Declarations of Dependence by Beckie Supiano
Change is hard, especially when it requires us to use new skills. Reading “Declarations of Dependence: The many reasons student can’t, or won’t, work on their own,” reminded me of this. The article, published in The Chronicle of Higher Education, aligned with many conversations I’ve had with students. Its description of the current challenges college students face also highlights how coaching can help.
Declarations of Dependence
If you don’t have time to hop over to The Chronicle to read the article, here’s a quick overview: college students are struggling to complete work outside of class time. In response, many professors are adjusting course requirements to enable students to finish a course. Alterations have included providing class time to work on large projects, breaking up projects and papers into smaller assignments, and offering additional accountability, among other strategies.
Author Beckie Supiano is quick to point out that not all these changes are bad. For example, professors must now critically assess the value of assignments and ensure its value for student learning, rather than simply assigning busy work.
“But a less-discussed dilemma may end up mattering even more: Students are struggling to complete significant work on their own. ”
But the phenomenon also points to broader challenges and barriers that college students face, many of which should concern us. Some professors attribute difficulty completing work to the pandemic, during which time many students disengaged from the learning process. In other cases, students have too many competing demands on their time, such as jobs to help pay for college. Today’s technological landscape bombards college students with distractions. Still others feel disconnected socially from their peers and professors.
Adapting to Changing Student Needs
This piece, and the complex roots of the issue, reminded me that just telling college students to do something different (in this case, to “just do your homework” or “just manage your time better”) does not result in meaningful change. If it were that easy, then most students would have done it by now. But when someone doesn’t have the skills (thanks to the pandemic) or is already feeling overwhelmed (due to the social isolation or multiple jobs), it’s hard to take a different approach.
I hope that the professors in Supiano’s article are representative of the nation-wide response, in which instructors reevaluate their courses and explore ways to provide different scaffolding to support students. Academic coaching can be another support that fills the gap. Within a coaching setting, students receive:
A non-judgmental adult who believes in them. Having someone who believes in you is powerful, and can boost confidence and motivation.
Skill development individualized to the student’s needs. Whereas in the classroom, professors must account for the needs of every student, a coach can focus on an individual student and collaborate to construct a plan around the student’s individual.
Opportunity for reflection and adjustment. In Supiano’s article, many students reference the need for learning to be relevant to their lives. A coach can support the student make those connection, as well as help the student explore how school and learning aligns with their values.
If you know a college student who is struggling to complete coursework, encourage them to consider whether coaching could be a good fit for them. Don’t let them struggle alone. Change is hard, but it can become more manageable when someone is walking through it with you.
To learn more about how Lauren Hwang Coaching can support your students, schedule a free consultation here.