academic coaching

Why are my child’s math grades low? Guided versus Indpedendent Practice and how to improve in math class

Guided Practice versus Independent Practice We so often hear from students that they “get it” when the teacher shows it to them, but they can’t do it on their own. When a student struggles in math class, it is usually a product of a disconnect between “being shown how” by the teacher and “doing it yourself” by the student. “Guided Practice” is where a teacher demonstrates a lesson and the students follow along. “Independent Practice” is where the student engages the material alone. So when a student “gets it” when shown but can’t “do it” alone, there is a disconnect between the Guided and Independent Practice. The Connector: Feedback What connects — or in its absence, disconnects — Guided and Independent Practice is feedback. When a teacher provides feedback by showing the answers to an entire class, students may not be getting any real feedback because the teacher is not addressing that student’s own process directly, […]

The Third Quarter Grind: How to find success in the toughest part of the school year

The third quarter is when best laid plans either triumph or fall apart. In fact, research shows that students who procrastinated during the first semester may have done well during the fall but they will likely perform worse in the spring, since all the build up of last minute panics, incomplete work and overall stress that had accumulated turns into a heavier and more stressful load in the spring.  On the other hand, students who worked consistently throughout the fall term will reap the benefits of that investment in less pressure, fewer challenges, and higher overall performance. It’s funny, though, because the same thing applies to teachers and schools. Year after year as a high school teacher, I saw how all the beginning of the year administrative, department and individual teacher planning was out the window by the Third Quarter, and it was panic and push time in order to meet the year end goals […]

“Have you done your homework?” or what else a parent can do to build student academic independence?

Tired of asking your child about homework?All parents want to support their child’s academics. But they also want to be able to walk away and watch their child manage school on their own.It’s a tricky thing to find that right balance between helicoptering and watching helplessly from the outside. The one risks becoming nagging and backfiring while the other risks missing help that a child really needs.So how to find that balance?Student OwnershipThis term is so often tossed around in education so as to lose meaning. So let’s spell out what we mean by “academic ownership”:awarenessself-advocacyproblem solvingwill powerexecutive functionAwareness means knowing what’s due tomorrow or next, it means knowing the current grades, and, most importantly, it means knowing what is expected of the student by teachers, textbooks and assignments.Self-advocacy means standing up for oneself. It starts with knowing what you need to know or do, and then acting on it by asking for clarification or […]

Is your student getting missing work lists from teachers already? Try the A+ Club instead.

Developed by real high school teachers, the A+ Club approach to academic support gets beyond tutoring and standard academic coaching by bringing together and supporting the core aspects of academic success:1. Reflection & Goal SettingGuided by experienced and caring educators, we engage students in ongoing reflection, problem solving & goal setting.2. Executive FunctionWe scaffold executive function (organization, time management, prioritization) with daily assignment updates and weekly grades and missing work lists for both students and parents.3. Content support and enrichment.Our team of real teachers and university graduate and undergraduate students provide one-on-one tutoring in all subjects. Additionally, we review essays for grammatical correction and general improvement.Here’s how it looks: Click here to schedule a free, no-obligations Academic ConsultationOr call (888) 59-APLUS (592-7587) or (703) 271-5334

Mentors for Students: the power of guided reflection, goal setting & problem solving

A+ Club teachers, mentors & academic coaches

The academic coaches and mentors at the A+ Club fill that role for our students. We call them “Student Supporters.” They are, actually, experienced educators who believe in and love working with students.Studies show that college students who engaged in a mentoring relationship find greater success in the job place after college.Makes sense to us! — which is why we built the A+ Club academic support program around a consistent, positive and non-judgmental mentoring relationship with an experienced educator for middle, high school and college students.The A+ Club student support program places each student with a professional educator who acts as academic coach and mentor. Our academic coaches care deeply about their students and want to help them flourish.A+ Club academic coaches guide students through the daily struggles of schoolwork and help them gain the skills and confidence they need to be successful in school and in life. To learn more call (888) 59-APLUS (592-7587) or […]

Disappointed with your child’s school performance & grades?

Final grades not what you expected?When we meet parents who are concerned about their child’s grades, we hear all kinds of reasons and excuses, such as “doesn’t test well,” “not good in math,” “disorganized,” “has ADD,” “is a procrastinator,” and, even, “lazy.” Parents are stuck in frustration, wondering what’s going on – and how to possibly fix it.The concern over student academic performance could be low or failing grades, a disappointing C or D, or that the student fell from straight As because of one tough class. Whatever the outcome, we can help parents get past the frustrations and focus on solutions that address what, really, is going on. It’s not the grade that matters, it’s what went into it that counts.Without the distraction and pressures of schoolwork, the beginning of summer is the perfect time to reflect, problem solve, and think about how to improve in the next school year starting in the fall.We can facilitate […]

Academic improvement is not easy!

If a middle or high school student has a low grade in one or more classes, what can a parent do?You can’t just say, “do your work!” — kids often respond to that with anger and excuses.Plus, your parenting time is precious and you’ve got enough to do with work, extracurricular activities and other children.One option is tutoring: if a student is struggling in a class, you can hire a tutor, say for math or chemistry, who can show your child how to get the work done. But think about it: isn’t your child supposed to be learning from the teacher?Direct math tutoring, for example, can help a student start to make sense of what’s going on in class. We love it when that happens! But we worry that the same habits may lead to the same outcomes — and then the parent is paying for more expensive tutors.The A+ Club academic program gets beyond […]

The Parent Tool Box: the A+ Club has all the tools for your child’s academic success

Struggles with procrastination and homework are all too common. Tutoring can help your child play catch up with schoolwork, but tutoring alone doesn’t solve the real problem.At the A+ Club, we help students fight procrastination and build time management and study skills. Students are assigned an academic coach and mentor who helps them monitor and manage their schoolwork. We believe in a holistic skills based approach to student success, rather than a rote, content-based tutoring approach.We help students become successful, and we help parents too: with the A+ Club, parents have peace of mind knowing that their student’s academic work is being monitored and regularly assisted by professional educators.So say goodbye to traditional tutoring and discover the A+ Club advantage.Click here to learn more or here to request a no-obligations Free Academic Consultation.

Piecing Together Academic Success: Study skills are essential for student improvement

Many parents of teens who are underperforming in school look to find a tutor for homework help or figuring out math and other subjects. While a tutor can help organize a class or learn certain information and skills, at the A+ Club we don’t rely on tutoring alone.In addition to online tutoring, we use academic coaches and mentors who help students who want better grades and overall academic improvement by addressing their fundamental academic skills and concerns. Our academic coaches and mentors are experienced teachers who help students identify what it really takes for academic success. These include:1. how to identify teacher expectations2. how take full advantage of resources such as textbooks, study guides, and essay or homework assignment rubrics, and3. how to develop effective organizational and time management skills.Lasting student improvement comes from our all-round approach, not just from hourly tutoring fees spent on one subject.Learn more at www.school4schools.com or call now at (888) 59-APLUS […]

The A+ Club Advantage: academic coaching, tutoring & mentoring

For a full page version of this chart, see The A+ Club Advantage Copyright School4Schools.com LLC, 2016 We build the skills needed for academic success, including:goal settingexecutive functiontime management study skillsAll this while still offering direct online tutoring in all subjects, including math tutoring, science tutoring, reading & writing tutoring and essay review.That’s Academic Support done right: the A+ Club Advantage! Tutoring is great, but we want our students to learn how to learn on their own.That is why our experienced classroom instructors, whom we call “Student Supporters” engage our students in fundamental skills development such as goal setting, time and calendar management and other executive function skills.All of our student interactions are shared with parents so that our parents can follow student progress and provide positive support for their child’s academic efforts.Additionally, we report assignments, due dates, grades and missing work lists to students and parents, so that student standing is understood the same […]