Academic Coaching for Parents with Dr Anna York-Weaving

Anna York-Weaving
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Welcome to Academic Coaching for Parents with Dr. Anna York-Weaving—your go-to resource for raising well-rounded, successful children in a world teeming with digital distractions. Hosted by Dr. Anna York-Weaving, a scientist, academic coach and educator with over a decade of educational experience, this podcast offers practical strategies and insights to help parents support their children’s academic journeys and personal growth. Dr. Anna York-Weaving has transformed the lives of countless students, empowering them to reach their full potential through tailored academic coaching. In each episode, she shares her secrets to fostering strong study habits, building resilience and nurturing the skills that will prepare your children for lifelong success. But that’s not all. Academic Coaching for Parents also features interviews with industry experts, scientists and educators, who bring their own unique perspectives on education, learning and child development. These conversations offer valuable insights and actionable advice to help you navigate the challenges of modern parenting. Whether you’re navigating the university application process or seeking ways to enhance your child’s learning experience, this podcast provides the tools, expert opinions and inspiration you need. Join Dr. Anna York-Weaving as she explores how academic coaching and expert guidance can unlock the best version of your child, helping them thrive both academically and personally. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. Jun 12

    #47 - The Psychology of Eating: How Children Develop Their Relationship with Food with Professor Jane Ogden

    Have you ever wondered why your child’s eating habits can feel so difficult to manage, even when you know what healthy eating should look like? In this week's episode, I am joined by Professor Jane Ogden, Professor of Health Psychology at University of Surrey, whose work has shaped how we understand the psychological and behavioural factors behind how and why we eat. Professor Ogden has published over 280 research papers and authored a number of books, including several focused specifically on eating behaviour. Alongside her research, she has taught topics related to eating behaviour to students across psychology, medicine, nutrition and related fields for over three decades. Professor Ogden has recently published her latest book How to Eat Well at Every Age, published by Routledge, and in this episode we explore some of the key ideas from the book together with insights from her wider research. 🎙️ In this episode, we discuss: ✅ What eating well means and why eating is shaped by more than nutrition ✅ Why children develop different eating habits and how these patterns form early ✅ What it means to be a “good food parent” ✅ The difference between overt and covert control and what the research tells us ✅ Why rewards and modelling can have a lasting impact on eating behaviour ✅ How body image and modern environments may influence children’s relationship with food Whether you are navigating fussy eating, thinking about how habits form or simply looking to better understand your child’s relationship with food, this episode offers practical and research informed insights for parents. 🔗 Links & Resources Professor Jane Ogden https://www.surrey.ac.uk/people/jane-ogden LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jane-ogden-3328504b/ 📘 “How to Eat Well at Every Age” by Prof Jane Ogden https://www.routledge.com/How-to-Eat-Well-at-Every-Age/Ogden/p/book/9781032987255?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23526953194&gbraid=0AAAAACWuhHW1ASIMzbfGL4HhazxWgkClq&gclid=CjwKCAjwuanRBhBSEiwAY5y6V_UNudSoMnTKXo0J-g3p-vGEOKz99RCYUJ2cz027C_4ETNHRGXv_mBoCyBcQAvD_BwE 📩 Enjoyed this episode? Share it with another parent and do not forget to subscribe for more conversations on academic success and student wellbeing. 👉 Interested in personalised academic coaching? Book a free 30 minute consultation via my website: https://www.york-weaving-education.co.uk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    39 min

  2. Jun 2

    #46 - Understanding Disconnection in Children and How Parents Can Help with Amber Chandler

    Have you ever looked at your child and felt that something has shifted in their motivation, their focus or even their engagement? In this episode of Academic Coaching for Parents, I am joined by Amber Chandler, an award-winning educator, author and speaker from New York, with over 20 years of classroom experience. Amber has recently published her book “Reclaiming Connection”, published by Routledge, and in today's episode we discuss the key ideas explored in the book. Over the past few years, many parents and educators have reflected on whether something has shifted in children and students. In her work, Amber explores questions around motivation, loneliness, screen use and a growing sense of disconnection both at school and at home. In this conversation, we explore how connection shapes learning, wellbeing and development, and what parents can do to help rebuild stronger relationships and communities around their children. 🎙️ In this episode, we discuss: ✅ How students have changed since the COVID-19 pandemic and what educators are noticing in classrooms ✅ Why loneliness, isolation and disconnection may be influencing motivation and engagement ✅ The role technology, social media and screen time may play in shaping children’s relationships and attention ✅ How schools and families can work together to better support children ✅ Practical ideas including family meetings and creating opportunities for meaningful connection at home ✅ Why helping children develop belonging, resilience and community may matter more than ever Whether you are a parent, educator or simply interested in how children learn and thrive in today’s world, this episode offers practical insights and thoughtful reflection on how we can begin rebuilding connection in children’s lives. 🔗 Links & Resources 📘 “Reclaiming Connection” by Amber Chandler https://www.routledge.com/Reclaiming-Connection-How-Schools-and-Families-Can-Nurture-Belonging-in-a-Scared-New-World/Chandler/p/book/9781041114338 LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/msamberchandler/ 📩 Enjoyed this episode? Share it with another parent or educator, and don’t forget to subscribe for more conversations on academic success and student wellbeing. 👉 Interested in personalised academic coaching with me? Book a free 30 minute consultation via my website: https://www.york-weaving-education.co.uk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    56 min

  3. May 13

    #45 - Struggling to Support Your Child During Exams? A Practical Guide to Revision Season

    Have you ever felt unsure how to support your child during exam revision season, despite wanting to help them succeed? Because more often than not, the challenge is not your child’s ability, but the lack of a clear system for how to revise effectively. Revision season can be a stressful time not just for students, but for parents too. It can feel like you are constantly trying to motivate, guide and support, without always knowing what actually works. In this episode, I walk you through practical strategies to help your child approach revision with more structure, focus and confidence. 🎙️ In this episode, I discuss: ✅ Why studying is a skill that needs to be taught, not something students automatically know how to do ✅ How to create a realistic and effective daily revision structure using focused study blocks ✅ Why routine, rest and sleep are important for memory, focus and performance ✅ How to build a clear revision plan to reduce stress and avoid decision fatigue ✅ Practical ways to support your child with phone use and minimise distractions during revision Whether your child is preparing for GCSEs, A Levels or internal mock exams, this episode will give you the tools to support them more effectively during one of the most demanding periods of the academic year. 🔗 Links & Resources 📩 Enjoyed this episode? Share it with another parent or educator, and don’t forget to subscribe for more conversations on academic success and student wellbeing. 👉 Interested in personalised academic coaching? Book a free 30-minute consultation via my website: https://www.york-weaving-education.co.uk/ 👉 Looking for more structured support during revision season? Explore my Exam Revision Accelerator designed to help students build focus, structure and effective revision habits: https://www.york-weaving-education.co.uk/exam-revision-accelerator Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    15 min

  4. May 7

    #44 - How to Teach Critical Thinking to Teenagers in a World of Social Media & Misinformation with Dr Maree Davies

    Have you ever asked yourself, in a world shaped by social media, algorithms and constant information, how do we know if our children have the skills to think critically, recognise misinformation and think for themselves? In this episode, I am joined by Dr Maree Davies, a researcher and senior lecturer based at the University of Auckland, whose work focuses on critical thinking and how young people engage with information in an increasingly complex digital world. Her research explores how students develop the ability to question, evaluate and form reasoned judgements, particularly in the context of modern challenges such as social media, algorithms and misinformation. She is especially interested in how these skills can be taught explicitly, rather than assumed within education. Dr Davies is also the author of Teaching Critical Thinking to Teenagers, published by Routledge, a book that offers a structured and practical approach to developing critical thinking skills in young people. She introduces the Street Smarts model, designed to help students navigate information, think independently and engage more thoughtfully with the world around them. In this conversation, we explore what critical thinking really involves, why it has become such an essential skill today, and how parents and educators can support young people in developing it. 🎙️ In this episode, we discuss: ✅ What critical thinking actually means ✅ Why teenagers can be vulnerable to fake news and misinformation ✅ How social media algorithms influence thinking and decision-making ✅ What is happening in the adolescent brain during this key stage of development ✅ How to recognise cognitive bias and flawed thinking patterns ✅ Practical ways to help your child think independently and form their own views ✅ How the Street Smarts model can be applied at home and in education Whether your child is navigating social media, forming opinions or learning how to think more independently, this episode will give you the tools to better understand and support their thinking in a complex digital world. 🔗 Links & Resources Research & University Profile - https://profiles.auckland.ac.nz/mj-davies https://www.linkedin.com/in/maree-davies-22a39411/ Teaching Critical Thinking to Teenagers Book https://www.routledge.com/Teaching-Critical-Thinking-to-Teenagers-How-Kids-Can-Be-Street-Smart-about-AI-Algorithms-Fake-News-and-Social-Media/Davies/p/book/9781032944906 📩 Enjoyed this episode? Share it with another parent or educator interested in learning, productivity and sustainable success. 👉 Interested in personalised academic coaching? Book a free 30 minute consultation with me via my website: https://www.york-weaving-education.co.uk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    57 min

  5. Mar 25

    #43 - GCSE & A-Level Exam Stress: Is Your Child Revising Properly?

    Have you found yourself wondering whether your child is actually revising properly for their GCSEs or A-Levels? In the final weeks before exams, many students are sitting at their desks, but without a clear plan, effective study strategies or a structured approach to revision. And as a parent, that uncertainty can feel incredibly stressful. In this episode, I unpack why this stage often feels overwhelming, not because students aren’t capable, but because they haven’t been shown how to revise effectively. I also explain what tends to go wrong in the final weeks before exams, what effective revision actually involves, and how you can start to recognise whether your child is on the right track. Most importantly, this episode will help you understand what your child really needs at this stage, and why having the right structure and guidance in place can make such a significant difference. 🎙️ In this episode, you’ll learn: ✅ Why “just revising more” is often not enough ✅ What many students get wrong in the final weeks before exams ✅ What effective revision actually involves (based on cognitive science) ✅ How to recognise whether your child is on the right track ✅ Why this stage often creates stress and uncertainty for parents If your child feels lost, unstructured or unsure where to start with revision, this episode will help you make sense of what’s happening and what matters most right now. There is still time to make a difference, but it starts with understanding what to focus on. 🔗 Links & Resources 👉 Learn more about the 6-week Exam Accelerator Programme: https://www.york-weaving-education.co.uk/exam-revision-accelerator 📅 Book a free 30-minute consultation to discuss how I can support your child: https://www.york-weaving-education.co.uk/ 📩 Enjoyed this episode? Share it with another parent or educator, and don’t forget to subscribe for more evidence-based insights on academic success and student wellbeing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    10 min

  6. Mar 13

    #42 - Why Working Less Makes You More Productive with Alex Soojung-Kim Pang

    In a culture that celebrates busyness and long working hours, rest is often treated as something we earn after productivity. But what if that idea is completely wrong? In this episode of Academic Coaching for Parents, I am joined by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang, founder of 4 Day Week Studio and a globally recognised expert on the future of work. Alex has worked with companies, nonprofits and governments around the world to rethink how productivity and work culture should function. He is the author of several influential books including Rest, Shorter, Work Less Do More: Designing the 4 Day Week and The Distraction Addiction. His work explores how individuals and organisations can better integrate rest, creativity and focus into modern working life. His research challenges the deeply embedded belief that working longer hours leads to better results. Instead, it shows that many highly creative and productive individuals rarely worked more than four focused hours per day and built their lives around deliberate rest, recovery and deep focus. In this conversation we explore how rest supports creativity, learning and sustained performance and why working less can sometimes help us achieve more. 🎙️ In this episode, we discuss: ✅ Why many high performers rarely work more than four hours of deep work per day ✅ What deliberate rest really means and why it is essential for productivity ✅ Why rest is often misunderstood as laziness in achievement focused cultures ✅ The role of walking, sleep and deep play in creativity and problem solving ✅ Why morning routines and focused work rhythms matter more than long working hours ✅ How modern work culture may be undermining productivity rather than improving it This episode is about how all of us work, learn and live in a world that constantly demands more productivity. If you have ever felt the pressure to work longer, push harder or do more, this conversation may completely change how you think about success. 🔗 Links & Resources Where to find Alex 🌐 4 Day Week Studio https://www.4dayweek.studio ✉️ Newsletter: Rest, Work and the Good Life https://askpang.substack.com 📚 Alex’s books and writing https://pangwrites.com 💼 LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/askpang/ Recommended reading 📖 Rest - Why You Get More Done When You Work Less 📖 Shorter - Work Better, Smarter and Less 📰 “Rest Takes Hard Work” - Time Magazine https://time.com/6566763/rest-takes-hard-work-essay/ 🧠 “How to Rest Well” - Psyche https://psyche.co/guides/how-to-rest-well-and-enjoy-a-more-creative-sustainable-life 💡 “Why We Need to Consider Switching to a 4 Day Workweek Now” - TED Ideas https://ideas.ted.com/case-for-4-day-workweek/ 📩 Enjoyed this episode? Share it with another parent or educator interested in learning, productivity and sustainable success. 👉 Interested in personalised academic coaching? Book a free 30 minute consultation with me via my website: https://www.york-weaving-education.co.uk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 18m

  7. Mar 6

    #41 - Is My Child Lazy? Why Students Avoid Work and What Actually Helps

    Have you ever looked at your child, perfectly capable, intelligent and full of potential, and wondered why they delay starting their work? Many parents describe this behaviour as laziness. But more often than not, something else is driving that behaviour. In this episode, I unpack what is really going on when students procrastinate or struggle to begin their work. Drawing on neuroscience, psychology and learning science, we explore why simply telling a child to try harder rarely works and what actually helps. You will learn why starting a task is often the hardest step, how executive function and planning skills affect a student’s ability to organise their work and why factors such as cognitive overload and mental fatigue can create behaviours that look like low effort from the outside. 🎙️ In this episode, you’ll learn: ✅ Why the word “lazy” is rarely an accurate explanation for academic procrastination ✅ How executive function and planning skills influence a child’s ability to start and organise work ✅ Why motivation often follows action and not the other way around ✅ What activation energy means in behavioural science and how reducing it helps students begin tasks ✅ How cognitive load and overwhelm can cause students to avoid work altogether ✅ Why avoidance can sometimes be a protective response rather than a lack of effort Whether your child struggles to start homework, delays revision or often feels overwhelmed by schoolwork, this episode will help you understand the science behind those behaviours and what parents can do to support stronger focus, motivation and study habits. 🔗 Links & Resources 📩 Enjoyed this episode? Share it with another parent who might benefit from it and don’t forget to subscribe for more conversations on academic success and student wellbeing. 👉 Interested in personalised academic coaching? Book a free 30-minute consultation via my website: https://www.york-weaving-education.co.uk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    13 min

  8. Feb 4

    #40 - The Incredible Teenage Brain Explained: How Conversations, Boundaries and Brain Development Shape Adolescence with Dr Bettina Hohnen

    Have you ever felt confused or overwhelmed by your teenager’s behaviour and emotional reactions? In this episode of Academic Coaching for Parents, I am joined by Dr Bettina Hohnen, Clinical Psychologist and Lecturer at University College London, to explore what is really happening inside the teenage brain, and how understanding brain development can transform the way parents communicate, set boundaries and support learning during adolescence. Adolescence is a period of profound neurological change. Emotions feel stronger, behaviour can seem unpredictable and motivation often fluctuates. Drawing on neuroscience, clinical experience and her work on The Incredible Teenage Brain, Dr Hohnen explains why the teenage brain is often described as being “under reconstruction” and how this perspective helps parents respond with empathy rather than frustration. We discuss how conversations can become one of the most powerful tools parents have to support emotional regulation, resilience and wellbeing, alongside the role of boundaries, daily habits, sleep and routine in shaping attention, memory and mood. We also explore how understanding the developing brain can help parents better support neurodiverse children. 🎙️ In this episode, you’ll learn: ✅ What is happening in the teenage brain during adolescence ✅ Why emotions, behaviour and decision-making can feel so intense ✅ How brain development influences motivation and learning ✅ How to set boundaries that support safety, trust and independence ✅ Practical strategies to support emotional regulation and resilience This episode is for parents who want to move beyond power struggles and towards connection, confidence and evidence-based support, while protecting both learning and wellbeing. Dr Bettina Hohnen: https://drbettinahohnen.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/bettina-hohnen-412776194/?originalSubdomain=uk Books - The Incredible Teenage Brain & How to Have Incredible Conversations with Your Child 📩 Enjoyed this episode? Share it with another parent or educator, and don’t forget to subscribe for more conversations on academic success and student wellbeing. 👉 Interested in personalised academic coaching? Book a free 30-minute consultation via my website: https://www.york-weaving-education.co.uk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    45 min
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Welcome to Academic Coaching for Parents with Dr. Anna York-Weaving—your go-to resource for raising well-rounded, successful children in a world teeming with digital distractions. Hosted by Dr. Anna York-Weaving, a scientist, academic coach and educator with over a decade of educational experience, this podcast offers practical strategies and insights to help parents support their children’s academic journeys and personal growth. Dr. Anna York-Weaving has transformed the lives of countless students, empowering them to reach their full potential through tailored academic coaching. In each episode, she shares her secrets to fostering strong study habits, building resilience and nurturing the skills that will prepare your children for lifelong success. But that’s not all. Academic Coaching for Parents also features interviews with industry experts, scientists and educators, who bring their own unique perspectives on education, learning and child development. These conversations offer valuable insights and actionable advice to help you navigate the challenges of modern parenting. Whether you’re navigating the university application process or seeking ways to enhance your child’s learning experience, this podcast provides the tools, expert opinions and inspiration you need. Join Dr. Anna York-Weaving as she explores how academic coaching and expert guidance can unlock the best version of your child, helping them thrive both academically and personally. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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