The Learning Coaches program offers a fresh alternative to traditional tutoring by personalizing academic help strategies within a small group, study table, steady participation format. Within this personalized program, students set their academic goals and priorities with the advice and supervision of the learning coach. This format allows for an effective program serving a wide variety of student achievement levels.

The Learning Coaches study table program is held at Holy Family, after school, several days a week. Enrollment is done by school quarter. Each student’s participation is tailored to promote more effective learning habits. Students engaged in the program receive time and hands-on, individual advising from experienced, trained, credible teachers, so they approach their work to learn, not just to complete class material. Student-specific communication is sent to parents from the learning coach several times each week to advocate student transparency, consistent support and adjusted priorities as needed.

The Learning Coaches program better prepares students for the independence and confidence required in college by helping students to achieve their goals through the reinforcement and guidance of the following aims:

• Academic confidence
• Task initiation
• Goal-directed priorities
• Effective time management
• Effective and personalized study approaches
• Appropriate self-advocacy strategies

Subject-centric needs may still be met in a content-specific, one-on-one teaching format. On the other hand, comprehensive learning approach/ strategy/ management needs (including executive function) require ongoing support, but not the dependence and cost of a one-on-one tutor. While the Learning Coach pays close attention to the “what” a student is learning, the structure within the study table is built to equally reinforce the “how” and the “why” of the learning process as well.