REAL Support owner Christine Bernstein meets with a student. Courtesy photo

BY MAIRE O’NEILL
maire@losalamosreporter.com

After 25 years of teaching, Christine Bernstein has decided to leave the classroom to do what she loves most- work with teens. Using her skill set, she is going to provide real support during remote and online learning to students in Los Alamos. In fact, REAL Support is the name of her new business.

Licensed to teach grades 7-12, Bernstein began her teaching career in California then taught for nine years at Los Alamos High School, two years in South Dakota, and most recently for four years at Pojoaque Valley High School. Throughout those years of teaching, she realized she has a real connection with teens, and now she wants to work with them in a different setting.

The REAL in her business name stands for:

Remote: Full remote or hybrid option
Enhanced: Life skills
Active: Physical and mental engagement
Learning: Class content

Bernstein wants to provide support for students and their families as they navigate the struggles they are facing during the COVID pandemic we are facing while school districts implement a fully remote and/or hybrid option for their students. She said she will help teens get their work done, keep them on task, and keep parents informed on what they are accomplishing.

Working with the students in groups of five for eight hours a week, Bernstein will keep them engaged and on track with their academics. She will also include working on other life skills such as time management and organization, as well as helping them to develop a work-life balance.

“I’m hoping to add some fun into the mix as well as work. This could involve outdoor activities, problem-solving games, or creative projects,” Bernstein said.”

Bernstein said that many families are concerned about how to help their kids at home while they try to work during remote learning. She said students who struggle with motivation, those with IEPs and those who need social, face-to-face interaction, among other needs, will benefit greatly from this support service.

The cost of the REAL Support program is $125 a week for eight hours. For more information, call (505) 670-2658 or email ms.christinebernstein@gmail.com.