We like to say that executive functioning is everything that it takes to succeed in school besides the actual content. Students in our executive functioning tutoring program learn how to be organized, take notes, manage time, study effectively, and advocate for themselves. These are skills that all parents want their children to master, but how can you help? Before we answer that (very good) question, we want to share some of the ins and outs of teaching and learning executive functioning skills.
We take a unique approach to executive functioning tutoring in that we incorporate the concept of choice within limits. This means that we involve students directly in the problem solving process. For example, we actually don’t have one set way for students to take their notes or organize their materials. We explore a variety of key strategies and help students choose and assess what works best for them.
If we simply give the students a solution and say, “Do it this way,” we’re not really teaching them anything:
After brainstorming a list of strategies/solutions, we don’t let students choose options that we know won’t work. We believe that it’s the tutor’s role to set the boundaries and veto things that won’t work, but also to give the student enough room to think, make choices, and be truly involved. For example, the tutor will say no if a student suggests relying on their memory as an option for keeping track of homework assignments; but they may give them a choice between using a notebook, app, or individual assignment sheets to record homework.
This isn’t what you want to hear, but with executive functioning tutoring, chances are good that a new strategy isn’t going to work immediately. It takes time for students to buy in, overcome fear, and get used to new habits. In addition, sometimes the technique we expect to work ends up not being a good fit after all. We typically have to adjust a few times before the new method sticks. This is all part of the process of a student learning how they learn best!
Students often make solid progress early on and then experience a backslide. They may even suddenly stop using the strategies that are bringing them success. Self-sabotage is common enough that we prepare families for it from the get-go. Here are a couple of reasons it happens:
If you want to discuss your child’s challenges with this particular aspect of school, give us a call!
Kim has a bachelor’s degree in public administration from University of Arizona, a master’s degree in special education from University of Illinois at Chicago, and a master’s degree in educational leadership from American College of Education. She previously worked as a teacher for fourteen years, and as a tutoring director for Nurturing Wisdom—we’re excited to have her back on the team! Learn more about her below.
My favorite class in high school was…geometry (although I prefer algebra) because my teacher, Mr. Warwick, was organized and explained the concepts in an engaging and understandable manner. He made me feel confident when asking questions and was always open to teaching material in a variety of ways.
I loved UIC because…it allowed me to explore Chicago and meet incredible people while working in a variety of schools and educational programs. The Graduate College of Education had teachers that provided real world context and were very supportive to students’ individual goals.
On a day off, you’ll find me…at a sporting event for one of my four daughters, floating down the DuPage River, or at the dog park with my dog, Daisy.
What sets Nurturing Wisdom apart is… the individual care we take with the families we work with and the strong team behind each tutoring decision, including tutoring plans, curriculum, and tutor matches.
Sarah graduated from Marquette University with a bachelor’s degree in education and sociology, and she’s completed coursework in childhood literacy and museum studies. After nine years as a fifth grade teacher in Wauwatosa, Portland, and Chicago, Sarah initially joined NW as a tutor. Learn more about her below!
A tip I’d give to a student to make the most of tutoring would be… that you get out of it what you put into it. If you put in time and energy, and bring a positive attitude, you’ll achieve so much!
I loved Marquette University because… it put me on the path to teaching, introduced me to amazing, life-long friends, and made me fall in love with Milwaukee.
On a day off, you’ll find me… taking a long walk to a coffee shop, chatting with friends, or going on a bike ride and cooking while listening to my latest podcast obsession.
What sets Nurturing Wisdom apart is… that everyone on the team is a life-long learner at heart, and that we care about the whole student. Everyone is dedicated to getting to know families in order to find a great fit for students and tutors.
Shannon has a degree in marketing from Creighton University. After working in the business world for over five years, she decided to go back to school to get her master’s degree in elementary education from Quincy University. Learn more about her below!
My favorite book is… The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway. This is an amazing book that made me want to travel and see more of the world.
My favorite subject in school was… history because I loved learning more about the world and how the past helped shape who we are today.
On a day off you’ll find me… hanging out with family and friends. In the summer, usually doing something fun outside.
What sets Nurturing Wisdom apart is… it’s team approach to tutoring as well as it’s individualized curriculum! Both the team approach and the curriculum make tutoring and learning more fun and efficient.