S01Ep04: Academic Reality and Support [part 2]

[00:00:00] Speaker A: This podcast is produced by members of the University of Alabama Parent Advisory Council and reflects the personal views, experiences, and opinions of the hosts and guests. These views are independent and do not represent, reflect or speak on behalf of the University of Alabama, its administration, faculty, staff, or affiliated organizations. The content shared is for general informational and conversational purposes only. It is not intended to provide academic, medical, legal, financial, or institutional advice. While we aim to share thoughtful and helpful perspectives, we make no guarantees regarding accuracy, completeness, or timeliness. Listeners are encouraged to verify information independently and rely on official University of Alabama communications for policies, decisions, and guidance. Listening to this podcast is voluntary and any actions taken based on the content are done at your own discretion and risk. Welcome to Parent Perspectives. Navigating the University of Alabama experience as a parent can be exciting, overwhelming, and full of questions. And you don't have to do it alone. Parent Perspectives is a podcast by parents, for parents and with parents created to share real conversations, trusted insights, and firsthand experiences from those who've been there. Whether your student is Bama bound, settling into freshman year or finding their stride on campus, this is your go to source for all things Bama student related. From academics in campus life to traditions and the moments that matter most, we cover what parents want to know honestly and thoughtfully. Tune in and feel confident knowing you're part of a supportive Bama parent community. [00:01:51] Speaker B: Welcome. In our previous episode we talked about academic transition with students experience during their very first year at the University of Alabama. In this episode we're going to continue the conversation by focusing on the support support systems available to students and how parents can encourage independence while they're being a source of support. Of course, let's start with the resources that exist for our students. Brian, what support systems exist for students academically and how do they typically access them? [00:02:24] Speaker C: Well, there are a lot so students who are struggling and I will say even for students who aren't struggling, these are some good resources for them to be aware of. So first, the really fantastic Capstone center for Student Success they offer tutoring, name the subject academic coaching. If you are a student or if your student had some struggles in high school, they may need an academic coach and that is someone who is going to help them work on their weekly schedules, work on their classes, help them keep up with assignments, and provide a way for them to check in and have some accountability for their schoolwork and then study help. And so that's really huge for first year adjustments so they don't need to be in trouble in order to go to the capstone Center. It is there for all levels of students. Their academic advisors are going to be a big resource for them. So once they've moved into their major and they know that their history professor is their advisor, that's a person that they can go to for academic help. There's also writing center and tutoring services. And again, they offer free help with papers, with math, with coursework, with speeches, you name it. And they don't need to be in trouble academically in order to get that help. Students who are in the Honors College, Blunt Scholars, whatever it is, they can go there as well and find another reader for the work that they're, that they want to be successful in. [00:03:50] Speaker B: It's better being prepared. And also it's part of your tuition. Yes, yes. Use what you've got and the resources that are available to you. And it doesn't cost anything. It's part of your tuition. And it also just kind of reinforces, because let's just face it, parents, some students are going to get teachers that they don't really bond with. So if they don't bond, they don't have that relationship with students. This is a great way to get those resources saying, I'm not getting this. That's okay, because there's graduate students who do get it and they can help you get it. Lynn Ann, let's talk about support systems for students academically and how they can typically access them. I'd love to hear your perspective on that. [00:04:29] Speaker D: So in addition to what Brian shared, one of the offices that I think is hugely helpful to students is the Office of Disability Services. So for who have had in the past, They've had a 504 plan or an IEP individualized education plan, they are absolutely going to want to access this office early and regularly. They want to get their accommodations taken care of quickly. And it's a whole new process. This isn't something that is just transferred over. So it's a whole new process that they need to begin with this office. But it is hugely, hugely supportive of the students and it is a tremendous resource for them. [00:05:19] Speaker B: Well, Lynn Ann, and sometimes students might be to say, I had that before, do I really need it now? And sometimes it's better to do that in advance. So maybe you don't need anymore, but don't you need to find out that first and go through your classes and figure out maybe you don't need all those resources after all, but at least you have them just in case? Would you agree with me? [00:05:37] Speaker D: Absolutely. And, and I would say that if you're experiencing problems even in the midst of the semester, they might not be able to go back and provide them. But they can prepare you for the upcoming semester. But you always have the opportunity to at least go and reach out to them and ask what additional support they can provide for you. They might not be able to provide it right then, but they can absolutely provide it for you later in the future or even make suggestions for you of other resources to access. [00:06:09] Speaker B: That's great advice and great information. Jackie, what about from your perspective? What can you share with us today? [00:06:15] Speaker E: Well, I really wanted to highlight the Office of Student Care and well Being because they do aid our students with any personal or financial or academic emergencies that may happen because you may not be close to campus like I am. I'm only about an hour and 45 minutes away. But it's for our out of state parents. If you need to get to your student or something happens that is a valuable resource to have. Also the counseling center life happens and it happens at once a lot of the time. So each of our colleges do have embedded counselors that will help with the mental health checkups and crisis management. And then lastly the career center. I have always been huge on the career center because it's never too early to start building your brand. I tell my students that are currently there and it starts from Bama bound. Just knowing what you want to get into and have ideas about internships. Because being successful is the top priority. [00:07:20] Speaker B: Absolutely. Those resources are so important to students and of course as parents, knowing about them. But what is the role parents play from a distance? You brought that up, Jackie. You're so close, but some of us are. So far. I'm in Tennessee. We have people in California and Texas and all over the country. So how can parents encourage independence while of course still saying support academically? Brian, I want to begin with you. [00:07:47] Speaker C: Yes. I always want to remind parents that in the three months or so between high school graduation and Move in Day, your student hasn't magically transformed into a 40 year old adult. They still need you. There is a significant body of research that shows how important it is for student success that you stay involved. That doesn't mean hovering over them. It doesn't mean reading their work. It doesn't mean contacting their professors and their advisors like you might have done with their high school teachers. So your role has changed, but your influence hasn't changed. So students whose parents remain positively engaged, they're more likely to persist through challenges. They're more likely to stay academically motivated. They're more likely to feel emotionally supportive. But involved no longer means solving their problems for them or managing their schedules. So one of the metaphors I like to use with them is you're not their manager or their CEO anymore. You're a consultant. So you're there when they need you. You're on retainer for them and you still need to be there for them because they also get mixed messages in college. They are infantilized in a lot of ways and then they're expected again to be 40 year old adults in all sorts of other ways. So it's a very confusing time for them. They still need you as that soft place to land if things aren't going well. [00:09:04] Speaker B: Lynan okay, we're consultants. Let's remember that we're consultants. Now what do you have to say about this? [00:09:10] Speaker D: We are consultants, but we're also encouragers and we're supporters. You know, it's one of those times when you might talk to your student and you're, it's time to allow them, your student, just to talk and to vent. They don't necessarily need you to fix it, right? Then, you know, you're, you're asking them questions, not in a fact finding way, but because you have a genuine interest in the things that they're doing. You know, what are you, how is, how are, how are your classes going? Tell me what's interesting to you. You know, you're not asking them about their grades, you're not asking them about the stuff that, that typically causes teenage angst. You're. Right now you're sharing that, that common interest and you're, you're solidifying your place that you are still there for them. But you're absolutely there. They're ch. You're their encourager. You're there to just listen and be that parent that's super important to them. [00:10:14] Speaker B: That is so well said. And it's hard, it's not easy to make that transition from high school to college. We're not talking about the students. We're talking about us parents, right? We're talking about us parents right now. Another challenge families often ask about is the adjustment students have experienced once classes begin. Jackie, what are some of the most academic struggles freshmen face during their first semester? [00:10:38] Speaker E: I think first is just that academic adjustment. You know, maybe having to learn different ways to study. That would be for sure. Their newfound independence would be a second thing that I would say because there's now nobody there to make them go to class, nobody there to make them do their assignments and things like that. And then lastly, I think living in the dorm because that can be a culture shock for you as a parent and for your student because there's nobody gonna clean up behind them and they have to do laundry. And as a person that is often on campus, there's a lot of swag given out at Bama Bound and we see a lot of pink, soft pink shirts that started out white or started out red. We see a lot of that. So just learning a couple of the different life skills before they get to campus, like how to do laundry and when you need to take out the trash, things like that. [00:11:41] Speaker B: Clean your bathrooms. Right. Brian, from you give us some your insight on this as well. [00:11:47] Speaker C: Yeah, I think one of the big struggles freshmen have is that they have schedules that they aren't prepared to be successful with or they're in courses that they're not prepared to be successful with. And a lot of that happens because they feel pressure to major in something that they're not exactly happy about or they're not inclined to be successful in. So the steepest decline in majors or programs from first semester to second semester, pre med and engineering. So students who knew they were going to be doctors when they started off or their parents told them they were going to be doctors, but they really were not academically yet. They may later on, but yet they were not academically prepared for that. They were successful in high school, but some adjustment hasn't quite happened yet for them. [00:12:32] Speaker B: What I love about this podcast is his parents perspectives and Lannan, I would love to hear yours because I'm sure you have a lot because you have two daughters and so I would love to hear what you have to say about that to share with others. [00:12:46] Speaker D: So I think there's a lot of things pulling at their time. Right. And, and it's, it's helping them, it's, it's helping them balance that. It's, it's helping them understand where can they go for that academic support and identifying, hey, I'm really struggling with this. This class is really hard. What do I need to do? I don't really know where to go. It's helping point them to the right places. Now you can't make them go. You can make the suggestions and give them the support that they need in pointing them to the right resources that they need. But that I think that's what I found to be the most helpful thing for me as a parent helping my girls navigate some of those academic struggles is, oh, okay, so you think that this is a little bit challenging. What are some of the things that. Let's talk through maybe some of the things that you could do. Tell me what you're already trying and then encourage them, support them and say, hey, you're doing a good job with that. That was a great idea. I didn't think about that, but yeah, you did good there. But have you thought about this? You're just allowing them to bounce things off of you and you're giving suggestions. That's what you're doing as a parent. [00:14:03] Speaker B: Suggestions. And also. I'm sorry, go ahead, Brian. What do you have about it? [00:14:07] Speaker C: I was just going to add that. I think that's. I agree with all of that. But I'd also add too that it's important to respect your students academic time. There are times I want to talk to my son and I call him and he says, I have 80 pages to read for tomorrow. Then he needs to go read his 80 pages. So they are living the lives of young adults and they have their own schedules and their own expectations that they have to think about. [00:14:30] Speaker B: Well, looking at the parent perspective, one of the most I think stressful moments can be when a student actually shares with you they're struggling with their grades. My own son had that with economics and there was no dropping that class. So you have to figure it out how you're going to take that grade up. Not only do you have $3,000, you can drop the class, but I don't think you do. So I think you better figure out how you can get that grade. So how should parents respond to their students if they're having trouble academically? Brian, let's begin with you on this one. [00:15:00] Speaker C: Sure. I think it's important to first identify what the source of their struggle is. Are they taking too many hours? Are they in courses where they don't have buy in that? It's just not what they're invested in. Is it an academic struggle? They don't understand the material? Is it a life adjustment struggle or is it a mental health struggle? There are some classes that students overall are more likely to struggle in early on writing. So a composition class, you get a lot of struggles there where they might not have had that struggle before. And then math and languages. So I think before you can help them or help them find their resources that we've outlined before, figure out what [00:15:40] Speaker B: the problem is, identifying the problem. And sometimes it is that, especially if it's a class in your major, you don't have a choice in this. You have to get through it. But what's not resonating with you and how can you get the resources to make sure that this class is only going to help you get through your next class? Right. It's the journey, I would say, that you're on and path. Lynn, I would love you to comment on that and your perspective of, you know, if your students facing something and having difficulty academically. What do you advise? What do you advise parents to do? [00:16:10] Speaker D: Well, one of the things that I tell parents to encourage their students with at the very, very beginning of the semester is to go meet their teachers during office hours, get to know them so that in the event that they're having a challenge during the class, they've already made a connection with the teacher. So that's one thing that's less intimidating, that's less scary for them to go reach out to the teacher, especially if it's an, if it's a true academic issue or if it's. They're not understanding some of the content of the material. The teacher is always going to be, is always going to be the first line of defense, if you will. But let's say that it is like they're having a, I don't know, mental health issue as it relates to this. And then that's a completely different story. And then we need to point them to the correct resources for that. They might need to access the counseling center. They might need to talk to somebody and talk it through. But if it's a true academic issue, of course, we've talked about other options and lots of different resources. But I love it when they've talked to the teacher or a TA ahead of time and they've gotten to know them so that they feel really confident and comfortable going in and talking to them when they've encountered an issue. [00:17:32] Speaker B: Well, incontinence is key, right, to make for success. So let's build on that idea by talking about one of the biggest adjustments students face these days, what time management skills or habits help students succeed during their first year. Jackie, Time management give us some advice that we can pass on to our students. [00:17:53] Speaker E: So I think it's first important to know that be able to acknowledge that all classes are not going to be fun, they're not all going to be a blast and you're not going to have a great time in them. But that's the tale of the prerequisite. So time management is super important for that reason. So we can try things like time blocking. There are calendars. You may do a share calendar with your student, have them Create a task list. A task list works for me on a regular basis. So I think being able to identify them as a young adult, not like Brian said, they're not a 40 year old student. They're learning to balance that academic and social life because they're going to hear on campus a lot, get involved, get involved. But then there is also a thing such as too involved. So we don't want them to be too involved, but involved just enough to make their college experience exactly what they want. So using some of those, like the Pomodoro technique, you know, working in segments, trying to get their assignments and things like that done. And again, joining a couple of clubs. Join 1. Just to be silly. I don't know if anybody's ever saw, but if you look on YouTube there, there used to be a Quidditch team at UA that they used to be on the quad. So do something silly because you enjoy it and that will help emotionally stabilize [00:19:26] Speaker B: the student in socialization. I think that's what you said. You hit the nail on the head there. It's like different things. And what works for your roommate may not work for you. And come up with a system of time management that works for you. And then also if it doesn't work with you, let's pivot. Let's not keep that same program if it's not working for you. And you can get advice and the resources. Brian, I know you have lots to add on the subject as well. [00:19:51] Speaker C: Yeah, it probably seems obvious to us, but keeping a planner is not a skill that many of them have developed in planning out their work. So one challenge that college freshmen will have is being deceived by the amount of time they have to complete something so they can fall prey to the illusion that something due in November means they have two months before they start working on that, rather than they need to be working for two months toward completing that. And then it's harder for them to recover when a project is much larger than they imagined at the start of the semester. And then I'll tell you, a general problem college students have is being susceptible to the thinking that they're better students than they are of not getting a realistic assessment of the kinds of work they need to put in to be successful in their classes. [00:20:42] Speaker B: So true. So before we close this episode, let's focus on what parents should remember. Jackie, let's start with you. [00:20:50] Speaker E: Your students are kids first learning to be adults. So give them a little bit of grace. [00:20:56] Speaker B: Lynn Ann, what do you have to say about that? [00:20:59] Speaker D: Remember, you are an encourager. And if your child can't talk to you at that moment or they can't text you, it doesn't mean that they don't want to. They'll get there. [00:21:08] Speaker B: I like that. Okay. And Brian, take us home. [00:21:11] Speaker C: Well, I will say that if your student is struggling to continue to remind them that the University of Alabama has an office or a person on campus who will help you with whatever you're going through, there's nothing you could be experiencing that you can't find some help with. [00:21:26] Speaker B: I remember Dr. Mohler said once with us with our pat group with their parent advisory counselor. He says, what's Bama known for? Football. Football. [00:21:33] Speaker E: Football. [00:21:34] Speaker B: But it's also known for resources, resources, resources and lets parents and students remember that, that you are supported. We're all around the country campus and we're here for you. We're the UA Parent Perspective. We're here for you to answer your questions and we're a resource for you. And we'll see you next time on our next episode. Thanks so much for joining us. [00:21:56] Speaker A: Thanks for tuning in today for the latest episode of Parent Perspectives, brought to you by the University of Alabama Parent Advisory Council. Check out all our podcasts on Voice Voices UA Edu. You can learn more about the Parent Advisory Council, Parent Perspectives and UA Parent Family programs on the UA Parent and Family Programs website at Parents sl UA Edu.