Brooklyn Letters IconBrooklyn Letters

1139 Prospect Avenue, Brooklyn

4.9 56 reviews

  • Avatar Emily Matles ★★★★★ a week ago
    We would highly recommend Ally! Our son always asks about her, so very thankful to Brooklyn Letters for introducing us.
    ~ Emily, mom of Brooklyn 2 year old
  • Avatar Natalie Levon ★★★★★ 4 months ago
    Nicole has been an amazing therapist!! She played a tremendous role in our daughter’s speech progress and overall development. She has come such a long way and we are so happy with the therapy she received!
  • Avatar T Ainsley ★★★★★ 5 months ago
    I cannot express how grateful and rewarding my experience with Brooklyn Letters has been. Her tutor Ms. Daria is so knowledgeable, amazing, kind and awesome. My daughter has made so much progress in Literacy and Math and it's all … More thanks to Ms. Daria. I know my daughter is sad that she can no longer work with Ms. Daria, as she looked forward to their sessions every week. Thank you again!
  • Avatar Jackie Vasquez ★★★★★ 5 months ago
    Excellent services, caring therapists.
  • Avatar Lil Amatore ★★★★★ 8 months ago
    Christina was absolutely wonderful. She went out of her way to win my son over and it worked. He looked forward to her visits and his speech improved so much under her care. She was super flexible and it’s clear she truly cares. We adore … More Christina and we’re going to miss her. Almost sad he improved so much! She’s simply amazing and we can’t say enough how great she is. I would recommend her services to anyone and everyone, without hesitation. Thank you so much for connecting us with her!
  • Avatar Colin Peters ★★★★★ 6 months ago
    We could not be happier with the services Valerie provided! She is very thoughtful and knowledgeable and provided significant guidance to support our daughter's speech development outside of our scheduled sessions. She established … More a great working relationship with her, and she will definitely be missed! Your business model is amazing and it was an absolute pleasure working with Valerie. I've referred your organization and Valerie to the Executive Director of our daughter's school and friends/colleagues who are in need of speech therapy services.
  • Avatar Heather Liljengren ★★★★★ a year ago
    We cannot say enough good things about Effie, the ASL teacher, who was so engaged and effective with our 2 year old daughter from the very first session! Effie gladly included our whole family in the sessions! Her expertise and fantastic … More personality gave our daughter a way to communicate that she was so desperately seeking. The coordinators at Brooklyn Letters were so helpful and communicative…I would highly recommend their services!
  • Avatar Chris duke Fields ★★★★★ a month ago
    The company is great with outstanding customer service. They keep my horses protected. I have recommended them to other horses trainers as well that are going to get service early next year. Very professional an honest too. Respectfully … More submitted Christopher
  • Avatar Nikhil Jaisinghani ★★★★★ 5 months ago
    Ron and Ken did a fantastic job with our security system today. Installed everything very quick. Both of them were very polite and asked us throughout if the installation met our needs. Simply fantastic!
  • Avatar Linda Parsley ★★★★★ 6 months ago
    I called Cornerstone Protection to get a Security system at a relatives out of state property, within a week it was installed! The installers worked with the client to help understand her new system and she was happy! Our relative said … More they were courteous, professional and patient! I highly recommend Cornerstone Protection for all of your security needs!
  • Avatar Amanda Clay Mackin ★★★★★ 5 months ago
    Had blink cameras; Car was broken into multiple times so I called CornerStone & they were able to install multiple cameras very quickly & for a reasonable price. I am so happy with the app & getting alerts that are not superfluous, … More like they were with Blink. Highly recommend CornerStone & the tech Ronnie.
  • Avatar Pete Peters ★★★★★ 4 months ago
    Ron and Ken are great guys to work with.
    Both were very knowledgeable and got our system back up and running.
    Thanks to both for a job well done...
  • Avatar Brigid Bower ★★★★★ 11 months ago
    Samantha Dalmas was fantastic! We saw her for a feeding therapy evaluation and while she doesn’t think my daughter needs more feeding therapy sessions at this time, but she gave me lots of tips to try. If my daughter's doctors want … More to see more progress at her next appointment, I wouldn’t hesitate to reach out to Samantha again.
  • Avatar Larry Barton ★★★★★ a year ago
    Amazing assistance provided by Shannon today on my security system. I’m so grateful for your prompt, efficient, professional, and courteous service. Put me down as a customer for life!
  • Avatar Megan Haller ★★★★★ 2 years ago
    One of the most painless experiences I've had. They came on time and was over the moon professional with still keeping a level of personability to it. The gentleman also went out of his way to say that my husband and Mines business … More was appreciated. Which is actually rare to be appreciated by such a great company. So thank you and we look forward to continuing services with this company.
  • Avatar Megan Magsam ★★★★★ 2 years ago
    I am so happy we decided to go with cornerstone. They were quick and efficient. Shannon and the installer we very friendly. We got a lot of equipment and it was still within our budget. 10/10 would definitely recommend! Thank you
  • Avatar Collins Youngblood ★★★★★ a year ago
    Love the customer service and Shanon and his team go above and beyond for my restaurant. Couldn't of asked for a better security system and level of service that his team provides.
  • Avatar kanu patel ★★★★★ 2 years ago
    I have been using Cornerstone Protection service for over 5 years and I'm really happy with the service and state-of-the-art equipments and it's futures are so much in advance and friendly, I highly recommend Cornerstone Protection … More Service any and all business that need a security protection days and nights specially after business hours(Cornerstone Protection is perfect solution for your business). Owner of Cornerstone Protection is proactive with their customers and their equipments. Good experienced with Cornerstone Protection!!!
    Kanu Patel
  • Avatar Liz Jones ★★★★ 2 years ago
    We had a very positive experience with Alissa as a tutor for our pod of 5th grade boys from January - June 2020. She cared a lot about the boys and worked hard to create meaningful activities for them. The pod experience was invaluable … More for all of our families during a difficult year and we were so grateful to have found this partnership! We also want to appreciate Craig for helping to match us with a tutor on very short notice after we had cycled through a few folks who were not able to see the commitment through. Thanks for sticking with us!
  • Avatar S CL ★★★★★ 3 years ago
    Dusty was the exact person we needed to help our child finish out the school year. So grateful to him for the way he steadily encouraged her and helped her stay on track and organized. He is flexible, responsive to our needs/schedule as … More a family, and a delight to be with. We are also thankful that Craig at Themba Tutors really "gets it" and partnered us with such a wonderful tutor who was a great fit for our girl.
  • Avatar Nicole May ★★★★★ 3 years ago
    My child worked with Gillian D virtually for math enrichment. She is an excellent teacher. She took time to understand my child's specific learning style and provided tools that would be engaging. She was kind and empathetic- really … More made it her goal to connect with my child and build trust and rapport. My child started the school year with confidence and without the typically "brain-drain" that occurs over the summer, thanks to Gillian.
  • Avatar Gillian Davidoff ★★★★★ 3 years ago
    I am going into my second year as a Themba tutor. I have met so many great individuals while working for this company. Craig and the rest of the Themba team do such an excellent job picking and choosing Themba tutors that suit each client's … More individual needs! I look forward to meeting new tutors and clients in the 2021-2022 school year!
  • Avatar carolina luttmann ★★★★★ 3 years ago
    Our son started in a new high school, 100% remote, and was really struggling with Latin and Physics. I found Themba Tudors online and had an initial call with Craig, who was very knowledgeable, responsive, and found 2 amazing tutors for … More us. Both the Latin and the physics tutors were fantastic, connected with my son really well and helped him go from 'failing' grade to 'honors'! I will for sure continue using (and recommending!) Themba Tutors. Thank you, C, K, and W!
  • Avatar Eric Fingerman ★★★★★ 3 years ago
    Brian is a fantastic executive functioning coach. Super helpful, flexible with hours, and tailored the experience to our needs.
  • Avatar Susan Wong ★★★★★ 3 years ago
    Giulia Mercuri is a great Italian tutor! She was very responsive and accessible. Giulia put a ton of effort into preparing for each session and really helped our son with test preparation and projects. We are grateful that she was able … More to help, especially since our son did not receive any live teaching during COVID. We are happy that she was referred to us!
  • Avatar Christine Gennetti ★★★★★ 3 years ago
    As an adult student diagnosed with a learning disability during grad school, I knew I needed help dealing with my Master's program's demanding workload. I was seriously considering dropping out when I was referred to Themba Tutors. … More I was paired up with a wonderful tutor, Julie, who was a total lifesaver. I learned many techniques that I can utilize in the future as I embark on the next phase of my career.
    I can wholeheartedly say after working with Themba for two years that I would not have finished my program without this organization. And I am so thankful I selected them.
  • Avatar Fabiola FITZPATRICK ★★★★★ 4 years ago
    We were introduced to a wonderful tutor: Mcedwyn. He and our son, a freshman in college, worked well together. As a result, our son’s grades significantly improved. The tutor taught our son subject content and various methods to effectively … More study for quizzes and exams. Our son was also taught time management and organization. My son’s experience with the tutor made the first year of college a less intimidating experience.
  • Avatar Jude Eugene ★★★★★ 3 years ago
    We have been with our tutor, Cailin Schiller, for two years, from 5th - 7th grade. She started as an executive functioning tutor with my daughter. From the start, she demonstrated a depth of expertise and a selective use of techniques skillfully … More adapted to my daughter’s ADHD and Math disability. Cailin made Math accessible and understandable to her in a way that even her teachers had not been able to do. She differentiated reading, writing and math tasks and assignments to tailor them to my daughter’s unique learning differences. Not only did it have an effect on her grades and her work efficiency, but she finally could do her work with less anxiety. Even my daughter’s teachers used Cailin’s guidance to modify their work with her. But most importantly, she became my daughter’s favorite resource. I can’t say how invaluable Cailin has been to my daughter’s progress and well-being. I’d recommend her a million times over. She is a gem.
  • Avatar Janice Eidus ★★★★★ 4 years ago
    Victoria is a superb tutor. She helped my high school age daughter with her writing. Victoria's skills as a tutor, as well as her sense of humor and her engaging personality went a long way with my daughter.
  • A Google User ★★★★★ 4 years ago
    I'm so glad we were referred to Themba Tutors. After a great initial conversation to learn our needs, we were connected with an excellent tutor, Felicia, who is helping our high school daughter learn better organizational and executive … More skills. Highly recommended.
  • Avatar Fara Jones ★★★★★ 5 years ago
    Themba Tutors provided a leaning specialist that was a perfect fit for my daughter. I told them what we were looking for and they delivered. Our tutor is responsive and flexible and makes it easy for my daughter to reach out to her own … More her own, which gives her an added sense of responsibility over her learning. As a therapist myself, I now regularly recommend Themba to my patients. A much needed and well provided service to the community!!
  • Avatar Frances Simpson ★★★★★ 4 years ago
    The tutors at Themba are fantastic! Caitlyn McNeill helped our son academically, but also with getting organized in every subject, which he so desperately needed. She offered great advice and useful strategies that helped our son become … More a more successful student. We are using Themba tutors again this year for our daughter. We're so happy to have been referred to them!
  • Avatar Mary Jean Babic ★★★★★ 4 years ago
    I'm so glad we were referred to Themba Tutors. After a great initial conversation to learn our needs, we were connected with an excellent tutor, Felicia, who is helping our high school daughter learn better organizational and executive … More skills. Highly recommended.
  • Avatar Nina Herman ★★★★★ 4 years ago
    We had a wonderful experience with our tutor Micaela. She helped our son not only academically but at every level. We will be forever grateful to have her in our lives.
  • Avatar Frances ★★★★★ 4 years ago
    The tutors at Themba are fantastic! Caitlyn McNeill helped our son academically, but also with getting organized in every subject, which he so desperately needed. She offered great advice and useful strategies that helped our son become … More a more successful student. We are using Themba tutors again this year for our daughter. We're so happy to have been referred to them!
  • Avatar Michael Birnbaum ★★★★★ 4 years ago
    Paul Smith at Themba has been an exceptional tutor for my son, both in terms of teaching the subject matter and teaching how best to approach the process of learning math and executing assignments. We feel very fortunate to be working with … More Paul.
  • Avatar Monica Alzate ★★★★★ 5 years ago
    We were very lucky to have found Edwouine Swift, my son's therapist through Themba Tutors. Thomas is 12 years old, and it is extremely difficult to get him to write. Edwouine just works her magic with him, he adores her and is so … More eager to follow her guidance. I have no doubt she will be a positive driving force in his academic future.

COLLEGE TIME BLINDNESS AND ADHD

Why Deadlines, Schedules, and Academic Planning Become Difficult

COLLEGE TIME BLINDNESS AND ADHD

Understanding Time Blindness in ADHD

Time blindness is a common ADHD-related challenge that affects a person’s ability to accurately perceive and manage time.

Many college students with ADHD understand what needs to be done but struggle to judge how long tasks will take, how much time remains before a deadline, or when they should begin working on an assignment. As a result, important responsibilities may feel distant until they suddenly become urgent.

Time blindness is not simply procrastination or poor motivation. It is often related to executive function processes that help individuals estimate time, plan ahead, and connect present actions to future outcomes. Students may intend to start assignments early but repeatedly underestimate the time required to complete coursework.

In college environments where students are expected to manage their own schedules, time blindness can create significant academic challenges.

Common Challenges Faced by College Students with ADHD

College students with ADHD often struggle with independent scheduling, competing responsibilities, and long-term planning.

The transition from high school to college frequently removes many of the external structures that previously supported academic success. Professors may provide less oversight, deadlines may be spread across an entire semester, and students are often expected to balance academic, social, and professional responsibilities independently.

For students experiencing time blindness, these demands can create ongoing difficulties. Common challenges include:

  • Missing assignment deadlines despite strong intentions
  • Underestimating how long coursework will take
  • Delaying large projects until the last minute
  • Losing track of upcoming exams or obligations
  • Struggling to prioritize competing responsibilities
  • Falling into cycles of stress and catch-up work

Many students are highly capable academically but find that their day-to-day execution does not consistently reflect their abilities.

The Impact of ADHD on Academic Performance

The Impact of ADHD on Academic Performance

Executive function challenges can affect assignment completion, test preparation, and academic consistency.

Academic success depends on more than subject knowledge. Students must also manage deadlines, organize materials, track assignments, and distribute their effort across weeks or months. When these systems break down, academic performance often becomes inconsistent.

Research and clinical experience suggest that students with ADHD may experience greater difficulty initiating tasks, maintaining focus over extended periods, and managing long-term projects. As deadlines approach, work may become compressed into shorter timeframes, increasing stress while reducing the quality of performance.

Many college students seek support not because they lack intelligence, but because they need more effective systems for translating their abilities into consistent academic results.

How NYC College Schedules Can Intensify Time Blindness

Many NYC college students manage complex schedules that increase the demands on planning and time-management systems.

College life in New York City often introduces logistical challenges that can amplify existing executive function difficulties. Unlike students living on a traditional residential campus, many NYC students navigate multiple environments throughout the day.

Commuting Between Boroughs

Students attending colleges throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx may spend substantial time commuting between classes, internships, work obligations, and home. Transit delays, changing schedules, and long travel times can make accurate planning more difficult.

Balancing Internships and Classes

Many NYC college students participate in internships while maintaining full academic schedules. Moving between professional and academic responsibilities requires frequent context switching and careful time management.

Fragmented Weekly Schedules

College schedules often include asynchronous coursework, irregular class blocks, and changing obligations from semester to semester. Without strong planning systems, these fragmented schedules can make it difficult to maintain consistency.

Urban Scheduling Overload

The pace of New York City creates a constant stream of competing demands. Academic responsibilities, employment, social commitments, and transportation logistics can quickly overwhelm students who already struggle with time awareness.

      TESTIMONIALS

Alex is inspiring and encouraging. He believed in me more than I believed in myself and helped me achieve my goals.

-R.F

Alex’s services were of great help and support to me, especially when it came to keeping my feet on the ground and giving suggested methods to improve my college experience further.

 

 

-Ashoka Z.

The sessions with Rhia are going great! We’ve been doing some really important foundational work, and it feels like every week, I’m getting closer to my overall goals. It’s challenging at times but very rewarding. Rhia is a great coach, and I look forward to speaking with her every week. I could go on, but I’ll just sum it up by saying that it’s all very positive on my end.

-P.A

We are parents of a bright college-age son who, despite his intelligence, has struggled academically because of ADHD and
executive functioning challenges. After a very difficult first three semesters at college, which deeply affected his confidence and self-esteem, our son left school and, for years, was too discouraged to return, fearful of more failure. We reached out to Themba Tutors to recommend someone who could give him the support and encouragement he needed to return to school, and he was referred to Jordan W. We could not have been happier with that referral. We had no idea whether our son would be willing to work with him, but Jordan’s warm and engaging nature won him over. With Jordan’s support, guidance, and encouragement, our son went back to college! He is still a work in progress and has many challenges ahead. Still, we are, and will always be, grateful for Jordan’s kind and caring nature, intelligence, and extraordinary patience in helping our son move forward. Thank you,
Jordan, and thank you, Themba Tutors.

 

-Guy  

At Themba Tutors, we take the time to help students/clients understand their strengths and progress in areas where they need to improve. We offer personalized tools for each of our clients to help them become more aware of their individual needs as they work towards short-term goals. Improving essential skills will benefit our students’/clients’ long-term plans.

The Role of Deadlines in Academic Success

The Role of Deadlines in Academic Success

Deadlines provide the structure that helps students organize academic responsibilities and maintain progress throughout the semester.

Deadlines serve as more than simple due dates. They help students prioritize tasks, distribute effort, and maintain momentum over time. For students with ADHD, however, deadlines may not feel meaningful until they become immediate.

When students struggle to visualize future obligations, assignments are often postponed until the pressure becomes unavoidable. This can create cycles of all-night work sessions, increased stress, and inconsistent academic performance.

Learning to break large projects into smaller milestones can help transform distant deadlines into manageable daily actions.

Strategies for Effective Time Management

Structured time-management systems are often more effective than relying on memory or motivation alone.

Successful college students with ADHD frequently depend on external systems rather than attempting to keep everything in their heads. Effective strategies often include:

  • Calendar blocking for classes, study sessions, and responsibilities
  • Breaking large assignments into smaller tasks
  • Setting interim deadlines before official due dates
  • Using digital reminders and alerts
  • Conducting weekly schedule reviews
  • Tracking workload across multiple courses

The goal is not a perfect organization. The goal is creating reliable systems that reduce the likelihood of important tasks being forgotten or delayed.

Craig Selinger CEO

Meet Some of Our Academic Tutors & Coaches

ALISSA
ALISSA

M.S in Adolescent Special Education

DAVID K.
DAVID K.

Masters in Special Education and Trained in Orton-Gillingham

DAVID W.
DAVID W.

Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy, Master of Educational Leadership

HEMAL
HEMAL

Ph.D. in Neuroscience, M.S. in Adolescent Education, Science Tutor & Executive Function Coach

JANEESE C.
JANEESE C.

Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and Master’s Degree in Special Education

SUSAN H.
SUSAN H

Master’s in Math Education

TOWNSEND
TOWNSEND

Special Education and Math Teacher

YEWON
YEWON

Master of Arts in Teaching | Master of Science in Neuroscience and Education

Developing a Personalized Academic Plan

Personalized academic systems help students translate goals into daily actions.

Every student experiences ADHD differently. Some struggle primarily with procrastination, while others find it difficult to estimate time, prioritize responsibilities, or maintain routines. Because of this, effective support often requires individualized planning systems.

A personalized academic plan may include semester mapping, assignment tracking, weekly planning routines, and accountability structures designed around a student’s specific challenges and strengths.

For many students, the most effective systems are those that can be maintained consistently rather than those that appear perfect on paper. Sustainable routines often produce better long-term outcomes than complicated organizational systems that are quickly abandoned.

The Importance of Support Systems and Accommodations

Academic accommodations and support systems can help college students manage executive function demands more effectively.

Support does not eliminate academic expectations. Instead, it helps students access learning environments more effectively.

Depending on individual circumstances, support systems may include:

Many students benefit from combining formal accommodations with practical planning systems that improve day-to-day execution.

Virtual Executive Function Coaching for Time Management Support

Virtual Executive Function Coaching for Time Management Support

Remote executive function support can provide accountability, planning systems, and scheduling assistance regardless of location.

Virtual support has become increasingly valuable for college students whose schedules vary from week to week. Remote sessions can provide structure without requiring additional commuting or travel time.

Support may focus on:

  • Weekly planning reviews
  • Assignment tracking
  • Semester organization
  • Prioritization systems
  • Accountability check-ins
  • Time-management implementation strategies

Remote services can be particularly useful for students attending college outside New York City while still seeking structured academic support.

In-Person vs Virtual Executive Function Support

Both in-person and virtual support models can help students develop stronger academic systems.

In-person support may be beneficial for students who prefer face-to-face interaction and direct accountability. Virtual support offers greater flexibility and can often be integrated more easily into demanding college schedules.

The most effective format is typically the one that a student can engage with consistently over time.

executive funtion coah

Key Facts About ADHD and College Time Blindness

  • Time blindness affects a person’s ability to accurately estimate and manage time.
  • College environments often require significantly greater self-management than high school environments.
  • Long-term assignments are frequently more challenging than short-term tasks.
  • Internship schedules can increase planning demands for college students.
  • Structured planning systems often improve deadline management and academic consistency.
  • Remote accountability systems can support implementation and follow-through.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is time blindness in ADHD?

Time blindness refers to difficulty accurately perceiving, estimating, and managing time. Many individuals with ADHD struggle to connect present actions with future deadlines.

2. Why do college students with ADHD miss deadlines?

Students may underestimate how long tasks will take, delay initiation, lose track of upcoming responsibilities, or struggle to prioritize competing obligations.

3. Can commuting make ADHD symptoms more difficult to manage?

Long commutes, transportation delays, and fragmented schedules can increase planning demands and make time management more challenging.

4. What accommodations are available for college students with ADHD?

Colleges may offer accommodations through disability services offices, including testing accommodations, note-taking support, and other academic adjustments when appropriate.

5. Can virtual executive function coaching help college students?

Virtual support can help students develop planning systems, improve accountability, and manage academic responsibilities more consistently.

Conclusion: Navigating College Life with ADHD

Conclusion: Navigating College Life with ADHD

Many college students with ADHD succeed when they combine self-awareness, structured systems, and appropriate academic support.

Time blindness can make college life more challenging, particularly in demanding academic environments where students are expected to manage increasingly complex schedules independently. However, with effective planning systems, appropriate accommodations, and consistent implementation strategies, many students learn to navigate these challenges successfully.

The goal is not perfect time management. The goal is building reliable systems that allow academic ability, effort, and long-term goals to translate into consistent performance.

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Every coach offers a free 15-minute remote meet-and-greet, so you can get to know them and see if it feels like the right fit. We’re very responsive and easy to communicate with throughout the process. From there, we’ll thoughtfully match you with one or more of our coaches.