NEW STUDENTS
STUDENT LIFE CYCLE
PHASE ONE: INTIAL CONSULT
PHASE TWO: ENROLLMENT
PHASE THREE: ESTABLISHING MOMENTUM
PHASE FOUR: STEADY CRUISE
FACING CHALLENGES
INITIAL CONSULT - PARENT(S)
(Parent and Academic Ascent, 30-40 mins)
Your initial consult with Academic Ascent is where we take inventory of the student's current academic posture and begin to identify the specific area(s) where focus and/or improvement is needed - whether they be executive function gaps or subject-specific hurdles.
During your initial consult with Academic Ascent you can expect a collaborative session designed to map out a strategic plan based on the priorities you bring forth. We will go over the student's academic and personal history in-depth, as well as any formal diagnoses of learning differences or neurodivergrence.
Our goals for the Initial Consult are to (1) gain a solid understanding of the learner's challenges or objectives for coaching or tutoring, (2) introduce and familiarize the parent with Academic Ascent and our approach to learning and instruction, and (3) develop a customized plan that treats the path to success as a steady ascent.
ENROLLMENT
(Student and parent, prior to start)
After your initial consult is completed and youv'e indicated you wish to proceed, our enrollment team will contact the parent via email usually within 1-2 business days. You will be invited to:
(1) Review and agree to our Terms & Conditions. Please be prepared to upload your government-issued ID and provide your credit card payment information.
(2) (EXECUTIVE FUNCTION STUDENTS ONLY) Parent and student each fill out the online intake questionnaire.
(3) Meet & Greet your tutor for a brief introductory session, or proceed directly to #4
(4) Make your first payment and agree upon a start date.
(5) Attend the first session.
Like you, we'll be paying close attention to make sure that your priorities are being addressed and that the educator and student are a good fit.
ESTABLISHING MOMENTUM
(Student, parent and Academic Ascent - first 2-3 months of sessions)
Establishing momentum with a new coach and new systems takes time, commitment and patience. We focus on small, consistent wins rather than attempting to master everything at once. After a few sessions, when the student has had a chance to familiarize themselves with their coach, we take a step back and evaluate the plan we made at our intial consult and analyze what's working and what might not be working. It's not uncommon to make adjustments here, perhaps to a different strategy or frequency, or occasionally to a different educator if appropriate.
It's important to note that human relationships take time to develop, and while the student may show signs of progress or even stagnation in the beginning, these initial results are typically nothing more than signs of getting acclimated to new systems and a new coach. Don't be alarmed if things aren't progressing as quickly as you'd hoped, we often find that patience wins the day when it comes to one-on-one coaching and tutoring. Once the student has fully acclimated and adapted the systems that they've designed and implemented with their coach, that is when all of the combined efforts begin to create real, measureable results.
STEADY CRUISE
(Student, parent and Academic Ascent)
When the fit is right and everyone (parent, student & coach) remains aligned and committed to the plan, and after the student has implemented and become used to their new systems, we will revisit your priorities once more. Perhaps there are other areas of concern or other subjects that need sharpening. Or, maybe progress has brought on new challenges that now need to be resolved. During this phase some students adjust or reduce their frequency, or perhaps shorten their sessions, and in some cases they move on independently, circling back with their coach only when they feel they need extra support.
As a student hits their natural stride, it can be tempting to remove the foot from the pedal. After all, we encourage our students to act and think independently, so we ultimately want our students to 'fly on their own'! This is where an intentional, planned reduction or phase-out of the relationship is important. We want our last sessions with the student to be based on solidifying the concepts they learned with us and using them toward their future success.
FACING CHALLENGES
Our job is not to prepare our students for something.
Our job is to help our students prepare for anything.
True resilience is built when we stop viewing obstacles as permanent roadblocks and start seeing them as part of the process toward reaching success. Preparing students for the unpredictable requires a shift in perspective - moving from a fixed mindset that fears failure to a growth mindset that treats every challenge as a data point for improvement.
Whether it is mastering a complex new concept or adapting to a new school, the goal is to equip our students with a functional toolkit of executive function skills and self-advocacy. When a learner understands how to analyze a problem and pivot their strategy, they gain the confidence to stay committed, no matter how challenging their pursuit becomes. The preparation we make together ensures that they aren't just reacting to the world around them, but are actively taking the controls of their own success.
