Executive Functions has been gaining more attention as children continue to struggle to keep up with an increasingly rigorous curriculum and increased expectations. ADHD – Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder – and executive functions weaknesses can go hand in hand.
According to webmd.com, Executive functions are a set of mental skills that help you get things done.
Executive function helps you:
- Manage time
- Pay attention
- Switch focus
- Plan and organize
- Remember details
- Avoid saying or doing the wrong thing
- Do things based on your experience
Children with executive functions weakness may struggle with one, several or all of these skills. Parents, does this sound like your child? If so, don’t panic! These skills can be taught and a child can improve. While it is not a magical cure, requiring your child to use a homework planner is a giant first step to improving your child’s executive functions.
(Example of a student planner)
At Engage the Brain we work with students from a variety of school settings: public, private, charter, parochial. Each school, even within Orange and Seminole Counties, has different technologies and procedures for assigning classwork and homework. For example, one private school is essentially paperless. Students are required to have a laptop and everything is digital. A student can open to a “dashboard” and view a To do list, a calendar with assignments listed for the week, and whether any work is missing. Assignments are even uploaded and graded digitally.
Sounds great. But… a student is still required to remember ALL of their assignments and up coming tests UNLESS their laptop is open, connected to Wi-Fi, and is on the school’s website. That’s where a physical homework planner makes a huge difference. A planner will assist a child in managing tasks to be done and events to be managed. Tasks to be done include completing math homework and writing vocabulary sentences. Events to manage include studying for the science test and meeting with a study group for a collaborative project.
Technology is wonderful, but it cannot replace the ability to instantly view all your tasks and events in one place at any time. Students with executive functions issues can suffer from higher levels of anxiety. Using a planner will reduce stress when a student understands AND SEES all the work that needs to be done and that there is time to do it all; with proper planning.
A good planner has enough room to write down assignments for each class. In addition, a student ought to include the materials needed to complete the assignment. Encourage your child to include his personal tasks and events in the planner. For example, if your child has piano lessons on Wednesdays at 4:30 pm, that ought to be included in the planner too. If your high school child participates in a sport that practices every afternoon from 3:00-5:00, that time ought to be blocked off in the planner.
Wrapping it Up
At first you will need to assist your child – even your high school age child – in setting up the planner. Seeing everything in one place is important. Your child will “see” where her study times will need to happen on each day of the week. Quickly your child’s stress level will come down as the planner imposes order on her life.