Olivia Tomaeno
Virtual and Personalized Academic Coaching
I'm back!
After taking a break to earn my Master’s in Learning Design and Technology from Stanford University and build a new study tool, Knowalla, I am reactivating my practice! I am excited to return with fresh insight, tools, and research-backed strategies to support my students this school year.
Learning How To Learn
~ ACADEMIC AND STUDY SKILLS COACHING FOR STUDENTS OF ALL AGES ~
Has your student’s academic life become unmanageable?
I work one-on-one with students to build personalized systems for staying organized, managing time, and tackling schoolwork with confidence. Together, we develop the habits and mindsets that set students up for success - in school and beyond.
My Story
Learning how to learn is one of the most important aspects of an education, yet students often graduate from high school without ever taking ownership of their own learning. The pride, agency, and confidence that comes from taking ownership of a project and successfully completing it is something that every student deserves to experience. This comes not from an innate ability but from honing executive functioning skills and learning how to play to our own strengths and learning styles.
My passion for education began while working with preschoolers through the early literacy program Jumpstart, which showed me the joy of helping children develop a love for learning. I later brought this perspective to the U.S. Department of Education, where I learned from educators and policymakers committed to revitalizing the classroom experience
I earned my B.A. in Psychology from Pitzer College and my M.S. in Learning Design and Technology (LDT) from Stanford University. The LDT program grounded me in the learning sciences and design thinking, shaping how I approach the design of meaningful learning experiences. After graduating, I turned my master’s project into a startup, Knowalla, a learning-by-teaching platform where students deepen their understanding by teaching an AI character. I continue to lead Knowalla, where I’ve built the product, assembled a team, and partnered with schools and organizations to pilot the platform.
In addition to this work, I continue to coach and tutor students one-on-one. I am certified in executive functioning coaching through the Seeing My Time® program by Executive Functioning Success. With that training, I help students strengthen skills like planning, time management, and task completion while building healthy academic habits that stick.
I work with students from elementary through college, helping them not just complete assignments but also take ownership of their learning. My focus is on fostering accountability, motivation, and confidence, and on giving students the tools to become independent learners.
My Approach
Mentorship and accountability
We block out each academic week together and break big assignments into manageable tasks
We develop an accountability plan – our mentor relationship includes texts, calls or emails during the week to make sure your student is staying on track with our plan. As the mentor, I become the focal person that your student must remain accountable to – this is good practice for accountability with multiple teachers, professors, colleagues or mentors in the future. Ultimately, the goal is for your student to develop personal accountability; this takes time.
Teaching “the process”
This includes recognizing the scope of the assignment from the beginning and learning how to pace independent work. We identify the required skills for any given project and focus on chunking big projects into manageable parts.
Individualized learning plans – playing to the skills of the individual
Individualized learning plans evaluate your student’s strengths (every student has them!) to hone important skills and discipline their existing talents. Many students have untapped potential because their learning environment doesn't recognize their gifts.
Setting up for success – sometimes, the most significant barriers to success are logistical.
This includes creating a proper study space, emptying out the backpack every day, writing down every assignment, and communicating with teachers to ensure clarity about expectations.
Specialties
Executive Functioning and Study Skills
What is EF?
Executive functioning is a set of mental skills responsible for working memory, flexible thinking, and self-control. Executive functioning can be thought of as an internal system of tools necessary to function well at school, in the home, and out in the world. Some of these skills include: setting goals, paying attention, staying organized, starting tasks, planning and managing time effectively, and regulating emotions.
Why do EF skills matter?
Executive function is not just an academic skill, it is a life skill. Consider the importance of the following skills in a workplace:
Taking initiative with a task
Organizing information
Creating a plan and timeline
Time management - hitting benchmarks and complete tasks in a timely manner
Problem-solving
Managing emotions and challenges
Controlling impulses and working well with others
Outcomes
Building confidence
Improving processing speed
Managing stress
Fostering self-advocacy by taking charge of one’s own responsibilities (and learning to ask for help!)
Disorganization leads to anxiety, frustration, and complacency because students feel a lack of control over their academics. Strengthening executive functioning skills helps students claim agency over their work, foster independence, build confidence, and feel rewarded.
Reading Comprehension
I follow a five-step plan to improve reading comprehension for all ages of readers and for any genre of reading: Nonfiction, fiction, history, social sciences, and sciences.
These steps include: decoding, close reading, summarizing, identifying the audience, recognizing themes, and understanding the purpose of the text.
Writing
I focus on writing initiation and organization. One of the most important aspects of writing is learning how to take ideas and organize them on paper. Outlining is one of the most important parts of writing – I teach your student how to create an outline to successfully complete an essay, research paper, or personal statement.
WHAT PEOPLE SAY
Catherine – Parent of Engineering University Student
Olivia's coaching profoundly impacted the academic trajectory for my son during his school years. What started as supplemental Covid tutoring during freshman year evolved into a four year coaching and executive functioning program with Olivia continuing to help my son learn how to learn and harness his individual style and abilities.
Olivia is an exceptionally talented, compassionate, empathetic, professional tutor and coach who definitely stands out among her peers. Her authentic, insightful, and engaging style enables her to connect with students to enable change and make a positive impact.
Julia – Student at CU Boulder
I started working with Olivia my junior year of high school right when covid started. She worked with me through navigating online school, encouraged me to work hard to get into college, and continued to support me during my first year of college to help with that big transition. She taught me how to study in ways that work for me and write the best essays ever. Olivia genuinely cares about her students and wants the best for them.
Lisa – College Counselor, Peak Admissions
As an independent college consultant, I work with a broad range of students. Olivia has been my top study skills coach when my students are in need. Some are overwhelmed and have never developed study skills because our schools do not teach this. While tutoring writing, social sciences, English language, history, and Spanish language, she breaks down the process and coaches students in study skills. By the time students enter college, they have a study skills “toolkit” that works for them. Organization, planning, breaking down big assignments into manageable tasks are all necessary for success in school and life. Olivia has my highest recommendation!
Schedule Your Free Consultation
Here I will meet with you via Zoom to determine if I am a good fit for your particular needs, answer any questions you may have, and discuss a plan and methodology for helping your student achieve academic success!