What is academic coaching?
Academic coaching focuses on executive function skills that will help students achieve their goals including, but not limited to, time management, organization, communication skills, self-advocacy, making and keeping goals, planning, reflection and course-correction.
How is coaching different than tutoring?
Whereas tutoring focuses on strengthening a student’s skill in a particular content, coaching takes a more holistic approach, addressing the fundamental skills required for successful independent learning, academic achievement, and managing one’s life. By using authentic obstacles that are naturally in front of them every day, such as assignments, tests, projects, essays, and work/activity schedules, the student, parents, and I work collaboratively to build skills, gradually releasing responsibility to the student and allowing them to succeed in school and life. As the student learns how to become independently successful, the adults step back; and when teens and young adults faulter, we step in to provide guidance and structure. By building broader executive management skills through modeling and practice, students begin to experience success and become more confident, and with that, gain more motivation, ability, and independence.
Are all of the sessions required?
Parents and student choose which aspects they want to participate in, and may change them at any time. A student with high anxiety may choose to opt out of the homework support texts; a parent may choose to ask the teen about video content rather than the student completing the activity; as students become independent they may earn their way out of body-doubling; one parent may want their child to summarize their reading, while for another student that would be completely overwhelming. While we recommend participating in as many aspects of the program as your student can in the beginning, the entire point of our program is to accommodate students where they are at and bring them up to independence, so we must be flexible.
What is the role of the parent?
The parent chooses their role. The most effective coaching happens when the parents and our team work collaboratively. Ideally, the parent will provide background through the phone consultation and intake meeting, and keep the us up-to-date with any major life changes or new information that may affect the student’s performance. I will continually work with the student to establish evolving goals and plans, and often communicate with the parent to check feasibility of the plan. However, every student’s situation is unique, and sometimes the parents, student, and I decide on a plan that is more independent from parents.
Do you think this will work for my student? Is it worth the investment?
Most likely…”yes” and “absolutely yes!” During the consultation call we screen for students who may not be a fit for the program. Most often this includes students with traits or diagnoses of Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) and students younger than 7th grade, though a tech-savvy 6th grader with a desire to do well in school may be a fit. While we do talk a lot about ADHD since it has an enormous impact on executive function, not all our students have ADHD. Neurotypical students generally stay with us for a shorter period of time since they may just have a skill deficit, in which case they can learn the skill(s) and maintain them pretty quickly; whereas students with ADHD, ASD, EFD, etc. will likely stay longer since they need to learn and practice self-regulation, and will most likely need to recover from years of trying to conform to neurotypical demands.
Our program is wrap-around and well-researched, and addresses both short-term and long-term needs. Unlike other programs, we do not just meet once a week to talk about schoolwork, organize papers, and make a list…only to meet seven days later to see the student has not used the list or the tools.
Sometimes, by working in our program, we identify students in our weekly team meetings that need further intervention. If that’s the case, Kelly works directly with the parent and student to investigate the best way to holistically support the student; we consider support for parents, possibility of undiagnosed disabilities, revising goals, if a 504 or IEP needs to be requested or revised, how to prioritize work to help with emotional health, and even look at alternative education options when fitting.
How long does it take?
The coaching process is transformative and takes time. Students are learning a new way to see themselves, often finding how to motivate themselves for the first time. They are learning to take responsibility for their life’s direction. The time required for these transformations vary widely depending on the student’s motivation, goals, strengths and challenges. Typically coaching lasts 6 months to a year, but can be more or less depending on the student.
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Kelly's Academic Coaching 