Stop Talking about It and Get it Done!

 

This Week with Sara Fitts is dealing with people who constantly bombard me with talking about the same old stuff and never resolve it.  For example, I've been told for more than 10 years about how someone has a room in their house that has too many relics and artifacts in it.  They say they don't know what to do with any of it.  I've tried my hardest to assist them in this endeavor by telling them simply:  It's your stuff so you can rearrange it, keep as is, donate it, sell it, or throw it out.  The person continues to perseverate on this topic.  So This Week with Sara Fitts is making a major call to action:  Stop talking about it and get it done!!!  So, if you have similarities to the person aforementioned, Stop Talking about It and Get It Done!  Start today!  You'll be so empowered that you did!

Never Settle for Less than Your Best Life

 

This Week with Sara Fitts is focusing on ways to achieve our best lives.  The past couple of years have showed us that life often throws us curves that we don't expect and often times don't want.  The pandemic itself brought so many changes to each one of us.  But it also taught us lessons that we can use as a basis for major growth.

As Marcel Proust wrote, "The real voyage of discovery consists, not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes."  I believe, especially as a professional coach, that we can change our lives simply by looking at our current situation with "new eyes" and literally seeing new options in real time.  Nothing is ever perfect for anyone.  But we can perfect our situations by looking at our lives and seeing different opportunities when we look at our lives with fresh eyes.  If we continue seeing our situations in the same old ways, we cannot even visualize what's possible for us.

If we believe that our current situation is our permanent situation, then we are not utilizing all our tools that are readily available for us.  We must never settle for less than our best lives - ever!  Have a wonderful week - and use new eyes to really see what's ahead for you!

Sara Fitts is a professional coach based in Manassas, Virginia.  She owns SLF Consulting and specializes in academic, instructional, personal, and business coaching.  To find out more, contact CoachSaraFitts@gmail.com or sara.fitts@SLFConsulting.com.

After a Long Sabbatical, I'm Back!!!

 

After a long sabbatical,, I'm pleased to be back with This Week with Sara Fitts!  I have a lot to report and I'm so happy to be back next week (June 6, 2022) with another edition of This Week with Sara Fitts!  

I'll see you on Monday!

Back to School - and Back to Success

This Week with Sara Fitts is celebrating Back to School - and Back to Success with a tutor/academic coach.  Sara Fitts and SLF Consulting provide math tutorials, reading tutorials, SAT Prep, and study skills / time management for students of all ages and grade levels, including college.  Each tutorial session is designed for the specific needs of each student - and is delivered one-on-one.  Even our SAT Prep programs are individualized for the specific needs of each student and delivered one-on-one.  We provide tutorials in our office at 8425 Dorsey Circle, Suite 102 in Manassas, Virginia - as well as world-wide via Skype.

Sara Fitts has more than 30 years of experience as an educator and coach - and SLF Consulting has been in business since 2000.

If you are wanting the student in your life to experience greater success, please  contact us today!

Back to School Boot Camp: Top Apps for Students

This Week with Sara Fitts focuses today on the top apps for student success.  These apps are easily used on all devices - especially phones.  And most are free and available on all platforms.  

1. Office Lens is free and available on iOS, Android, and Windows.  This app is from Microsoft and takes pictures of whiteboards, blackboards, magazines, books, etc. and converts them into editable and shareable text.  You can save images in PDF, Word, or PowerPoint files.
2. Dragon Dictation is free and operates on iOS platform.  This app allows you to talk while it writes what you say.  Powerful tool - especially for students who aren't strong spellers.
3. Microsoft Office mobile app is free for iOS and Android platforms.  The app includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote.  
4. myHomeworkStudentPlanner is free and available on all platforms.  The premium version is $4.99.  This app keeps you organized and on time for all projects, assignments, and tests and exams.
5. Free Graphing Calculator is available on iOS and Android platforms.  It provides on the spot access to a scientific calculator and is extremely helpful for all math classes, including calculus and statistics.
6. Flashcards Deluxe is $3.99 and available on iOS and Android platforms.  When studying any subject, flash cards are extremely helpful.  
7. Evernote is free and available on all platforms.  It very helpful in taking notes in all subject areas.
8. Merriam-Webster Dictionary is free and available on all platforms.  This app can prove to be a valuable asset.
9. ScannerPro is $3.99 and available on iOS.  This app allows you to scan all paper and make you digital-only - which saves time and keeps you more organized.
10. Tinycards is a free flashcard app on iOS platform.  It comes pre-loaded with many subjects; however, you can create your own flashcards, too.
11. Dropbox is a cloud-based app that allows you to keep all your notes, papers, and projects in one secure place.
12. Scribd is a virtual library.  Although costly at $8.99 for a monthly subscription, it is still a deal if you are required to read articles from different magazines and newspapers.  Check it out to see if this app would work for you and your educational needs.

As you see, lots of apps (and they are being developed daily) are out there to improve student success.  Take advantage of the technology that exists in order to improve your learning, your grades, your organization, and lessen the stress in your studies.

Back to School Boot Camp: Setting the Stage for Success

This Week with Sara Fitts is all about Back to School in this week's installments.  Today the focus is on Setting the Stage for Success.  It takes just a few things to improve each student's chances for a successful academic year - and the following will hopefully set the process in motion.

First, be organized.  Most teachers require notebooks and other items for class.  Make sure the requirements are followed and understood so that all assignments and notes are easily located when needed.  Utilize a variety of colors in order to color-code different items and/or subjects.  Often it is a very simple way to organize that makes all the difference.  Make sure the organization works for you.

Next, utilize technology.  So many apps are available - many for free - that will help you in organization, study skills, test prep, and actual help with a variety of subjects.  (More on this later this week.)  The key is to be open to the technology that is available and utilize it for your best results.

And don't forget old school structures:  index cards, color-coded sticky notes/flags, and binders with dividers.  Whatever it takes for you to set the stage for success, you must incorporate it into your "back to school" mindset.

And, perhaps the most important thing to remember in setting the stage for academic success is your mindset.  If you are to be successful, you need to 

• believe that you will be successful and envision what your success looks like:  Honor Roll, Dean's List, no D's - however you define your success
• set specific times for study and homework - and study is different from homework!  So set times for both!
• have specific places for homework and study - quiet without distractions, music if it helps you work and study, and time limits
• take breaks, exercise, drink water, and get plenty of sleep
• reward yourself for your successes and use your times of less-than-success for re-grouping and learning 
• enjoy the learning and make it meaningful - even if you take courses that you may not like, it will lead you to a diploma and a job - so make the most of the journey!

...More to come

Ready for the New Academic Year

This Week with Sara Fitts is gearing up for the new academic year.  Test prep makes an incredible difference in the lives of students and their parents.  Whether it is PSAT, SAT, ACT, SOL, or any other standardized test, the preparation is the real key to success.

To be successful on standardized tests, the test-taker needs to focus on:

1. time management - managing the time it takes to read the question and prepare the answer
2. stress management - managing the physical, mental, and emotional parts of test-taking
3. test management - managing the various parts of the test to create maximum return
4. curriculum management - managing the actual material that is on the test, knowing the material to be tested, and understanding the process
5. confidence in taking the test