Resilience is the psychological quality that allows people to be knocked down by the adversities of life and come back at least as strong as before. There's no better time than now for students to build resilience: the dramatic changes in our schools' formats can cause adversity for students. But they can also be a fertile ground for growth. 

 

The Challenges
To keep us safe and healthy, high-schools and colleges must greatly modify the learning experience for the upcoming school year. There will be some schools that are fully remote, others that will operate under a hybrid of remote and in-person experiences, and still others that provide in-person instruction--but with such significant changes that it will bear little resemblance to the classrooms students have always known. No one would argue that our students are facing adversity and uncertainty.  

 

Despite teachers’ best efforts at making the best of difficult times, there will no doubt be challenges to overcome. Students thrive in environments where they can be confident about what's expected and competent in their ability to meet those expectations. The new settings for school remove the familiar, resulting in higher stress for many students. The stress results in a reduced ability to focus, learn the material, stay motivated, and ultimately to reach their academic goals.

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Stressors at home are deepening the challenges too. Many families have spent the last several months juggling working from home - or worrying about finding work - with supporting student learning. Uncertainties within their futures, families, and communities, exacerbate student anxiety and overwhelm. 

 

The Support They Need
Faced with so much challenge, many students benefit from additional support. That is why I am excited to introduce my new course - The Resilient Student. The goal of this program is to provide support and strategies to help students start this school year from a position of strength - no matter the delivery format. As an educational psychologist, college professor of more than 15 years, academic life coach, and mother of three (including an upcoming college freshman), I have a deep understanding of the challenges students and educators are facing. I also understand the strategies and skills students need to navigate these challenges. 

The goals of this program are straightforward but urgent: 

To provide a supportive structure that allows each student to start this school year strong, no matter the course delivery format  

AND

To build on their capacity to weather continuing challenges via improved strategies and confidence. 

 

My experience has proven time and time again that through coaching exercises, clear action planning, and group accountability, students complete their school assignments on time and with less stress than without this support.

 

Group coaching also provides some level of much longed-for social connection. Students benefit from collaborative experiences and meaningful student interactions, along with the perspective-building that comes from learning about other students’ experiences in different schools.

 

The Resilient Student Program helps teens and young adults develop:

1. A strong understanding of the new structures of classes and which study approaches to use

2. Effective communication skills with teachers/professors necessary to build relationships for success

3. Improved focus and attention, despite course limitations, to stay on track and deepen comprehension

4. Enriched personal motivation to yield more consistent results of every assessment and assignment

5. Organization of their time, space, and materials so they stay in control of their learning

6. Resilience: the ability to bounce back and persist when things get hard, as they often do

Program Details: Cost and Timing
 

The Resilient Student Program is:

• 6 weeks of coaching in small groups (max 12) via Zoom

• Designed and facilitated by an academic life coach and education professor specializing in youth development (see Bio for more)

• Weekly topics chosen for maximum impact towards school success

• Live, interactive video-calls build community support with coach and among peers

• Weekly planning pages guide implementation and clear action steps to succeed

• Midweek check-in provides individualized accountability and support

• No additional work for students; all coaching activities focus on existing schoolwork

 

The enrollment fee for the Resilient Student Program is $299, which includes all materials, live sessions, and electronic communication between sessions.

We begin the week of September 7, 2020, in order to support those critical first months of school.

 

Sessions Available (Enrollment is Limited to 12 per session)

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High-school Students' Sessions: 

--Mondays 7pm Central

--Saturdays 11am Central: CLOSED

 

College Students' Sessions:

--Tuesdays 7pm Central: CLOSED

--Wednesdays 2pm Central

Enrollment opens August 1 and will close immediately when the sessions fill. Get your name on our list to be notified the minute we open enrollment!

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BONUS: Enroll before Aug. 15 and receive access to a special live Finals planning session in late November!