Minding My Business: Boost!

Imagine this: You walk into your classroom on the first day of school, nervously clutching your backpack. You are surrounded by dozens of children and teachers, but something is strange about the scene: All the faces look the same. The only way you can identify anyone is by the shoes they wear, the tenor of their voice or how they do their hair.

At this rate, first grade is going to be rough.

Though it sounds incredible, “face blindness” is a daily reality for some children with special needs, particularly those on the autism spectrum. Face blindness, or prospopagnosia, is just one of many potential pitfalls of these neurological disorders and others, which leave gaping holes in social development that make each interaction a harrowing and confusing experience.

However, Carrie Wolfson and Sara Tinklenberg have made it their business to help kids with special needs navigate through elementary years, middle school and beyond. The two own Boost! Learning Enrichment Programs, which specializes in helping kids with special needs develop social skills.

The inspiration for Boost! came in the mid-2000s, when Tinklenberg herself was struggling as the parent of a child with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. At the time, Tinklenberg was a special education teacher for the Lakeville school district. Few days went by without a phone call from her son’s school or daycare due to behavioral conflicts. In time, the situation began affecting her ability to work a regular day job.

Tinklenberg took a year off and began scouting around for social skill groups aimed at children with special needs. To her chagrin, there was nothing in the south metro area that fit the bill. Tinklenberg recognized an entrepreneurial opportunity behind this frustrating setback, however, and decided to go into business herself.

It was quite a risk but she took out a business loan, crossed her fingers and set to work. Boost! officially started up in 2006. Happily, Boost! seems to be growing at a good pace.

Wolfson — a licensed marriage and family therapist — came on board in 2009 after trying her hand running a similar business in Edina. Tinklenberg initially hired Wolfson in 2009 as a social skills facilitator. In April of 2010, Wolfson bought into the business.

The company offers an array of services for special needs kids aged three and up, tailored to meet each child’s needs: Individual tutoring, integrated family therapy, parent support groups and therapeutic social skills development groups.

Much of their work takes place in small groups, with two instructors (licensed special ed teachers or paraprofessionals) leading three to six kids at a time.

They focus on getting the child comfortable with social interactions through experience: Often they will lead a group discussion, troubleshooting social difficulties as they occur, or work through a routine social interaction through role playing. And then there is playtime, where the only rule is that each child has to play with at least one other kid. There are no loners at Boost!  

The team tries to avoid rote, generalized instruction.

“A lot of times, when these kids come in they seem scripted: ‘Hello I’m Jack. I’m four years old. How are you? Do you want to be friends?’” Wolfson said. “That’s appropriate as a preschooler but the other kids will laugh at you in middle school.”  

The idea is to offer the child insight into relationships and develop strategies to adapt to the ever-shifting social landscape. Wolfson and Tinklenberg also make a point of having a good time. Their Burnsville office is packed with toys, games and drawings done by their charges.

“They like to come here because they have fun and they make a lot of good friends here,” Tinklenberg said.

Boost! has several new things on the horizon.

This fall, Boost! plans to offer consulting and training to private schools and charters.

“Some of our clients have sent their children to private schools after some rough experiences in the public school system,” Tinklenberg said. “Quite a few of (the schools) could use this help.”

This September the two also rolled out something called Boost! Café, an event for parents on the second Saturday of each month.  Tinklenberg said the café is not meant to be a support group in the traditional sense of the word, but parents are encouraged to share ideas and advice.  The staff may also offer a small presentation about a certain issue or topic. Refreshments will be served.

“When I was dealing with this myself, I found that the best information came from other parents who had already gone through it,” Tinklenberg said.

The café is free, though Tinklenberg and Wolfson ask parents to RSVP in advance. The monthly event runs from 10 a.m. to noon.

For more information about Boost! visit the website.