Academics Archives

How to Transition Successfully to High School

In my last post, I discussed the many obstacles that middle schoolers face, particularly when transitioning from elementary school. This transition is arguably the most difficult of the schooling phases, as so many developmental changes are occurring in a relatively short period of time. The good news is that by the time kids finish 8th grade, many of them have developed sufficient executive function skills that allow them to manage their own academic, emotional, and behavioral functioning. Nevertheless, as we consider how to successfully transition to high school, further challenges remain. Today I want to examine the main hurdles to [...]

By Adam Creasy|June 13th, 2022|Academic Mentoring, Academics, ADHD, College Application, Learning Disabilities, Social Emotional Learning|0 Comments

Understanding Childhood Transitions

Recently I was asked to do a presentation with a large corporation, with the focus on how to raise children successfully during the middle and high school years. As a former high school counselor and middle school principal, I was excited for this opportunity; I know firsthand how difficult it is to navigate these years, both for parents and for students. When considering the successful navigation of the middle and high school years, we must first understand the inherent obstacles children and adolescents experience during these times. While there are countless theories that breakdown the development of children and adolescents, [...]

By Adam Creasy|April 11th, 2022|Academic Mentoring, Academics, Social Emotional Learning|0 Comments

How to Survive Remote Learning

The 2020-2021 school year has officially kicked off for many students. Here in Texas several schools began school this week, with just about all of them offering a remote-only option. My school is one of them, and we had a very successful first day. As other schools begin the reopening process, it is apparent that remote learning will be with us in some capacity for the foreseeable future. As discussed in my previous post, remote learning offers students safety measures during this pandemic; however, it also presents some challenges even for the most conscientious student. I wanted to share with [...]

By Adam Creasy|August 14th, 2020|Academic Mentoring, Academics, Learning Disabilities, Study Skills|0 Comments

Returning to School in the Age of COVID-19

With the 2019-2020 school year firmly behind us, it’s now time to figure out what’s in store for 2020-2021. As of today, there are now over 3 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States alone. And that has many parents asking, “What is the plan for school this fall?” I can assure you that schools all over the world are still asking this same question even as we approach the looming start of the school year. The Texas Education Agency released guidelines about 10 days ago that have already been changed and updated as of yesterday. Just when [...]

By Adam Creasy|July 8th, 2020|Academic Mentoring, Academics, Social Emotional Learning|0 Comments

The Transition to Online Learning

Like just about everyone else in the United States (and most parts of the world), I’m currently on lockdown in my house. I’m hopeful we can get back to normal in the not-too-distant future, but until then, I’m learning to adapt to this new reality. The outbreak of COVID-19 has presented some unique challenges for all of us, and I’m hopeful that you and your family are doing ok during this time. On March 23 our school made the transition to online learning for at least 2 weeks. That 2-week period was eventually extended to 3 weeks, and recently we [...]

By Adam Creasy|April 3rd, 2020|Academic Mentoring, Academics, ADHD, Learning Disabilities, Organization, Social Emotional Learning|0 Comments

Can My IQ Change?

The term IQ has been around for over 100 years. But what exactly does IQ mean? And how does it relate to kids in school today? In the early 20th Century, statisticians and psychologists began attempting to quantify the idea of intelligence. Through a series and iterations of various tests and experiments, the term “Intelligence Quotient” was coined in an attempt to assign a number to one’s intellectual ability. During World War I, the government used various measures to “test” recruits to determine which tasks they were best suited. At this time the rise of IQ testing took off, [...]

By Adam Creasy|March 2nd, 2020|Academics, Evaluation|0 Comments

How to Set Achievable Goals

Although New Year’s is in our rearview mirror and we are well into 2020, many of us are still working on our New Year’s resolutions. For some this may be to lose weight. For others it may be to get finances in order. But for many students, the goal this time of year is to bring grades up, get into college, or score high on the SAT or ACT. Before achieving a goal, however, it is important to understand how to set yourself up for success. It is no coincidence that many New Year’s resolutions taper off in February and [...]

By Adam Creasy|February 3rd, 2020|Academics, ACT, Austin Tutoring, Organization, SAT|0 Comments

How to Handle Transition

I hope you are all enjoying your summers! It’s been a great one for me and my family so far; we enjoyed a week on the coast in Connecticut and are preparing to head off to San Diego for another week on the beach. How can I complain? But in the midst of my summer break, I am dealing with a huge transition in my life. This past spring I was promoted from high school counselor to head of our middle school. My last post talked about this new role, and it is a great opportunity for me to continue [...]

By Adam Creasy|July 10th, 2019|Academic Mentoring, Academics, Social Emotional Learning|0 Comments

Film Review – Race to Nowhere

This past Sunday I was invited to a screening of the documentary, Race to Nowhere, and sit on a discussion panel afterwards. This particular event was hosted by a private K-8 school in Austin, and it was a chance for parents to 1) see the film, and 2) discuss the issues raised. I was very impressed with the level of engagement by the parents in attendance and the questions they had. This particular documentary was released in 2010. It focuses on the rise in anxiety and depression as a result of increased academic demands on students. The issues included increased [...]

By Adam Creasy|January 14th, 2019|Academics, ACT, College Application, Social Emotional Learning|0 Comments

Test Taking Tips for Final Exams

Only 2 weeks of school to go! But before we dismiss for the winter break, many students must endure and conquer fall final exams. While final exams are essentially non-existent for elementary students, many middle-school and almost all high-school students must prepare for these major exams. But preparing is only half the battle. How can a student effectively take the exam once the preparation is over? Here are my top test taking tips for final exams. Make sure you have the correct exam. This may seem obvious, but I’ve seen students discover they have been taking the wrong final exam [...]

By Adam Creasy|December 10th, 2018|Academics, Organization, Study Skills|0 Comments