Students thrive when working one-on-one with a trained Academic Life Coach because the coach is able to tailor the concepts of the program to the student and the immediate circumstances the student is facing. As a result, students see immediate improvements as well as learn valuable concepts to apply later in their lives. Students not only learn the concepts in the program, but they also act on them, as they incorporate what they have learned into their daily habits and lives.

Student-Centered Concepts and a Focus on the Present

The emphasis on each student’s uniqueness and what she/he can do to be successful is the cornerstone of coaching and its success. Academic Life Coaches are trained to help students uncover their unique thinking, learning, and motivation styles, as well as their personal mission statement and ways in which they may be holding themselves back.

Working with the Whole Family

The Academic Life Coaching program is designed to work with the whole family system. Students are encouraged to take ownership of the program and need to choose to do this kind of work for themselves. Coaches also strive to keep everyone on the same page through emails and reports on the concepts covered in the program, with information on how best to support your child.

The Power of the Coach-Client Alliance

A successful partnership between a coach, parents, and the student is vital to the success of the Academic Life Coaching program. Designing this alliance consists of creating an environment for each coaching session that allows the student to feel comfortable with taking risks and being courageous. This is the opportunity for the coach, parents, and student to outline the ways that the coach can best serve and communicate with the whole family. A successful partnership includes the following elements:

Same page. Being on the same page does not mean that the coach is the boss or knows more than the student or parents. Being on the same page means that the coach, student, and family understand 1) that the coaching relationship includes both the coach and the student, 2) what the student wants to achieve, and 3) what the family wants the student to achieve
Confidentiality. Confidentiality between the coach and the student creates trust. Coaches keep the details of the coaching sessions confidential unless there is a danger to the student or to others. Parents will be kept involved in the coaching process with progress reports and conversations with the coach. Coaches will share detailed information with the parents with the consent of the teen.
Safe space for ideas and emotions. Over time, a client learns to trust the coach not just in matters of confidentiality, but also within the coaching relationship. The teen learns to understand that they can push themselves because the coach’s role is not to judge their ideas or actions but to help them accomplish their goals.