As more and more families are switching to online schools from traditional “brick and mortar” schools, students and parents are noticing the support systems online schools have for their students. However, families who are used to traditional support roles such as “teacher” and “counselor”, may have some questions about the roles and responsibilities of online school staff members. Many families are wondering, what is a Life Coach, and how do they help online students?
A Student’s Go-To Person
A student’s life coach is their first go-to. Hopefully, they are one of the first people a student meets, either virtually or at an in person orientation when they enroll. A student is able to reach out to their life coach first and foremost for all their online school needs. If the life coach doesn’t have the answer, they know where to go to get the information their student needs.
Scheduling, Pacing, Advising
Students new to online school and even those who have been working virtually for several semesters, sometimes have difficulty with scheduling, pacing, and planning. Fortunately, online life coaches excell at scheduling, pacing, and advising students on how to plan for their best educational experience. A student’s life coach meets with them weekly to help them set short and long term goals and review and reward the student’s accomplishments. If a student is struggling to meet their goals, the life coach can help. The important thing is that the student keeps an open and honest line of communication with their coach.
Advocate and Cheerleader
Students should remember that their life coach is their biggest educational advocate. They do set expectations for the students, but they are also there to support them with whatever they need to be successful. A life coach can help students and parents communicate with teachers and other school staff. They can recommend both internal and external resources for specific student needs. A life coach can also recommend programs and pathways that help with career planning.
The Key to Student Success
For online students, a life coach can be the key to their success. They are there to greet the student on the first day of school and are the ones cheering the loudest at graduation. To learn more about the programs provided by GlobalED Solutions, or to start the enrollment process, contact our team today!