique way but Lisa takes it steps beyond to research the learning style and the best application for success.
May you be as fortunate to have Lisa's energy, expertise and training working for your children as well."
-RM, Byfield, MA
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"Dear Lisa,
We really want to take this time to thank you for completing the assessment for our son. The results got him thinking about his personal strengths and interests and he began to focus on what he wants to do post-high school. It was also great to hear from a third party as to what fields he actually excels in. We have told him what we feel his strengths are and what he should major in but hearing it from you through your assessment really hit home. It is our belief that the assessment results clearly gave our son a head start on the college process leading him to gain early acceptance at three great schools. He knew what he wanted to pursue as a major and is now able to choose the school that best suits him.
We firmly believe that the assessment process works and we have passed your name along to our local high school. Again, we want to thank you for taking the time to explain what this process was all about and we are extremely happy to say it works."
-CG, Old Orchard Beach, ME
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"Lisa exudes compassion and kindness, and has a natural ability to make every student feel comfortable and welcome when in her presence. She communicates so effectively and in such an unthreatening and respectful manner that young people connect with her immediately. Her skillful broaching of academic challenges ensures successful and productive learning with her students.
Lisa's competent teaching skills and extensive knowledge of research-based programs in education allow her to honor and understand her students' personal academic needs. She nurtures thinking, clarifies questions, and presents concepts and skills in a creative and masterful way. Lisa expertly matches her teaching methods to the students' specific need.
Lisa was instrumental in pinpointing my son's math disability, She was proactive in helping him overcome years of distress and anxiety by discovering the fundamental problem and then teaching him in a way that specifically met his needs. She provided the appropriate strategies and guidance that have helped him develop into a confident young learner.
Lisa does not focus solely on the specific disability or weakness. Rather she embraces the whole child. She highlights and celebrates their strengths while she uncovers their personal learning style and then prescribes the most meaningful and successful way to teach to the individual.
We don't all learn in a traditional left-brained way. Lisa honors all learning styles and applauds and encourages out-of-the-box thinking. Lisa is an exceptional teacher."
-AS, Essex, MA
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"Dear Lisa,
I want to give you some feedback on the remarkable changes we have seen in our daughter since you have been working with her.
E. is a HS Senior with a complex history; she had a very difficult life prior to her adoption at age five and those challenges carried over into her life in our family as well as her social and educational experiences. Over the years, we have had endless rounds of therapy and tutoring and interventions of various kinds, all of which have been helpful and significant but have never brought her to a place of wholeness. It was as though the work couldn’t quite reach the place it needed to get to in her brain or heart.
We always knew that she had learning challenges and relied—though not successfully—on the school system for identification and interventions. We finally had to take her out of public school in grade 9 and though her educational needs still were not really met in private school, at least she was in a smaller and safer place emotionally.
Last summer, between grade 11 and 12, we had a battery of neuro-psych testing done, the results were no surprise to her or us, and though we do not subscribe to the concept of “labels,” at least we had names for her challenges and better insight into how she experiences situations.
The psychologist had a list of complicated adaptations to help our daughter—though it would be unrealistic to expect even a private school to implement most of them consistently and we knew it would be another source of frustration for us and separation rather than inclusion for her.
Thankfully, at that point we met you. Your approach was clear and straightforward. Rather than focusing on content-based work and adaptations, you said, “I know what to do to fill in the gaps, to develop the foundation skills that are missing, to re-educate her brain.” We breathed a cautious sigh of relief, though honestly, with as much as we have always struggled with things, it seemed too easy and too good to be true.
But you have done exactly what you said you would and in the time E. has worked with you, we have seen her confidence and sense of herself grow tremendously.
In the past, she was easily overwhelmed in conversations, classroom learning and social situations and often responded in anger or verbally in ways that did not make sense to others. She has done neither in months, she is now flexible and cooperative; her comprehension is so much faster and more accurate. She listens, understands, participates, and is much surer of herself in conversation. Her teachers all report that they have seen great growth emotionally as well as in her academic abilities. Best of all, she is happy and positive and has successfully completed interviews for college and gap-year programs and been accepted into the programs of her choice.
As I see it, you have been re-wiring her brain, not only filling in the gaps but also helping to grow “collateral pathways of information” around the damaged areas and helping her to connect with her authentic self, the one that was stuck and inaccessible to her—and us.
To say that your work is life changing is a monumental understatement.
Thank you so much."
-MB, Andover, MA