by Gretchen | Feb 5, 2014 | For Parents, Random Stuff
Note: Most of my clients give me a score of 7 or 8 after most sessions. This gives me a great opportunity to ask them, “How could this session have been even more useful for you?” Then, the next time we meet, I can adjust accordingly. When I get a...
by Gretchen | Jan 28, 2014 | InterPlay, Random Stuff
This year I was a little late on the draw, but I’ve FINALLY got it ready for the second semester. Can you tell that this is already — and will continue to be — a great year for me?! I’m so inspired by this collage. If you haven’t already,...
by Gretchen | Jan 9, 2014 | Random Stuff
Every New Year I do a goal-setting process called the Best Year Yet. One of the things they ask us to do is create an “empowering paradigm” for the year. This year mine is (drum roll, please!)… … overflow with me! I feel really jazzed by this...
by Gretchen | Dec 12, 2013 | Academic Coaching, Study Skills
I usually come home from my midday walks with major insights. Today I was strolling along, and suddenly realized a major mistake in the way I have been talking to my clients about studying. The truth is, studying is hard work. When we study, we are doing something...
by Gretchen | Dec 12, 2013 | Academic Coaching
In academic life coaching, each week is its own kind of awesome. For years I’ve been regaling my Facebook friends with stories “from the trenches.” Now it’s time to bring these snippets to my blog readers as well. Enjoy! This week I could talk...
by Gretchen | Dec 5, 2013 | Academic Coaching
In academic life coaching, each week is its own kind of awesome. For years I’ve been regaling my Facebook friends with stories, both heartfelt and hilarious. It’s time to bring these stories to my blog readers as well. Enjoy these snippets from my week....
by Gretchen | Jul 9, 2013 | Random Stuff
Have you ever thought those dangerous words, “Naw! I don’t need any help”? I don’t know about you, but my gut reaction is to say, “No thanks!” when someone offers help, even if I really want (or need) what they’re offering....
by Gretchen | Jul 4, 2013 | Random Stuff
Have you ever made a mistake that left you feeling, well, stupid? It’s an ugly word, stupid (unless you pronounce it the British way – styu-pid – which sounds a bit more sophisticated). Feeling stupid is also a pretty yucky emotion. I’m tempted...
by Gretchen | Jul 2, 2013 | Random Stuff
Have you ever found yourself going into a new experience worrying that you’ll totally mess it up? For better or worse, fear of failure is one of the most common human anxieties. So, it’s no surprise that recent high school grads might worry that...
by Gretchen | May 13, 2013 | Academic Coaching, Communication, For Parents
I get it: as a parent, you want what’s best for your teen, and you’ve hired me — an academic life coach! — to help your teen learn the skills necessary to be a success. However, are their ways you might undermine the very coaching you are...
by Gretchen | Apr 1, 2013 | Academic Coaching, Writing
New toys are so much fun! I’m often recommending that my coaching clients get a smart phone, iPad, or some other computer software to inspire them to organize themselves differently. But when is a new technology gadget actually productive, and when is it...
by Gretchen | Mar 4, 2013 | Writing
It’s typical in our education system for teachers and professors to assign essays that need to be a specific word count (500 words, for example) or a specific length (3 pages, for example). Although I understand the need to set some kind of expectation for the...
by Gretchen | Feb 25, 2013 | Academic Coaching, Test Anxiety
Have you ever freaked yourself out — by imagining the worst when you had no evidence that it would actually happen? Students do that all the time. Part of my job as an academic coach is to help students parse out the difference between fantasy and reality....
by Gretchen | Feb 11, 2013 | Random Stuff
Prior to today’s coaching session, I had no idea that hot dates and homework have ANYTHING to do with each other. Turns out that they do, quite a bit. Meet Ulysses: a high school freshman who is charismatic, thoughtful, and funny. He’s been struggling with...
by Gretchen | Feb 4, 2013 | Academic Coaching, For Parents
Several years ago when I was new to academic coaching, I had a client named Sophia. She was a high school junior and a sweet young woman: friendly, thoughtful … and compliant. However, Sophia would forget to tell me crucial details about her school work. I...
by Gretchen | Jan 21, 2013 | Academic Coaching, Communication
Lately, I’ve been hearing a common refrain amongst some of my clients to explain why they are performing poorly in a class: “My teacher sucks!” Today in my session with Claudia, this was her excuse about her lower-then-expected performance in...
by Gretchen | Jan 14, 2013 | Random Stuff
At the end of my sessions, I usually try to ask students what insights they’re taking away from our work together. I love hearing their answers, plus it’s a great way to concretize what they’ve learned. Recently, I worked with a student who had...
by Gretchen | Jan 7, 2013 | Academic Coaching, Communication
My client Jose told me that he is sure his science teacher doesn’t like him: “I was asking so many questions in class, and my teacher was getting really annoyed. His breath changed and his face looked tense.” I highly doubt that Jose’s teacher...
by Gretchen | Dec 17, 2012 | Academic Coaching, Communication
My client Moses just won’t go get a tutor! He’s struggling with his freshman math course; in fact, he made a 20/50 on his midterm. At the end of last week’s academic coaching session, Moses committed to getting a math tutor, but when I checked in...
by Gretchen | Dec 10, 2012 | Academic Coaching, Study Skills
Finals are just around the corner! What a great time to revisit a study I read recently that announced a sure-fire way to study for tests: reorganize information in your own way. Over the years as an academic coach, I’ve been helping students practice their own...
