 | There's usually some kind of narrative pattern in what we do and how we think. Part of academic coaching involves previewing these patterns so students have the opportunity to course correct when they veer off the path. Take the typical school semester. Students often report being happy to be back at school, seeing their friends, and having a relatively easy time in classes. Before they know it, a few weeks have gone by and work starts to pile up. Procrastination happens, sports and activities take up time, and many start to fall behind. Drafts of papers are due, but annotations are incomplete. Homework is missing. Teachers and parents start to apply pressure. Conflicts increase. Shame mounts. Sleep is lost. Mid-terms are coming. They feel overwhelmed. What happens next varies. Some bomb and take it as a character trait they can't change, others dig deep and pull out of the nosedive, some have escaped the worst of the arc by pacing their efforts and staying organized all along. Helping students see the patterns in their school stories helps them identify how to change direction before things get out of control the next time. |
RSS Feed