ThinkBuildLive Success

Elizabeth Kemler, M.S.Ed., a seasoned educator, curriculum designer, and performer, is committed to helping young people thrive, using a complementary suite of educational, social-emotional, and arts-based tools. Since 2000, Elizabeth has worked as an instructional designer and facilitator for the CONNECT communications program at the Cooper Union School of Engineering; Ultimate Medical Academy, a top career college, where she continues to develop and facilitate professional development and student success programs; and MaxKnowledge, the leading employee training company for the career college sector. In 2001 she began working as the in-house presentation skills consultant and trainer for Information Builders, Inc., one of the country’s largest privately held software companies, where she developed innovative presentation workshops for Sales Staff and Engineers. Elizabeth holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Theater from Sarah Lawrence College, a Master's in Education from Pace University, certifications as a Higher Education Professional (CHEP) and an EQ Educator, and continues to broaden and hone her skills through cutting-edge professional development programs including the Prison Mindfulness Project and Mindful Schools Educator training. Elizabeth has an extensive background in communications and performance, founding theater companies and comedy groups in NYC, producing shows for public radio, writing for diverse educational and cultural organizations, and performing her own music at venues throughout the Tri-state area. She has founded and worked with a wide range of non-profit organizations, including Ecomix, Sing for Hope, Storahtelling, Cherub Improv, Community Access to the Arts, Earth Celebrations, Youthbuild, AMIKids, and most recently 13 Hands Equine Rescue. Elizabeth also acts as the Director of Local Programming for Hope Sings, where she and founder Beth Blatt work in partnership with nonprofit organizations to produce musical events like Songs for a Cause and recordings that raise awareness of critical social issues facing women and children both locally and around the world.

I am a big proponent of experiential, project-based, cooperative, and self-directed learning with a strong emphasis on social emotional support and development. I believe in doing all we can to help promote in students a sense of self and social awareness while encouraging creative, out-of-the-box engagement with subject matter. I am also a big fan of service learning--particularly when it aligns with a student's area of interest. I believe in helping students leverage their existing strengths in support of new skill development by continually placing emphasis on what is working for them over what is not. The teachers I have found most inspiring over the years are those who know how to invite students into an active investigative process, engage their curiosity, and activate their strengths. These teachers get to know their students in a way that allows them to discover and speak to each individual's point of engagement. In other words, they meet the students where they are, while encouraging them to look beyond. In my program, I refer to those facilitating, as Teaching Leaders, as I see the role of a teacher as akin to that of a leader. As any inspired educator knows, teaching is so much more than just giving over information; more than getting students to do their homework; more than ensuring high test scores. Teachers have the power to change the world, one student at a time.

Masters of Education; EQ Educator Certification; NASASPS Certification

Growing up, I struggled greatly with ADHD and Dyslexia, as well as a good dose of social anxiety, back when these things were seen more as weaknesses of character than actual, neurological conditions. Teachers were ever perplexed and frustrated by my seeming inability to ‘live up to my academic potential’, while continually discounting my learning differences and social emotional challenges. As a result, I came to believe that I simply lacked the skills necessary to succeed in life, a belief that took many years to debunk and tripped me up mightily along the way. My school experience inspired me though, to seek out and create real-world relevant, readily applicable tools for promoting student success for all types of learners, both in and outside of the classroom. The culmination of this quest was the development of the ThinkBuildLive Success series, a comprehensive set of student success workbooks designed to assist students in creating a healthy self-image, optimistic outlook, intrinsic motivation, increased social awareness, and a sense of personal empowerment based on an appreciation of their own unique abilities, and an acceptance of their differences. The series includes workbooks for educators looking to create an inclusive, supportive learning environment for their students while expanding upon their own pedagogical and EQ-building skills.

Please check out my programs, services, and blogs at: https://tblsuccess.com.