January is a time of new beginnings. Whether you’ve made resolutions for yourself, for your family, or for your student, it’s always important to consider how goals will be achieved. Most students begin their second semester with the best of intentions, but without a plan or additional resources, old habits can take hold by the time the snow melts.   Academic tutoring can help students meet their academic goals and, most importantly, ensure that critical skills are being mastered and retained, which will not only benefit them later in life but also on standardized tests such as the ACT and SAT.   Let’s be honest: students these days have a lot to contend with. Rates of depression and anxiety among students have surged. Even if individual students are doing well academically, their class may still be behind in reaching pre-pandemic educational benchmarks. Learning loss, particularly in mathematics, may be slow to reveal itself as students progress to advanced math courses that build on skills that students are assumed to have mastered.   The benefits of academic tutoring are numerous. However, the personalization of a program to a specific student’s needs may be the most profound. Academic tutoring provides a space for students to ask questions they may not have wanted to ask in class. It gives students valuable one-on-one time with an educator, who accesses the student’s critical thinking processes in addition to their final answers.    For your student, the benefit of academic tutoring may be simpler. It carves out time to dedicate to their schoolwork. According to a 2021 Teacher Survey by the Inverness Institute, 41% report that students are struggling to conduct independent learning, 44% report a decline in student motivation, and 60% report a decrease in students’ attention span. Through academic coaching, students don’t have to struggle on their own. They have an educator there to help guide them through their work, keep them on task, and help break up overwhelming concepts into smaller, attainable steps.   Signs Your Student May Benefit from Academic Tutoring Services It's important to note that good grades do not necessarily equate to good learning practices, and to remember that even high-achieving students may be struggling in ways that aren’t immediately obvious. Some subtle signs that indicate your student could benefit from academic tutoring include:   High rates of stress or anxiety   Procrastination   Memorizing content just to “get through a test”   Spending excessive time on homework or studying  Rarely doing homework or studying  Changes to their sleeping habits  Is defensive or easily angered by questions or discussions about school   Becomes easily frustrated by tasks or is easily distracted Often makes careless errors or typos in schoolwork  If you’ve noticed these behaviors in your student, it is important to get them additional help with their schoolwork. That may mean talking with a teacher or school guidance counselor. It may mean having regular check-ins with your student and asking them questions such as:   Which class are you struggling the most with right now? Why?   Would you like me to edit [...]