Watching your teen’s academic performance slip is frustrating. Watching them start to lose motivation when their grades don’t match their expectations can also be scary.
It can also be easy to blame yourself and wonder if you are responsible for your teen’s struggles.
I understand you might be quick to take on that burden of responsibility, but it could not be further from the truth.
Most school systems do not teach students the skills necessary to succeed academically. Some students pick them up naturally. Others are lucky and have a teacher or mentor who emphasizes these skills despite not being included in the curriculum.
Bottom line, it isn’t your fault.
However, you can find the support your teen needs to get back on track and meet their academic potential.
A study or academic coach can help your teen gain the skills they need to flourish in the classroom. A coach can help your teen learn foundational academic skills and build the confidence needed to excel in school.
Keep reading to find out if a study coach is the correct type of support for your teen.
Focus on the Big Picture with a Study Coach
Most academic assistance (i.e., a tutor) focuses on specific assignments, tests, or projects that are helpful in the short run but fail to provide lasting solutions to your teen’s academic challenges.
Rather than focusing on the short run, a study skills coach emphasizes the big picture. Instead of putting a band-aid on the problem, a coach will identify your teen’s strengths and areas of growth.
Your teen and the coach will work together to create a plan to play to your teen’s strengths while also improving their areas of growth. A plan will help your teen feel empowered and in control of their academics.
Improve Foundational Academic Skills with a Coach
One of the main goals of a coach is to help your teen improve their academic skills. Developing academic skills includes teaching your teen how to study more effectively, take better notes, and manage their time.
These essential skills will help your teen succeed not just in school but also in college and their future career.
Some of the foundational skills a study skills coach can help improve are:
- Critical thinking
- Active learning
- Writing
- Motivation and Focus
- Time management
These skills are essential to the long-term success of your teen, and by developing them, your teen will be able to take on more responsibility and ownership over their education.
At the end of the day, they are responsible for their academics, and these skills will give them the ability to take on that responsibility.
Improve Study and Executive Functioning Skills
In addition to academic skills, a coach can help your teen develop the executive functioning skills needed to succeed. These skills are closely related to your teen’s daily challenges in school.
Executive functioning Skills
- Organization and tracking of assignments
- Self-advocacy and asking for help
- How to build positive relationships with teachers
- Note-taking and studying
An academic coach can help your teen unlock the power of these skills and help them learn the secrets that other successful students know. For example, many students believe that studying occurs when reviewing notes or the study guide for the test.
Successful students know that studying for a test is much more than reviewing notes. Studying for a test begins the moment you walk into the classroom. The entire academic experience is part of the study process, from the time you walk into school to the time you spend doing homework or reviewing for an exam.
A coach can help your teen learn these skills and shift their perspective to maximize their time in the classroom and at home.
A Study Coach provides a Fresh Start
One of the most significant benefits a coach can provide for your teen is a resource that is not a parent or a teacher. Developmentally, teens are at a stage where they are trying to find their way in the world and thirst for independence.
This desire often brings them into conflict with parents and teachers because they have been traditional sources of authority. A coach offers a teen a blank slate and an opportunity to build a relationship with a mentor without previous associations. The mentorship provided by a coach can be the difference between success and failure.
A coach may say the same things that you have said to your teen many times, but the fact that it’s coming from a new/different source can make all the difference in the world.
Boost Your Teen’s Confidence and Motivation
Another benefit of working with an academic coach is that it can boost your teen’s confidence and motivation. When your teen sees that they are making progress and achieving their goals, it can give them much-needed confidence.
Working with a coach can also help your teen stay motivated because they will have someone to hold them accountable. It’s easy for teens to get bogged down and give up when they feel like they’re struggling, but having someone help them stay on track can make all the difference.
Wrap Up
If your teen is struggling in school, a study skills coach may be the solution you’re looking for. A coach can help your teen improve their academic and executive functioning skills, give them a fresh start, and boost their confidence and motivation.
If you think this type of support is what your teen needs, let’s talk. I am an academic and study coach that has helped hundreds of students get on track and meet their academic potential.
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
