“Everyone needs a coach. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a basketball player, a tennis player, a gymnast, or a bridge player. We all need people who will give us feedback. That’s how we improve.”
– Bill Gates
In his viral 2013 Ted Talk, Bill Gates speaks to the necessity of coaching. Since his Ted Talk, coaching has become an effective way for people to learn new skills and grow.
But what about educational coaching? It is an area where many teens and their families struggle, and traditional forms of educational support fails to meet the needs of many families.
Many students struggle academically or underperform because they lack the necessary skills or motivation to succeed in the classroom.
Circumstances like these can put a lot of strain on the teen and their family.
If this sounds like your family, an educational coach might be the type of support your family needs. Please keep reading to find out how an educational coach differs from other traditional types of academic support and how a coach can help both teens and their parents find success.
What is Educational Coaching?
Academic coaching is a collaborative relationship between a coach and student (and the student’s family) where the coach provides support, accountability, and expertise to help the client reach their academic goals.
Unlike tutoring, educational coaching does not focus on content-specific answers, but instead, emphasizes empowering students with the skills they need to learn on their own.
Educational coaches work with their clients to develop long-term academic strategies and provide support in executing those strategies.
They also work with their clients to develop study, time management, and organizational skills.
Parent collaboration is also an important part of working with an educational coach. A coach will work with parents to develop academic plans and support their child’s educational coach. You can think of an educational coach as an academic life coach that meets the holistic needs of your teen to help them accel in school.
How Does Educational Coaching Help Teens?
An educational coach can help your teen in many ways. Educational coaches focus on improving intrinsic motivation and drive so teens can sustain their academic success.
Additionally, educational coaches work with teens to develop fundamental academic skills and effective study and testing strategies, which can help improve teens’ self-confidence and create a sense of empowerment.
Your educational coach will also work with your teen to develop a plan to address your unique academic challenges. This plan may include identifying your learning style, developing personalized study strategies, and setting behavior-based goals for each semester.
A coach can also work with your teen to develop a system to manage their academics. Developing a study system and schedule are some of the most important aspects of working with an educational coach. Your teen will work with the coach to create a system that facilitates organization and efficient studying.
Your educational coach will support your teen every step of the way as they implement the plan. They will provide encouragement and accountability to help you stay on track. They will also be available to answer any questions or concerns you have along the way.
What are the Benefits of Academic Life Coaching for Parents?
Let’s face it, parenting a teenager is challenging. They are at a stage developmentally where they want to exhibit confidence and independence and, as a result, don’t want to listen to their parents. Unfortunately, they also tend to lack the necessary skills and experience to be as independent as they desire.
An educational coach can help parents by providing support, expertise, and accountability.
Additionally, a coach can allow parents to take a step back while still providing their teen with structure and guidance.
A coach can help parents stay connected and informed about their teen’s academic performance without conflict. Furthermore, a coach can act as an advocate for the parents and encourage the teenager to accomplish and complete specific tasks.
Overall, by acting as a mentor and intermediary, a coach can reduce the stress levels within a family by providing accountability and facilitating communication between teens and their parents while allowing the parents to take a step back and the teen to assert their independence.
Would Your Family Benefit From Working With an Educational Coach?
If you think your family would benefit from working with an educational coach, let’s talk. I am a former classroom teacher and educational coach that has helped hundreds of students get on track and reach their academic potential. I offer complimentary discovery calls to help you determine your teen’s next steps and identify the support they need to succeed.
About the Author: John Hyde
I am an educational coach specializing in teaching students’ academic fundamentals and a growth mindset.
After graduating from Duke University in 2015, I taught at a public middle school from 2016 to 2019. Although I loved working with students in the classroom, the public education system was not teaching students the skills essential to academic success.
I left the classroom in 2019 to start Academic Empowerment Academy. Since then, my coaching program has helped hundreds of students realize their academic potential by assisting them in building confidence and empowering them with the skills and mindset to meet their goals in school and life.
If you’d like to discuss how I can help your teen be more motivated, foster good habits, and improve academic organization/performance, Book a Complimentary Discovery Call Here.
Author Spotlight
Hi I’m John, author of this blog, academic coach, and founder of AE Academy.
I help teens reach their academic potential by empowering them with academic fundamentals, a growth mindset, and critical thinking.
If your teen is struggling to reach their academic potential, or isn’t learning the skills they need to succeed in school, we should connect.
It’s on me – Book Your Free Call Here
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