Executive Function & Coaching FAQs
No. Tutoring services focus on remediation and re-teaching content for specific courses and subjects. We are not “homework helpers” either. Many people who bill themselves as tutors are in fact merely sitting with students as they complete their homework, occasionally explaining something. We are academic coaches and strategists. We teach strategies and tools students need to be successful, plus build confidence and self-reliance, with a particular focus on executive function support.
We find that most students are capable of understanding the content of the courses they are taught. The difference between success and underachievement, motivation and apathy, can be attributed not to a failure of the intellect, but to a weakness in, or the complete absence of executive function strategies. Some students seem to acquire executive function strategies on their own, but for those who don’t, executive function strategies such as organization, time management, note taking, expository writing, and test preparation are rarely taught by teachers, especially at the middle school and high school level. Most teachers are content driven, which means they expect students to come up with their own approaches for tackling schoolwork. As coaches, we build confidence, motivation, and self-reliance in our students through individualizing the teaching and implementation of study and executive function strategies to their particular needs and styles. Students then learn to work smarter, not harder.
Our coaches typically work in 50-minute sessions for a minimum of four sessions for summer coaching and six sessions for school year coaching. These are the minimum number sessions, in our experience, necessary for a student and coach to develop a positive connection so that the student benefits from the experience. Unlike franchised learning centers, there is no cookie-cutter routine for each student. We believe student success depends on students being treated as individuals. Working with the student, and with input from parents and caregivers, each SOS4Students coach determines the best approach. After the four or six sessions, next steps (if any) are determined by the parents/caregivers, the student, and the coach. Some students continue with us through the entire school year and find their skills and performance improve dramatically over time.
If you live locally, and are between the ages of 10-15, we highly recommend opting for in-person coaching, especially if your student is easily distracted or has trouble focusing on a screen for long. Online coaching is great for anyone living outside of the area of whose schedule does not accomodate in-person coaching. Most of our online coaching students are in grades 10 through college.
Our coaching clients range from age 10 all the way through college.
We’ve found that for children between 6 and 9 years of age, it’s often the parents, caregivers, and educators who benefit most from an SOS4Students coaching consult. We read test data, interview relevant professionals, identify any issues, and help parents and teachers implement practical solutions at home and in the classroom. In addition, we can provide referrals to professionals who specialize in one-on-one work with children in the lower elementary grades.
Yes. Strategies can be of great benefit to all students, particularly those struggling with learning or emotional challenges. SOS4Students coaches collaborate with pediatricians, psychologists, resource teachers, and other professionals to ensure that a student’s educational needs are appropriately and effectively addressed.
Yes. Many of our coaches have expertise in designing and implementing IEPs that work, and in helping families advocate for students. SOS4Students can provide a full range of advocacy services, including attendance at the IEP itself as the representative of the parents.
No. We work with a number of testing specialists and we are happy to provide referrals when testing is recommended. We review completed assessment testing as part of our discovery process to help determine the coaching goals for each student.
We measure coaching results based on a student’s growing feelings of success, motivation, and confidence which is often, but not always, reflected in improved grades and teacher comments. Parents who come to us expecting to turn failing students into excelling students overnight are likely to be disappointed. The same goes for parents who feel that straight “A”s are the only measure of success.
In our experience, there is no quick road to success. Long ingrained study and schoolwork habits (or the lack thereof), can take time to overcome. The speed with which students move forward often depends on their buy-in to the process. If they leave their sessions and implement/apply the new strategies, they will progress towards achievement much more quickly than if they do not use the strategies. Goals are set at the beginning of the work and progress is determined by the realization of those goals.
To first step to arrange SOS4Students one-on-one academic coaching is to complete our Coaching Discovery Form.
Once this is done, you’ll be able to schedule a short phone call with one of our senior academic coaches to assure proper placement for your student and to have any further questions about our services answered.
An initial consult with parents/caregivers, six coaching sessions, and a parent follow-up session are bundled in the initial fee caching fee. Cost of each session starts at $185, depending on the coach. All sessions are 50 minutes and typically occur weekly.
Student Workshop FAQs
By Paying You Agree to the Following Terms:
- For cancellations made 60 days prior to the scheduled workshop, a refund can be issued minus a $45 service fee -or- a credit for the full workshop fee can be placed on file with SOS4Students to be used toward any SOS4Students service within one year. Cancellations must be in writing and can be sent to .
- For cancellations made within 59-30 days to the scheduled workshop, a refund can be issued for half the workshop fee and minus a $45 service fee -or- a credit for the full workshop fee can be placed on file with SOS4Students to be used toward any SOS4Students service within a year. Cancellations must be in writing and can be sent to .
- There are no refunds for cancellations less than 30 days before the scheduled workshop date or for “No Shows.” A credit toward future workshops may be offered at the sole discretion of SOS4Students. The credit will be good for 1 year. SOS4Students’ decision is final. No credits will be issued for “No Shows.”
- Transfer enrollment—Enrollment for a workshop may be transferred to another student or family. Please contact the office at if another student or family will be attending instead. All cancellation/refund policies still apply.
- Disruptive behavior- Any student disruptive to a workshop or discourteous to teachers or other students will have one brief private discussion with an instructor and be issued a warning. Parents or Guardians will be contacted and the student will be asked to leave for subsequent disruptions. No refund will be issued.
SOS4Students reserves the right to cancel or postpone any workshop. If a workshop is canceled, we will contact you via the email address you provided when you registered for the class and give you the option of a refund or credit.
Students will be provided with workbooks and any necessary supplies (pens, markers, post-its, etc.) for the workshops. Many activities are done through Google classroom, other web based programs, or have an option to use a digital version. Students will get more out of the workshop if they bring a non-school issued device to access these opportunities. A limited number of Chromebooks will be available for students to borrow on a first come first serve basis. Students may be asked to share devices if there are not enough in the room so that all students have some access to the material.
We ask that students have their cellphones put away during workshop instruction time. We do have breaks that will allow students to check their phones.
Workshops include 5-10 minute breaks, with the number and length of breaks depending on the workshop duration. Individually wrapped snacks will be provided. If your student has any dietary restrictions, please send them with their own snack.
Our coaches have years of experience teaching students in workshop settings. Our workshops offer a diverse array of activities and learning modalities to keep students engaged and learning. We also align the length of daily sessions and ratio of instructor to students to be appropriate for the age of participants.
Our coaches are experienced working with students with a wide range of learning profiles and executive function challenges. They keep all students engaged and continuously monitor progress. Ultimately, parents and caregivers know their children best, so we must rely on the judgement of parents and caregivers to decide how well students will be able to engage in a workshop setting, knowing that all proper supports and engagement tools will be implemented!
Any student disruptive to a workshop or discourteous to teachers or other students will have one brief private discussion with an instructor and be issued a warning. Parents or guardians will be contacted and the student will be asked to leave for subsequent disruptions. No refund will be issued.
If a workshop is cancelled, the SOS4Students office manager will contact you about alternative options if available.
Should your workshop be cancelled, you will have 14 days to respond to SOS4Students regarding a refund.
If a refund is not claimed within 14 days, you will have a credit on file with SOS4Students to use for future SOS4Students services (such as 1:1 coaching and other workshops and webinars).