Dear Academic Approach Families & Colleagues:

As many students finish their last week of school for this semester, we’re sharing lessons gleaned on important aspects of remote learning, highlighting two topics, in particular, for families to reflect on as they prepare for the break:

Relationships & Engagement

There are aspects of effective in-person instruction that are perhaps even more essential in remote instruction; high-quality relationships are key to academic growth for students regardless of format. These relationships, in combination with targeted, personalized instruction, are why tutoring is so effective in-person or online.

To help promote positive relationships and engagement, families can consider the following:

Are we asking teachers the right questions?

• What specific skills does my child need to work on over break?
• Are there additional assignments or apps my child should be working on to build skills?
• Are there additional office hours or instructional opportunities my child can attend?

Is our student asking teachers the right questions?

• Can I review my mistakes from the last assignment with you?
• Can I talk with you briefly about how to prepare best for the next test?
• Are there specific ways I can practice building my skills over break?

Student Data & Behaviors

As you assess this semester’s test results and student performance, consider: 

• Are grades and test scores trending consistently or is there evidence of a downward trend?
• Is our student attending class consistently and seriously?
• Is our student working rigorously during school and completing homework after school?

Track closely early warning signs of underperformance in order to react, correct, and help students maintain academic progress and avoid learning loss, using the semester break as a time to reflect, adjust, and make improvements.

Be well,
Matthew Pietrafetta, Ph.D., Founder & CEO