Parents as Partners

Katherine Reynolds Lewis is an award-winning journalist, certified parent educator and author of The Good News About Bad Behavior: Why Kids Are Less Disciplined Than Ever – And What to Do About It. Her work has appeared in the Atlantic, Mother Jones, New York Times, Parents, Slate, Washington Post and Working Mother. She’s an O’Brien Public Service Journalism fellow and Northwestern Medill-Garage Media Entrepreneur fellow for 2021-22. Past fellowships include MIT Knight Science Journalism, Education Writers Association and Logan Nonfiction Program at the Carey Institute for Global Good. Residencies include the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts and Ragdale. A Harvard physics graduate, Katherine previously worked as a national correspondent for Newhouse and Bloomberg News, covering everything from work-life balance and psychology to the White House. She lives in a multiracial, blended family in the Washington D.C. area with her husband Brian and their three children.

"How to Motivate Children to Thrive and Succeed"

Join author Katherine Reynolds Lewis for a talk on parenting strategies that help children thrive and succeed, based on her book, The Good News About Bad Behavior. Katherine will discuss "The Apprenticeship Model," which centers on listening and building children’s skills to address the root causes of misbehavior, rather than reactionary rewards and punishment. By strengthening their connection, communication and capability, we can raise children who are self-disciplined, confident, mentally healthy and better equipped to handle the challenges they'll face in life.

Katherine will share her book’s findings about the rising rates of behavioral and mood disorders—such as ADHD, anxiety and depression— and explain how successful discipline practices teach children the art of self-control. She spent five years investigating a crisis of self-regulation in modern children: observing families at the dinner table, meeting educators who are transforming the school experience for kids with attention and mood disorders and studying the latest scientific research. She will share encouraging ideas for easing the biggest pain points parents experience, without resorting to punishments or rewards. Parents will learn creative ways to end battles over mornings, homework, chores, sibling fights, mealtimes, bedtime, screen time, and kids' lack of motivation, respect or cooperation.

An expert on young people’s relationship with digital media and technology, Dr. Devorah Heitner is the author of Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive (and Survive) in Their Digital World and the Connecting Wisely Curriculum for grade 4-8 and founder of Raising Digital Natives. Her mission is to cultivate a culture of empathy and social/emotional literacy. Dr. Heitner’s work has appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, TIME magazine and Education Week. She has a Ph.D. in Media/Technology & Society from Northwestern University and has taught at DePaul and Northwestern. She is delighted to be raising her own digital native.

Raising Digital Natives Screenwise Book TEDx Talk Blog

Bio for Dr. Jose Fernandez Jr.

Dr. Jose Fernandez Jr. has more than 35 years of experience coaching individuals and families in relational and ministry skills providing tools to move forward and to be successful in their life goals. His own journey as an adult son of an alcoholic has made him aware of the challenges one faces for self-improvement. His goal is to empower individuals by providing the steps to go from growth areas to strength areas in personal development. Dr. Jose Fernandez Jr. earned his Doctoral Degree in church ministry from Biola University, California. He holds a Master of Science Degree in family counseling from California State University in Los Angeles. He has received training and is a certified facilitator for SPARKS Couples Coaching, for Prepare-Enrich Marriage Assessment, and for the SYMBIS (Save Your Marriage Before It Starts) Assessment. He has recently finished a course for the “Trauma and Recovery Certificate Program” with Project Kinship in conjunction with Cal State University Fullerton, CA.

Bio for Dr. Caroline Fernandez

For the last 42 years Dr. Caroline Fernandez has made a difference in individual lives inspiring them to reach their full potential at every stage of life as a teacher, adjunct university professor, a life, marriage and transformational coach, a conference speaker and a pastor’s wife. She taught as an Elementary School Teacher for Azusa Unified School District and as a High School Spanish and Language Arts Teacher at I Polytechnic High School in Pomona, CA. Then, for 14 years, she excelled as a Cal SAFE (School Aged Families Education) teacher. The last two years of her teaching career, she taught incarcerated teens at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall and at AffleBaugh Paige Camp. and also worked as a Parent Liaison. She was awarded the TOY Teacher of the Year for Los Angeles County School of Education in 2013 for the Division of Alternative Education and again in 2017 she won the title LACOE’s Teacher of the Year and LACOE’s JCCASAC Teacher of the Year Nominee. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts from California State University Los Angeles, a master’s degree in art in Bilingual Bicultural Education from Cal Poly University, Pomona, and a Doctorate degree in Teacher Leadership from Walden University. She holds a Professional Clear Teaching, Credential, an Administrative Credential and a Bilingual Bicultural Credential. She has various certifications including PREPARE AND ENRICH Marriage Coaching, The PARENT PROJECT, and SPARKS COUPLES Coaching, and DIALECTICAL BEHAVIORAL THERAPY. She has recently finished a course for the “Trauma and Recovery Certificate Program” with Project Kinship in conjunction with Cal State University Fullerton, CA.