About me (it's not about me - it's about your teen)

As a teen, I always felt that I never quite fitted in – I was too sensitive, too quiet, too studious, too much of an over-thinker, too intense.

None of this felt positive so I spent many years trying to be less “me”.  

Until, that is, I recognised that these very traits are my superpowers

I now see that those traits I once believed to be negatives – my sensitivity, my self-reflection, my insatiable curiosity to learn new things, my big visions, my outright refusal to accept the status quo – have led to all the most fulfilling aspects of my life (including what I now do for a living!)

So, what does all this mean for you and your teen?

I will help your quiet, sensitive teen to identify their own superpowers so that they too can have the confidence to:

Set their own target grades (you’d be surprised how many teens want to aim higher than they’ve been predicted!)

Learn to study and revise in a way that works for them so that they can achieve the grades they are capable of

Discover when they are in flow, so that they can find a career that energises them, rather than drains them

Talk about their unique qualities, skills and talents and impress at interviews

Identify their own values and use these as a compass to create a life that will bring them happiness (psst…If they don’t want to be a doctor, no amount of nagging is going to help them get the grades. I’ve watched this unhappy scenario play out so many times).

More about me

(for those who want to know more about the type of person you are trusting with your teen. I get it. I really, really do)

I took my own children out of primary school and home-educated them for four and a half years. People said I was mad.

“How will you be able to teach them every subject?” they asked.

I didn’t.

I helped them find their passions.

I taught them how to learn.

They are now both thriving at local grammar schools.

I am a qualified English teacher at secondary level so I know how schools work. Over the years, I have led colleagues in writing schemes of work, run training sessions for parents and teachers and written detailed reports for governors and senior leaders in a number of different roles within education.

I became disillusioned with the education system. 

In 2016, I set up an English tuition business called “Mrs Noon’s Full English” and soon rediscovered all the reasons I went into teaching in the first place. I loved having the freedom to tailor my teaching to each individual student.

Many years and many, many students later, I still love teaching, mentoring and coaching teens to achieve their goals (I’ve been working with teens for 18+ years now).

I am a GCSE Examiner and very experienced in finding my way around a range of mark schemes and specifications! Whichever subjects, specifications or exam board your teen is using, I can provide them with all the information they will need so that they can be empowered to learn what they need to learn. 

I like to write about topics I’m passionate about. One of my favourites was a feature article that I co-wrote with my husband for the Times Educational Supplement about the effect of timed exams (a topic very close to my heart).

At the age of 44, I was diagnosed with ADHD which explains so much about my life.

Finally understanding myself has enabled me to create a life that fits me, rather than trying to change myself to fit life … and why I am so passionate about helping teens to create a life that suits them at a young age.

One of the ways ADHD manifests for me as a need for clarity. This is what makes me skilled at providing clarity to the young people I work with. Over the years, I have developed a multitude of hacks to help me successfully achieve my goals, which I can now use to help your teen find their own way to achieve their goals … their way.

I changed my name. Yes, really.

Formerly known as Dawn Noon, I changed my forename after 9 long years of tiresome jokes about my name (I am sure you can imagine!)

You know that toe-curlingly awkward “ice-breaker” where you have to tell a stranger in the room a random fact about you? Yep, that’s enough to make me run from the building. I’m an introvert. But I do love chatting over coffee with like-minded peeps (grown-ups or teens!) and I’m great at interviews. 

It’s a running joke that I am literally always on a course! I love learning. I am a Certified Coach and Master NLP Practitioner and continue to add to my skillset on an ongoing basis through regular Continuing Professional Development (CPD), professional supervision and membership of The Association for NLP.  

If you have read through my life story (congratulations if you’ve got this far by the way) and you think we could work together to help your teen thrive…

 

How can I help your teen?

Success stories