Executive Functioning Tutoring
Executive functioning is the term for a set of skills and decision-making abilities that happen in the brain’s pre-frontal cortex. The phrase has become a bit of a buzzword in recent years, but it’s a significant part of academic success. Executive functioning underpins critical thinking and problem-solving skills. When students are getting Bs and Cs in more than one class, or if their As in middle school begin to decline in middle and high school, it could be related to executive functioning. Schedule a free consultation to learn more about how I can help your student with executive functioning coaching!
What are the main executive functioning areas?
Cognitive flexibility and attention: being able to hold or shift focus from one mental activity to the next, filtering useful information, and being adaptable to new rules and settings, e.g., completing multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, and long answer questions in a single test
Working memory: the ability to retain information for a short period; this can be both verbal and nonverbal, e.g., keeping track of details in a reading passage
Organization: keeping track of the who, what, where, when, and why, e.g., knowing what the homework is for each class, when it’s due, and where it is when the time comes to hand it in
Planning, prioritizing, and time management: knowing how to put things in order and complete them in limited time, e.g., anticipating how long a history project will require and doing a little work each day
Goal-setting: understanding personal limitations and ambitions, e.g., aiming to improve one letter grade instead of jumping from a C- to an A
Self-monitoring and regulation: thinking before acting; impulse control e.g., taking a deep breath before screaming out in anger
Self-awareness: attentiveness to one’s own emotions and behaviors, and ability to adjust as needed, e.g., knowing to take a short break from algebra homework when it feels overwhelming
Children begin learning these skills as toddlers, but executive functioning isn’t fully developed until people reach their twenties. That goes for everyone. There’s no way to speed the process up, but students can learn strategies and cultivate these abilities as they progress through school and into college.
What’s Executive Functioning Coaching?
Some subjects necessitate executive functioning, which gets built into tutoring sessions. Goal-setting is an element of every tutoring relationship. Good writing skills demand strong planning and organization. Mental agility and good time management help with math skills. Students who are consistently struggling with focus, organization, planning, or other executive functions may benefit from dedicated coaching to practice these skills across contexts. Coaching differs from a standard tutoring session in that I am not helping students with subject-based homework. Instead, we’ll do exercises, create study plans, and practice strategies together. This could include putting information into a logical order to tell a story, sifting through math test problems to find the easiest ones, or making vocabulary study tools, like flashcards.
One of the easiest ways parents can help is simply to model good behaviors. Do you have a place for your house keys, and are they there every morning when you need to leave? Do you practice active listening with your fourth-grader? Do you work with your teenager to set attainable goals? Students at any age learn to model adult behavior. Anything parents and caregivers can do to demonstrate organization, planning, self-regulation, and flexibility will help young learners thrive.
It’s never too late to learn to be more organized, better at time management, more analytical, build memory skills, or improve attention. Strong executive functioning ability will open a world of bright possibilities for your student.
My Tutoring Approach
-
Consistency
I offer executive functioning coaching as a standalone service and as a complement to regular subject area tutoring. This might mean working with a student twice a week: once for subject matter help and once for executive functioning practice. Coaching is usually five to ten sessions and is tailored to individual needs. It can run the entire school, which is helpful for students with ADHD or other learning difficulties. Executive functioning coaching functions as learning scaffolding. I’ll work with you to create a plan that suits your and your child’s goals.
-
Personalized Activities
I craft age-appropriate coaching sessions to meet student needs. Sixth-graders, for instance, will have a harder time with emotional regulation than eleventh-graders because they are at an earlier stage of cognitive development. I can still create activities to help with self-monitoring, but they will be simpler for younger students. Sessions look different from week to week, but I always prioritize making activities engaging and relevant. An advantage of one-on-one coaching is that I get to know students outside of school and can incorporate their interests to make practice more fun.
-
Boost Confidence
There are limits to how much someone can develop their executive functioning skills. A confidence-blow can be a major setback. That’s why I create achievable tasks, help students apply them to their schoolwork, and adjust when things get overwhelming. My approach to coaching emphasizing empowering students to use their own strategies, brainstorm solutions, and think creatively. I help them become more confident, engaged learners.
Executive Functioning Quick Tip
Get separate folders for every subject and color code assignments! This will help keep things separate and add some fun to getting organized. It can be tiring to constantly think about keeping things in order. Getting colorful pens, highlighters, book covers, and anything else color-related can break the monotony and give every subject a “feeling” to connect with.