Executive Functioning Skills
Executive functioning challenges can look very different from one student to the next, so we highly customize our coaching to your child's specific needs.
Organization
Organization is the cornerstone of executive function coaching. Before we can work on higher level needs, we have to get the "stuff" of school in order. It's amazing how uncluttering the physical and digital materials also unclutters the mind and frees it up for the more complex work. Coachiing sessions may include these action items:
- Organizing the backpack, desk, and locker
- Setting up a system to organize school papers
- Creating a digital organizational system
- Practicing strategies for maintaining these organizational systems
- Establishing an organized homework and study space
Time and Assignment Management
Students tend to fall into two camps: those who spend way too much time doing homework or those who spend not nearly enough. Focused work on the following skills will help them manage their time better, and we'll also incorporate strategies for turning in assignments on time.
- Selecting an effective and user-friendly assignment management system
- Using the system to track homework, projects, and tests
- Building an efficient homework and study routine
- Learning how to manage time for large scale projects
Study Skills and Note-Taking
Rereading notes. Rewriting notes. Staring at notes. Thinking about notes. Wishing you'd taken notes. These actions do not count as studying! We take a much more active approach so that students make connections and actually retain what they learn. Sessions may include the following work:
- Practicing active study techniques
- Creating study guides
- Reviewing test-taking strategies
- Utilizing note-taking techniques
- Reviewing study strategies for finals
Anxiety, Self Advocacy, and Mindset
We know students are truly confident and independent when they take ownership of their learning. To help them get there, we teach them how to be self-aware, how to articulate their needs, and how to learn from their mistakes. Coaches and students will use their school work to learn these vital skills.
- Tackling test anxiety with targeted techniques
- Communicating with teachers
- Developing a growth mindset
- Identifying best-fit learning strategies and techniques
