Tips for Supporting Your Student’s Learning in Every Subject

August 24, 2023 by Valerie Kirk

4 min to read

Supporting Your Student with Subjects You Don’t Know

Being a Learning Coach comes with many different responsibilities, including making sure your student keeps a consistent schedule and has a good learning space to complete their online school lessons. As a Learning Coach, your primary role is to support and guide your student’s education.

There is a myth that Learning Coaches must also be experts—or at least knowledgeable—in every subject to help their student succeed when they learn from home, especially if they begin to struggle. So, how are you supposed to help your student with a subject that you don’t know that much about?

Online School Teachers: Your Partner in Education

Supporting and guiding your student’s education does not mean that you have to be knowledgeable in every subject they are learning. That’s where the teacher comes in.

Online school teachers are certified to teach your student and have studied the best methods to teach those subjects to all types of learners. They spend time developing lessons, grading assignments, leading LiveLesson™ sessions, and, most importantly, giving individualized assistance to students who need more guidance on subjects they find difficult or have trouble understanding.

Teachers form a critical part of the online school triad along with you and your student. As a Learning Coach, you are the teacher’s daily eyes and ears; you monitor your student’s progress and encourage them to attend LiveLesson sessions and participate in class discussions. You also build their confidence and help them become independent learners.

Because of your role, you are most likely to be one of the first to notice when your student’s grades are starting to slip or if they are struggling to get through lessons because they aren’t fully understanding them. You could see if your student is feeling overwhelmed or anxious because they are having difficulties with a subject or if they are starting to fall behind.

Tips to Help Your Student When They Struggle with Subjects You Aren’t Familiar With

When you see your student start to have difficulties with subjects you don’t know much about—or with any subject for that matter—it’s critical to contact the teacher. If your student is older, it’s a good opportunity to help them learn how to advocate for themselves by having them contact their teacher directly to explain what they need more help with. Their teacher can help break down the lesson in ways that make it easier for your student to understand or offer additional educational resources to help your student gain a better understanding of the subject.

Other ways you can help your student with subjects you aren’t familiar with include:

Review the Coaching Guide. At some schools like Connections Academy, Lessons come with Coaching Guides that include an overview of the lesson, a script that can be used to guide students through the lesson, and a list of supplemental materials that can give students extra practice in the lesson concepts or offer a deeper dive into the subject to explore the concepts in greater detail.
Build a study group. When students struggle with a subject, it’s easy for them to procrastinate with completing lessons or to lose any motivation to study. Having study buddies can help keep them accountable. Ask your student if they have classmates that they would like to form a study group with, then encourage them to invite those students to create a study group. You can assist by utilizing the school directory to find other students in the class or grade level that may be good study partners for your student.
Connect with the school counselor. School counselors can help students work through barriers that may be hindering their success and provide resources to support their overall well-being. They can also guide your student on building a class schedule that meets graduation requirements and is a good fit for their skills, interests, and future career path.
Hire a tutor. Your homeroom teacher or subject teacher can recommend tutoring support, which could be from a teacher or from a peer tutor.

Learning Coaches can also find a wealth of resources on Learning Coach Central.

It is important that you foster independence in your student and help them gain the confidence they need to seek help from these and other resources on their own.

A Learning Coach helping a student learning an unfamiliar subject

Helping Students Through Every Subject

There is no one-size-fits-all plan to be a successful Learning Coach, but one thing is certain—you don’t have to be an expert in every subject.

Build positive working relationships with your student’s teachers. Help your student learn how to advocate for themselves and to raise their hand early if they don’t understand part of a lesson. Monitor their daily progress to catch when they start to fall behind. Establish a daily school schedule and routine to help your student stay focused and keep them on track.

Most importantly, never hesitate to reach out to your student’s teachers if they get stuck on a lesson or are falling behind. You, your student, and their teachers are all on this journey together!