Looking Ahead

The period between the end of summer term and the beginning of fall term is a time of review and reflection. There’s been a fair amount of positive feedback here, so I will continue to post this fall, with adaptations now that we are no longer newbies at schooling during a pandemic.

The first change is how often I’ll be posting. COVID-19 changed so much, so fast, and so close to winter term exams, and thrust so many of you unexpectedly into online learning. To get as much information out close to when it was relevant, I’ve been posting twice weekly. Now that we’ve finished winter term and sprinted through the spring and summer terms, starting in September I’ll be posting once a week.

We’ve talked about specific skills areas, such as online learning requirements, test-taking, time management, and procrastination. Still to come are the skills areas of group work, writing papers, project management, communicating with instructors, presentations . . . 

Next, bearing in mind my research with post-secondary learning centres, I’ll be posting information from time to time that focuses on mental hygiene. I’m not a psychologist and am the first to encourage that that base be covered, but there is a lot in academic coaching  that is grounded on building and maintaining confidence, motivation, and habit change. These areas are repeatedly mentioned by learning centre professionals as challenges for students, and are an important part of any work I do in my coaching programs.

Then there are the challenges faced by students at different life phases and stages. This list includes working parents, frosh away from home for the first time, returning students, students on probation, students requiring accommodation, international students–if I’ve missed your particular challenge, drop me a note [email protected] .

I’m looking forward to September now a lot more than I was a few months ago. We’ve done this now for six months; we know we can do it.

In the meantime, the next blog will be looking at zutor, tutor, strategist or coach–which is likely to provide the benefits most relevant to where you are in your academic career?