We feature him in two videos on this page. The first is a personal story and the second is a message to educators. We are thankful for his input and guidance in our beginning days and his continuing commitment to see urban children get a fighting chance. We are working hard to get online tools to parents and educators. Listen to his words. See his passion. Help us give every child an equal opportunity to compete and succeed.

We feature him in two videos on this page. The first is a personal story and the second is a message to educators. We are thankful for his input and guidance in our beginning days and his continuing commitment to see urban children get a fighting chance. We are working hard to get online tools to parents and educators. Listen to his words. See his passion. Help us give every child an equal opportunity to compete and succeed.

The purpose of a written document is to establish some initial common ground for expectations. For Junior High students and above an agreement with their parents or the educators who are offering them access to a cognitive skill training program may prove helpful. That agreement on a few important ideas can be summarized in a document. The agreement or covenant can simply state that the opportunity being afforded them is a valuable educational opportunity. It can further state that the program is self-directed and that the student needs to understand that their success in the program will require self-determination, sustained individual effort, internal motivation and self-reliance. The schedule expectations and time on task requirements to participate should be detailed in the document. Any external individual rewards for participation or accomplishment in the program should be stated as well.

The document should be kept as simple and straight forward as possible but should serve as an initial acknowledgement of the student’s obligation to act equally with respect towards any people who are working with them in this program whether they be family, school teachers or administrators, or volunteers appointed as program coaches. Respect is the first of seven core character qualities presented in the program and should be seen as a foundational commitment in a student’s agreement to participate.

Creating My Future is a sample agreement (covenant) that can be printed to establish an initial agreement with a student who is being invited to or has been scheduled to participate in brain training exercises.

This is developmental education at its base and at its best. Building stronger core cognitive (brain) skills can be compared to building physical strength. It requires a workout and at some point to gain the maximum benefit the workout has to get difficult. The opportunity to increase thinking, processing speeds and learning capacity is worth the effort. Great gains can be achieved, especially when a student becomes:

Respectful
Determined
Dependable
Diligent
Responsible
Attentive, and
Confident

The ongoing application of these seven character traits is foundational to the success of a cognitive first approach to educational development. Cog1st encourages all its program participants to make enhancing these qualities in the students they serve, a high priority.

The entire online program is self-directed by the student so the primary importance of a coach is relational — showing the student that someone cares about them and their success — and reminding them each week that the new thinking and reasoning skills they are gaining can open unbelievable doors to a brighter future. A comprehensive brain training program is designed to be both engaging and challenging. Making progress means the student will struggle at times to reach the next level. As they do, it is important to have the character qualities of respect, determination, dependability, diligence, responsibility, attention, and confidence reenforced and related to the cognitive skills work they are doing.

Coaching a sport can be gratifying. There you may coach athletes who become “game-changers”. Being a coach for a student who takes their learning skills to the next level — that’s even better — as a coach you have become a “life-changer!”

I never teach my pupils; I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn. — Albert Einstein

From cognitive skill testing reports it will be obvious that students have diverse cognitive skill needs. They will also have varying educational goals and expectations and certainly varying levels of awareness of the potential positive impact training their brains can have on their learning potential and future achievements.

The purpose of a written document is to establish some initial common ground for expectations. For Junior High students and above an agreement with their parents or the educators who are offering them access to a cognitive skill training program may prove helpful. That agreement on a few important ideas can be summarized in a document. The agreement or covenant can simply state that the opportunity being afforded them is a valuable educational opportunity. It can further state that the program is self-directed and that the student needs to understand that their success in the program will require self-determination, sustained individual effort, internal motivation and self-reliance. The schedule expectations and time on task requirements to participate should be detailed in the document. Any external individual rewards for participation or accomplishment in the program should be stated as well.

The document should be kept as simple and straight forward as possible but should serve as an initial acknowledgement of the student’s obligation to act equally with respect towards any people who are working with them in this program whether they be family, school teachers or administrators, or volunteers appointed as program coaches. Respect is the first of seven core character qualities presented in the program and should be seen as a foundational commitment in a student’s agreement to participate.

Creating My Future is a sample agreement (covenant) that can be printed to establish an initial agreement with a student who is being invited to or has been scheduled to participate in brain training exercises.

In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity. — Albert Einstein

The elements for success in building strong core learning skills are all contingent upon one factor. A successful cognitive-based approach depends upon a basic commitment to seven foundational character qualities — a character-based approach.

This is developmental education at its base and at its best. Building stronger core cognitive (brain) skills can be compared to building physical strength. It requires a workout and at some point to gain the maximum benefit the workout has to get difficult. The opportunity to increase thinking, processing speeds and learning capacity is worth the effort. Great gains can be achieved, especially when a student becomes:

• Respectful
• Determined
• Dependable
• Diligent
• Responsible
• Attentive, and
• Confident

The ongoing application of these seven character traits is foundational to the success of a cognitive first approach to educational development. Cog1st encourages all its program participants to make enhancing these qualities in the students they serve, a high priority.

We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them. — Albert Einstein

The role of the Coach is extremely important in a cognitive first approach. A student’s activity can be monitored in their lab work or by their parents when they are working at home. In addition, each student can have a one-on-one meeting with a coach each week during the twelve weeks of their brain skill development exercise program. This provides a much needed time for instruction in a character trait and for a review of the student’s progress. Meetings are typically 15 to 30 minutes long. During that time, coaches can have administrative access to observe a student at any level or degree of difficulty in a particular exercise and can encourage and guide their progress.

The entire online program is self-directed by the student so the primary importance of a coach is relational — showing the student that someone cares about them and their success — and reminding them each week that the new thinking and reasoning skills they are gaining can open unbelievable doors to a brighter future. A comprehensive brain training program is designed to be both engaging and challenging. Making progress means the student will struggle at times to reach the next level. As they do, it is important to have the character qualities of respect, determination, dependability, diligence, responsibility, attention, and confidence reenforced and related to the cognitive skills work they are doing.

Coaching a sport can be gratifying. There you may coach athletes who become “game-changers”. Being a coach for a student who takes their learning skills to the next level — that’s even better — as a coach you have become a “life-changer!”

The key to remember for the most gain in skills and lasting retention of those skills is to look for a ‘comprehensive’ program, a designed package of interrelated integrated exercises not just isolated games or individual but unrelated modules of exercises.

When the right elements are in place cognitive intervention becomes a one-time event over the course of 8 to 15 weeks. The gains are not only life-changing, they last for a lifetime.

To gain and retain core learning skills at the maximum and most effective levels the intervention must first be cognitive ONLY. Stated plainly, only a cognitive first approach will give maximum lasting results. In clinical measurements, programs that intensely, comprehensively and separately build learning skills before they begin any remediation or academic tutoring have achieved twice the results in half the time as programs that do not address core cognitive needs before addressing reading or math remediation.

Choose a program developed through real world refining in proven personal brain training practices and clinics.

The critical distinction in selecting a program for brain training is that the programs were not just designed by scientists for clinical specialists or online distributors, the critical distinction is that the program was developed through real world refining in proven personal brain training practices and clinics. The research, development and supportive programs that have been catalytic to the work of Cognitive First are not only scientifically based but clinically developed and proven with the highest reported gains in the nation.

The key to remember for the most gain in skills and lasting retention of those skills is to look for a ‘comprehensive’ program, a designed package of interrelated integrated exercises not just isolated games or individual but unrelated modules of exercises.

When the right elements are in place cognitive intervention becomes a one-time event over the course of 8 to 15 weeks. The gains are not only life-changing, they last for a lifetime.

To gain and retain core learning skills at the maximum and most effective levels the intervention must first be cognitive ONLY. Stated plainly, only a cognitive first approach will give maximum lasting results. In clinical measurements, programs that intensely, comprehensively and separately build learning skills before they begin any remediation or academic tutoring have achieved twice the results in half the time as programs that do not address core cognitive needs before addressing reading or math remediation.