The Academic Life Coaching program develops crucial life skills by trusting the student as the expert on her/himself.
In other words, we don't see the professional as the expert on the student. The student leads the way and learns essential mastery for life.
Because the coach trusts that no one knows the student better than the student, the student learns to trust him/herself as never before.
Without a doubt, this is a paradigm-shift.
Most of the time, the norm is, "professional as expert," which means that the adult tells the student what his/her challenge is, and then tells him/her what to do.
On the other hand, trusting the student as the authority on her/himself cultivates confidence, motivation, and independence.
Undoubtedly, the coach's trust of the student shows up in several ways in a coaching session.
First, the coach doesn't define the topic, problem, or challenge for the student.
To the contrary, the student answers the question, "What would you like to work on today?"
Then, the student creates a concrete goal for the session by answering the question: How would you bottom line what you would like to walk away with from this session today?
Here, the coach guides the student to answer with one of the following options:
- a plan
- or, a system
- possibly, a method
- maybe, a way
- or, a strategy
- perhaps, a structure
- at the very least, clarity
- or, understanding
For example, a plan for studying efficiently; a way to focus during online schooling, or understanding why I'm not motivated in school.
Importantly, these first 2 steps of a coaching session advance 2 crucial life skills:
- articulating a challenge
- defining a possible solution
Next, the student continues to develop essential mastery for life by answering open-ended questions and exploring coaching tools.
This expands self-awareness and emotional intelligence.
In general, during the meat of the coaching session, the student is discovering new things about him/herself, such as:
- values and principles
- also, strengths and weaknesses
- and, patterns of thought, feeling, and action
Here, the "student as expert" modality heightens yet another necessary competency for life: awareness of self.
Often, an action will bubble up naturally during the coaching session.
However, if it doesn't, the coach will ask, "Given everything we've talked about, what's an action you're going to take?"
Here, the student will create an action that is. . .
- first, bite-sized and manageable
- second, forward-moving
- lastly, 100% within her/his control
Clearly, the student is exercising another crucial life skill: applying self-awareness to action.
Next, consistent with the, "student as expert," approach, the student practices yet another important ability for life: requesting communication and accountability.
For example, the coach will ask, "How would you like me to hold you accountable?"
The student might say:
- "I got this. Let's just check in next time."
- Or, "Please, text me a reminder of my actions on Monday morning."
- Or, "A daily text reminder would be great."
- Possibly, "Every other day, please text me: 'How are the actions going?'"
Lastly, the student exercises the most essential part of the coaching relationship: action in between sessions.
The coach emphasizes that no one can make the student take the actions.
Also, the coach highlights that without action, there is no result.
And, the coach communicates that s/he is expecting the student to take action.
Week after week, students in the Academic Life Coaching program flex key muscles for life.
At an early age, they learn to trust themselves as the experts on who they are, what they want, and where they are going in school and life.
Consistently, this ongoing practice of essential mastery for life builds confidence, motivation, happiness, resiliency, and independence.