
Our Academic Life Coaching Program consists of 32 concepts that have been tested and refined over the past seven years to address:
- Stress about grades and scores
- Finding motivation
- Getting organized
- Frustration in relationships (whether between parent/teen, teacher/student, or among peers)
- Anxiety about College application and admission
Achieve Goals
Achieve ambitious academic and athletic goals through sustainable steps that become transferable life skillsets.
Reduce Stress
Scoring well can be a lot of pressure to formative minds and individuals who are still developing their coping mechanisms.
Get College Bound
Create an individualized plan for applying and gaining acceptance into their college of choice.
Improve Relationships
Establishing and improving relationships with parents, peers, and teachers is critical for fruitful interactions.
Why the Academic Life Coaching Program Works
Students thrive when working one-on-one with a trained Academic Life Coach, because the coach is able to tailor the concepts of the program to the student and the immediate circumstances the student is facing. As a result, students see immediate improvements as well as learn valuable concepts to apply later in their lives. Students not only learn the concepts but have to act on them as they incorporate what they’ve learned into their daily habits and lives.
The Academic Life Coaching Program is also proven to be successful. Created in 2004, hundreds of students have gone through the program and have offered their experience and feedback to refine and improve the program. The program has not changed much since 2008, but each summer a few new concepts are added and others modified.
At the same time students are learning new skills, they also have the opportunity to work through old and unproductive habits. So often students are stressed out over grades and their performance, yet do not know their unique learning, thinking, or memory style. Students often relate grades to their self-worth, but grades are merely a reflection of the system a student is using to study. Change the system, change the grades. As a result, a student’s self-esteem goes up and stress level goes down.
The Academic Life Coaching Program is designed to work with the whole family system. Students are encouraged to take ownership of the program and need to choose to do this kind of work for themselves. We strive to keep everyone on the same page via email and reports on the concepts covered in the program, with information on how best to support your child.
How it Works
• 10 sessions scheduled over three months (we will meet once, every other week)
• Sessions can be either in-person, over the phone, or video conference
• If in-person, coaches typically will meet clients at our offices
• Each session lasts 45 to 60 minutes
• The coach and client will cover the Academic Life Coaching Program Curriculum
• After each session, the coach will follow up with a short email describing the session notes and what was covered in the session
(This is more for the parents of the students.)
Your Next Academic Life Coach
Amanda Patrick is our Resident Academic Life Coach and also serves as the Educational Director for Horizons in Learning — overseeing the creation, management, constant evolution and improvement of all our educational programs. With a Master of Arts degree in Instruction and Curriculum Development, she brings over 20 years of experience as an educator to her role.
Amanda has developed a unique perspective and insight into the connection between academic success and personal fulfillment from years of hands on experience both as an educator and parent. She is passionate about helping students overcome both real and perceived challenges and is committed to helping them reach their potential by creating step by step actions to get there.
”Academic Life Coaching is possibly the most valuable service we offer. The skills and awareness that students will gain stays with them throughout their lives.
Amanda PatrickAcademic Life Coach, Educational Director for Horizons In Learning