By Scott Lutostanski
I’ll often hear a comment from a friend, colleague, or family member that goes like this: “I wonder how I would’ve done in high school if smartphones existed?” I constantly wonder this myself as I consistently see students who have their productivity and attention derailed by their cell phones.
Now, as the world has shifted into this new normal, the questions I hear have changed to “How would I have done during this time if I was in high school?” “Would I be able to do virtual learning?” “Would I be productive on my own? Would I rise to the occasion?”
These are all the challenges that middle school, high school, and college students now face. Self-control, attention, and initiation have been forcefully shoved to the forefront of education. The students that are able to best execute these functions will most likely have the most success. Success will be even more tied to the most disciplined, effective, and diligent students. In a virtual, and much more independent, academic world, students need executive function skills in order to be successful.
Our coaches work with students to help them improve these skills and to take their academic performance to the next level. By focusing on the executive functions, our coaches are able to help students improve their ability to plan, manage time, initiate, organize, and learn. By working with a coach, a student can expect to analyze and reflect on past performance and plan for future measures. They will learn the study strategies that work best for them. They will understand how to perform better academically and form a relationship with someone who will understand them and help hold them accountable to committing to progress and following through.
In order to get better at something, we need practice. During this time of intense self-control and time management, a coach, through the creating and consistent implementation of systems and routines, can help a student manage their deadlines, assignments, and tests so that they are looking ahead, planning for the future, and completing high quality work.
There is an endless list of skills that students can work on and improve. Instead of letting this be an interrupted and slowed down version of school, it is important to kick academics into high gear and increase the amount of time spent working on a daily basis. In order to learn more about our coaching program, you can reach out to info@galined.com.
