Alexander’s Journey to Academic Success

Student Profile

Alexander is an 11th-grade student at a public high school in Alexandria, Virginia. Despite being bright and capable, he faced significant challenges in managing his academic responsibilities, earning C’s in most of his classes at the end of the first quarter. He struggled with organization, procrastination, and test-taking anxiety. Alexander typically turned in his work on time but often left assignments until the last minute, leading to stress and underperformance, particularly on exams. Concerned about his ability to prepare for college, Alexander’s parents sought out executive function coaching to help him develop better study habits, manage his workload more effectively, and reduce his anxiety around deadlines.

Coaching Process

Planning, Organization, and Time Management

When Alexander began working with Coach Amanda in November 2023, their first priority was helping him organize his schoolwork and manage his time more effectively. Alexander had not been using any system to track his assignments, which often led to missed deadlines and last-minute cramming. Amanda guided him in using his school’s online portal, syllabi, and teacher announcements to gather all necessary information. She then introduced a tailored planner system that consolidated this information in one place, giving Alexander a clearer view of his upcoming tasks and deadlines. This approach helped Alexander take control of his workload and reduce the stress associated with last-minute work.

In addition to time management, Amanda recognized that Alexander struggled with keeping his study materials organized. He often misplaced important papers, which further added to his stress. To address this, she introduced an individualized organizational system that simplified the process of keeping his materials in order. This change allowed Alexander to focus more on his studies by reducing the time spent searching for assignments.

Self-Advocacy, Impression Management, and Problem Solving

A significant focus of Amanda's work with Alexander was on building his self-advocacy skills and helping him manage his interactions with teachers. For example, Alexander often felt frustrated with one of his teachers for online portal disorganization, missing materials, and unclear deadlines. His grade in the class was significantly impacted, and it made him feel like there was no point in trying. Amanda pushed back and coached him through ways that he could be proactive and affect change. She helped him learn to draft mature, effective emails to communicate his concerns to his teachers. She also guided him in involving his guidance counselor when necessary. His efforts were well-received and he was granted permission to submit and earn back points on his assignments, effectively raising his grade. This experience led Alexander to regain his motivation and take greater control over his academic experience.

Over time, Amanda noticed that while Alexander’s study habits were generally strong, he continued to struggle with anxiety during tests. Alexander frequently reported freezing up during exams and being unable to finish in time, despite having a strong understanding of the material. Recognizing that the issue was not his preparation but his test-taking experience, Amanda encouraged Alexander to advocate for extended time on his exams, pushing him to find agency and to ask for what he needed to succeed. Alexander was granted the accommodation, and with it in place, he was able to complete all of his remaining tests in their entirety. 

Support and Connection

As Amanda and Alexander worked together, the consistency and reliability of their relationship became essential to his progress. Amanda’s steady support and patience empowered Alexander to develop self-advocacy skills, which increased his sense of control over his academic life. As he learned to communicate effectively with his teachers and navigate challenges on his own, Alexander’s anxiety began to decrease.

The trust they built allowed Alexander to work through moments of shutdown when he struggled with difficult concepts. Amanda’s calm and consistent presence reassured him that setbacks were part of the learning process. Over time, their connection helped Alexander realize how much more he was capable of achieving, boosting his confidence and resilience in the face of academic challenges.

Student Outcomes

By the end of the school year, Alexander achieved significant academic and personal growth. He earned straight A's across all of his classes, including his AP courses, reflecting his improved study habits and time management. Alexander’s academic life became much more organized, reducing the chaos that previously led to missed deadlines and last-minute cramming.

His anxiety, particularly around test-taking, decreased noticeably after he successfully advocated for extended time on exams. This accommodation allowed him to perform more comfortably and accurately reflect his abilities. Additionally, Alexander became more confident in his ability to manage his academic responsibilities and more proactive in communicating with his teachers. The development of self-advocacy skills and the strong support from his coaching relationship empowered Alexander to take greater control over his learning and future academic challenges.

*Identifying information has been modified to ensure student confidentiality.