Meet Shari
Shari Friedman, Founder and Academic Coach
Hello!
I am Shari Friedman, founder of SF Academic Coaching. As an Academic Coach, I am passionate about helping young people understand and embrace their learning style, get excited about what they are studying and realize that they are in the driver’s seat of their education. Working as an Academic Coach, I use empathy, humor and motivational techniques with my students to identify the strategies that will help them reach their goals.
The are many reasons why my clients choose me to work with their children. Here are a few of my career highlights which make me uniquely qualified as an Academic Coach…
Over 25 years of experience in education, including 16 years as a classroom teacher and more than five years working specifically with students who have learning differences and executive functioning challenges.
Numerous academic coaching qualifications including a Master’s in Teaching, Smart, But Scattered certification, Motivational Interviewing credentials and Trauma Informed coursework.
Extensive knowledge of IEP/504 Plans and experience delivering their related accommodations in and out of the classroom setting, as well as coaching students to advocate for their own support services.
Several years partnering with local organizations to mentor and tutor underserved students affiliated with local nonprofits.
Over 25 years lived experience parenting three adult children who have successfully navigated the impact of anxiety, ADHD or Autism.
Want to hear more about how Academic Coaching can help your child? Let’s talk!
Why Shari?
“Our son, Will, started working with Shari at the beginning of 8th grade. He was initially reluctant to begin the process, but quickly saw that she was able to make the overwhelming task of completing responses to ten different open-ended questions for three high school applications seem manageable. These immediate results engaged him from the start. Upon completion of the essays, Will continued to work on planning his time, staying ahead of assignments, and breaking big projects or test prep down into manageable chunks of work. Shari also encouraged him to communicate with his teachers where he was previously reluctant to approach his teachers with questions or concerns. As a parent, any arguments or struggles about assignments went away since Will and Ms. Shari met weekly and Will began to stay on top of his work. We have observed a big “growth spurt” from a maturity perspective in Will during 8th grade while working with Shari. With her guidance, he developed the skills necessary to be successful in high school and beyond.”
— Kelly R