Executive functioning is a term used to describe a set of skills we use to organize our behavior, function efficiently and effectively and override immediate demand in favor of long-term outcome. In an article published in 201 Family Magazine entitled “Trouble with Time Management?” I, along with Dr. Denise Cascio, a clinical neuropsychologist at the Hackensack office of the NYU Child Study Center, wrote about how to help your child deal with executive functioning deficits. Simply put, “Executive Functioning skills are high level cognitive functions that guide and regulate our thoughts and behaviors. Some processes include: planning, decision-making, self-monitoring, working memory, problem-solving, metacognition/the ability to self evaluate, response inhibition/thinking before acting or saying something, emotion regulation, initiation of tasks, cognitive flexibility and persistence.” So, what do these skills have to do with going back to school? The answer is, everything!
Executive functioning skills have been compared to the air traffic control system of our brains. The frontal lobe is referred to as the CEO of the brain and is similar to the conductor of a large orchestra of skills. Problems with executive functioning typically begin to be noticed in early grammar school. As the child grows, these capacities develop and mature through the teens and early adulthood. The maturing child is asked to rely on these processing skills in every aspect of the day. Children and adults with executive functioning challenges may exhibit many deficits, including in planning, following through with planning, keeping track of time, finishing work on time or waiting to be called on. In school, the child is asked to constantly prove that he has learned something. Mastery of a lesson is often measured by performance on a test. When a child does not produce or fails to consistently demonstrate his knowledge, a red flag goes up. This may be seen when a child gets a good grade on a test but then forgets to turn in his homework on time, or when a child studies the wrong material for the quiz. Sometimes, it is seen in the child who is the first to turn in his paper but then neglects to check the answers or read all of the directions. Additionally, executive functioning skills are noticed when challenged with a written task: when a child is required to tell or write a story sequentially or get started on a long-term written report.
After a busy summer, children need a “toolbox” of strategies to get off to a good start for the school year. When children play a team sport or musical instrument, they need to practice. Likewise, children with executive functioning concerns need to practice good habits involving time management and project planning. They need to know the assignments, and then to become aware of the time it will take to complete each step.
Thus, it is essential to start the year off with personal calendars that are posted in a visible spot and that delineate holidays, days off, tests, projects, long-term assignments and afterschool activities. Students should also utilize an analog clock near their workspace, not just a digital one. This way they visualize time moving and can self-regulate. For those of us who still use a watch, it serves the same function; we plan our time and can see it moving. Using a monthly large calendar and writing down all assignments, color coded for each subject, can help the student visualize what “next Thursday” looks like and then plan backwards.
Once the importance of time management is established, organization and routines for homework should be tackled. Managing an organized desk and study space with all materials handy is critical. The kitchen table, with the distracting wafting aromas of supper, is not the perfect environment. Make the work area just for homework and have everything you need nearby. Studying on the bed, where you sleep, is not a good idea either—and keeping a cell phone, iPad or devices with messaging and social media nearby can lead to distractions.
In the 1960s, researchers at Stanford University conducted the landmark “Marshmallow Study” of young children and noted the benefits of being able to delay gratification, an important executive functioning skill. Each child was placed in a room with a one-way mirror and told he could have two marshmallows only if he waited until the examiner came back into the room. The examiners observed the children and then followed up years later. They determined that the children who waited and were able to delay gratification had better outcomes on SATs and obtained a higher level of education. The new marshmallow in kids’ lives today is technology. Whenever the cell phone or computer beeps, it is challenging for the student to maintain focus. Answering texts and emails while studying interrupts thinking and sets the stage for a lengthier time to complete homework. Delaying gratification and staying focused on tasks are key executive functioning skills.
The good news is that there are strategies that children can use to improve their executive functioning skills. Below are a few strategies:
Use both a weekly and monthly calendar to map out assignments. Don’t just wait for a parent or tutor to check the website.
Keep a chart near the door and check off what you need for school each day: sneakers, permission slip, lunch, homework etc.
Eliminate distractions and temptations.
Put the cell phone on airplane mode or in a drawer or “cage” until you are finished studying.
Keep to a schedule: Plan the time you think it will take, then check the time to see if you are keeping pace. Set a personal goal to beat your best time next time you study a subject.
Use a watch rather than a phone to keep track of time.
Set up an incentive system with the delayed “marshmallow” gratification to get the work finished. Reward yourself or receive a reward from a parent; for example, self praise, a snack, a sticker or a planned break, but according to a schedule.
By Patricia London
Patricia London M.Ed. CAGS, is a state-certified learning specialist with an established private practice catering to individual tutoring, consulting and subject support for students in grades pre-K through college. She maintains her private practice, The London Learning Center, in Englewood. For more than 25 years, she was a learning disabilities teacher consultant, resource teacher, supplemental instructor and child-study-team administrator in the Ridgewood Public Schools. Patti has taught numerous in-service courses, written articles and lectured on topics in the field of special education to help parents better understand learning difficulties. She also taught and grew up in Brookline, Massachusetts, and maintains her loyalty to the baseball team who like the color red. She can be reached at [email protected] or 201-805-4964.
