Miriam Barry
Every child came with instructions?
Imagine having just given birth, and the nurse brings you your beautiful baby, freshly bathed, sweet smelling and bundled in soft cuddly blanket. Tucked into the corner of the blanket is a small book that says “User Manual.”
Of course this is fiction.
Each child needs a different manual every year, and sometimes every week!
All stages of childhood are a learning experience for most parents, and as time goes on, we mostly get better at it. School age children can present unique challenges, particularly if they are having difficulty in school. While we can’t offer you a user manual for your child, we can offer you the next best thing and that is the Parent Engagement Center – the PEC. The PEC offers parents 2 to 4 months of weekly individual parent coaching to give them the skills and tools to manage the issues the child may be facing that impact his or her ability to succeed in school.
This program is free of charge, does not involve any insurance, and is done by phone or Zoom, one-on-one and completely confidential.
Our counselors are experienced, familiar with our community, and give the parents weekly “homework” to hone the skills they need for successful parenting. Both Moms and Dads are encouraged to participate in the sessions, so that everyone is learning the same tools and at the same pace. One of the most important facets of this program is that the counselors are well versed in childhood development, which helps parents understand when their child’s behavior is age appropriate and when it isn’t.
The PEC was created in early 2020 to utilize Title 1 funds – which are earmarked for private schools and Yeshivot. It was developed in recognition of the concept that children’s struggles in school could be addressed in the home with direct parent coaching. At first, only children in schools that had Title 1 were eligible, but the program has expanded to utilize other funding to open it up to all parents of children in our community Yeshivot.
Parents interested can call Frany at 718 787 1100 ext. 532 to see if they are eligible for this program and to register if they are.
- I really didn’t understand why my son was acting the way he was. Once I had a new perspective, it changed the way I reacted. This in turn, changed his behavior.
- My daughter was afraid of a lot of things, and I didn’t know how to handle it. I kept trying different things, but none of them worked. My counselor gave me specific tasks and homework to do to help my daughter with her anxiety, which really made a big difference.
- I didn’t realize how different my parenting style was from my husband’s. When we both worked with the counselor, we realized that our differences were actually causing the troubling behaviors! Once we got on the same page, things got a lot better.
- My son did something that really bothered me. I spoke to the counselor about it, and found out that this is pretty normal behavior for a kid his age. Once I stopped freaking out about it, I was able to deal with it calmly and rationally.
Miriam Barry began working for SEARCH in 2001 and became Director in 2006, bringing with her 25 years of teaching experience in community yeshivot. Together with her highly trained staff, Miriam has helped over 5,000 children access services through the New York City Department of Education.
Over the years, she has guided parents through school placement decisions, helped them understand psychological evaluations, and clarified their children’s strengths and challenges. At SEARCH, parents gain a deeper understanding of their child’s learning style and needs, often finding much needed clarity and direction. This empowers families to make informed decisions and better support their children’s success in school.