June 22, 2025

Dr. Deena Kara Shaffer's Guide for For First Year Students (and Parents)

Host Alanna McGinn welcomes Learning Strategist Dr. Deena Kara Shaffer to help get both parents and kids ready for post-secondary education!

Show Notes

To wrap up season one of The Bedtime Edit Podcast, host Alanna McGinn welcomes learning strategist Dr. Deena Kara Shaffer. They discuss the emotional and academic challenges students (and their parents) face while transitioning to university or college with a complete guide for first-year students and the Moms & Dads! They explore strategies for procrastination, time management, and effective studying, while also addressing the emotional landscape for parents as their children leave home. Dr. Schaefer provides practical tools and resources to help both students and parents navigate this significant life change, emphasizing the importance of connection, independence, supportive tools and self-care.

More About Deena and her work:

From 1:1 coaching to community sessions, keynotes and training, Deena is on a full-hearted mission to share the game-changing power of learning strategies with every learner, family, and educator. She is a twice best-selling author, TEDx speaker, co-creator of the international Thriving in Action intervention, and two-time President of the Learning Specialists of Canada.

Links and Resources:

www.awakenedlearning.ca

"Feel Good Learning: On how to prioritise, focus, study, and learn everything better"

"Raising Well Learners: Helping parents support students from stress to success"

TEDx, "How to get from to-do to done"

Thriving in Action Online

Thriving in the Classroom

What was discussed on the podcast:

1. Discount code on The Essentials: Learning Strategies for Students: BedtimeEdit15

2. Assignment calculators: University of Toronto Scarborough Campus (UTSC), Humber Polytechnic, Waterloo University.

3. NotebookLM.

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