Study Skills vs Tutoring
“When would I want an Executive Function / Study Skills Coach vs. a subject-specific tutor?”
This is a good question, and an important one.
Some Background: The Study Skills Gap
Over the last 10 – 15 years, schools have gotten more and more competitive. The curriculum has ramped with increasingly rigorous “content”. Foreign language is being taught earlier, math “paths” have gotten more aggressive, more Honors and AP classes are “required” to get in to the most competitive colleges. And while, students may be intellectually prepared for this content, their maturational readiness often is not as advanced.
Who taught our kids how to study?
As more and more “content” was pushed in to the curriculum, the time previously devoted to teaching students “how to study” was pushed out. Very little time is devoted to teaching our students how to break down their homework in to manageable “chunks”, how to properly take notes, make a study guide, or how to prioritize which work is most important to do and when. As a result, many students hit an organizational “wall” at a certain point of intellectual challenge, regardless of how smart they are or how well they have done in the past. So while schools decided that kids were smarter than we were giving them credit for, they didn’t consider that their frontal lobe development may not be ready for the rigor of the material. Once they realized that there was a problem, they never added study skills back in to the curriculum. So instead, we are seeing an increase in a lack of resilience, increased anxiety, and increased reliance on tutors.
Ever had a bad manager?
The analogy is very similar to a newly appointed manager in a job. While they may have “mastered” their sales, accounting or engineering skills, they may not have learned the managerial skills to manage a broader set of people or to plan and manage projects. They may not need a “tutor” for their day job, but instead, they can benefit from a “coach” to learn the tools and strategies for how to manage the newer aspects of their work.
Consider these three questions when determining if your child would benefit most from a coach or tutor.
1. Is your child challenged in one particular subject or across several subjects?
Students who are having challenges grasping a new math or science concept, or need additional help in a foreign language present a different challenge than one who has difficulty planning, managing and/or completing work across many subjects.
If your child is showing signs of stress due to:
they will need to learn skills and approaches around the PROCESS of learning vs. the CONTENT in one particular subject.
2. Does your child need to learn to become a more independent learner?
The goal of an Executive Function coach is to help a student take charge of their own learning. We call it “learned independence.” The goal is to move the conversation from “How can I help you?” to “What do you need from me to help you on YOUR plan?” We focus on providing the skills that transform a student in to a more effective, independent and motivated learner and to transfer the responsibility of success from the parent or tutor to the student.
3. Is your child undergoing a significant transition?
Whether moving in to a new school, a new grade or making a transition in to honors or AP classes, when curriculum gets more challenging and schools are demanding higher performance, students gain confidence through learning new tools and strategies for managing their work. Strong Executive Function skills are the key to consistent academic achievement and will allow students to match their success with their potential.
