Academic Coaching

About Academic Coaching

Academic Coaches are professional staff and faculty from the SLC who work with students on academic skills and self-regulated learning. The SLC also hires Peer Coaches who are available to help students. Coaching is a perfect metaphor for the relationship between the student and coach, because the role of the coach is to help the student improve academically by identifying strengths and weaknesses and designing appropriate activities to improve much the same way a coach or personal trainer would assess an athlete and develop a training regimen.

What Academic Coaches are Not…

  • Academic advisors. The coach’s role is to focus on motivation and learning skills. When a student has issues related to a degree plan or needs to consider a change in major or other related issue, the student will be referred to his or her academic advisor.
  • Personal Counselors. If in the course of a coaching session, a student discloses personal issues such as emotional difficulties, financial aid issues, relationship problems, or possible learning disabilities, the coach will refer the student to the appropriate counselor on campus and will facilitate setting up an appointment.
  • Tutor or Teaching Assistants. Academic coaching is not focused on specific course content. If a student is having difficulty in a content area, he or she will be referred to a tutor, SI session, or other content-area help. In many cases, the first suggestion will be for the student to seek direct help from a faculty member or teaching assistant.

Academic Coaches…

  • Provide students with skills and strategies they may need to become a self-regulated learners
  • Help students understand and utilize effective learning strategies
  • Help students identify and remove obstacles that can impede academic progress
  • Focus students on individual goals and help them identify the steps and means by which to reach them
  • Work with students to develop strong time-management skills and organizational strategies
  • Motivate students to take ownership of their own academic success
  • Refer students to other services on campus which may help meet specific identified needs

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Last Updated: September 7, 2011