"SENIORITIS" NOT JUST FOR SENIORS - FINISH THE SCHOOL YEAR STRONG

“Senioritis” is a term that we throw around casually.  Anyone may struggle with productivity once we get a taste of warmer weather, but, for students at all levels, the last stretch of the school year can be a critical time for support. 

CHECKED OUT

Students often struggle in the spring, because they are simply checked out.  The sun and warmer days call their names, and daydreaming means that they don’t absorb class instruction as well.  This means that they may miss critical moments of classroom instruction. Tutors can review content and answer questions that may have been missed during classes. 

INCREASED DEMANDS

In the academic world, spring is a time for culminating projects, big exams, and the pressure to raise grades.  At the same time, extracurricular activities demand playoff games, performances, and end-of-the-year parties. Therefore, the need for thorough organization comes at a time when many students want nothing more than to lie in the sun and watch the cloud formations.   

HOW CAN TUTORING HELP?

Tracking assignments intentionally, getting organized, and methodically planning the last few weeks or months of school can help students feel more empowered.  The next step is to set goals. Large projects can be broken into steps and help anticipating exams is useful to most people. Having an outside person support these steps will fortify motivation and enable students to keep their focus. 

HARD PART FIRST

Tutors often ask students, “What’s the homework that you’re dreading the most?  Let’s start with that!” When students are stuck or feeling the procrastination bug, it’s typically because something feels overwhelming.  A tutor can help push past those blocks and encourage next steps by tackling some of the hard part. 

PLANNING FREE TIME

Encouraging students to actually plan their free time is also part of the executive functioning aspect of tutoring.  Many students “steal” their time with friends and believe that they should always be doing school work when the stakes are high.  Modeling how to plan for socializing, screentime, and sleep are critical pieces that can be incorporated into tutoring sessions.