Tag: planning/organization

In my years working as an academic coach, I’ve realized more and more that the difficulties that students have in their classes are often not academic problems, but problems with organization, planning, and execution. At Wells Academic Solutions, we’ve been focussing more and more on providing support to students for these issues (in addition to academic support).

But it is tough to convince a student of the value of looking ahead to the next 2-3 weeks when they have a test tomorrow they are worried about, and they have late assignments to make up in another class. 

Our students can’t learn to plan if they have to keep reacting to emergencies (the result of poor planning skills themselves). It creates a cycle of frustration for students and parents. And sadly, though planning, organization, and executive function are crucial skills for success in school, they aren’t skills actually taught explicitly in school.

Which is why I’m excited about our “Getting Things Done: For Students” summer workshop! This is the third summer we’ve offered it. Every school year, we learn more about the things that students are struggling with, and every summer, we learn more about what ideas and techniques connect with students.

Outside of the day-to-day stress of school (like during the summer!), students are more free to focus on developing longer-term skills.

Topics covered include:

• ”To-Don’ts”: As important as “To-do’s”. Identifying the bad habits that get in the way of accomplishing our goals and how to take steps to eliminate them.
• Mind Dumps: Learning how to clear out a cluttered, overwhelmed mind, distill important information, and record that information to take action on later.
• Ready State: How to create and maintain a mental framework and physical workspace ready to take on new responsibilities or assignments without feeling overwhelmed.
• Goal setting: Learning how to set goals, both within the context of school/classes, and in terms of their development outside of school.
• Planners: How to use planners effectively, and how to create a planner habit. We’ll cover both analog and digital.

Throughout it all, we’ll be discussing why planning is an important skill and the huge improvements in their lives planning can offer them, both now and for their futures.

Teens are transitioning from a stage in which their lives are planned for them to one in which they need to learn to take more and more responsibility and control so that they’ll become successful adults. We will help give them the tools to navigate their lives and futures in this course.

Course info:

Weekly, 1 hour, weekly workshop. 8 weeks (week of 6/28-week of 8/16)
Day and Time: TBD (will fit schedules of participants)
Where: Online
Cost: $440 ($400 if paid by 6/15)
Students per workshop: Maximum of 6

Call 858.551.2560 or email help@wellsacademics.com to reserve your child’s spot! We’re looking forward to helping them take control of their time and their futures.

-Vince

Of all the skills that are going to lead to your child’s success, executive function (the ability to organize and plan, especially for multi-step tasks) ranks near the top. But while your kids are being taught plenty about math, chemistry, and US history in their classes, there is little, if any, instruction during school hours on how to plan.

“Late, Lost, and Unprepared: A Parent’s Guide to Helping Children with Executive Functioning” is a must read for parents and educators. In it, you’ll learn about how different diagnoses and learning differences can lead to problems with executive function. More importantly, you’ll see lots of very practical examples with suggested interventions for students who struggle with getting started with homework, planning projects, and handling household chores (start with Part 2 of the book if this is more what you are looking for).

One of the most important takeaways is the reminder that not getting homework done is not necessarily a sign of defiance or disinterest. This not not an academic book: it’s a book the provides real-world solutions, and a framework for discovering those solutions together with your child.  I’m positive that any parent, after reading it, will more clearly understand their kids’ challenges (and maybe even some of their own!)

Find the book, in paperback or kindle edition, here: www.amazon.com/dp/B008NB847O

 

Call us at 858.551.2650 or email help@wellsacademics.com to learn more about our “Getting Things Done: For Students” workshop this September.