Back-to-School Readiness Through Executive Function Support

After the abnormal 2020-2021 school year, students and parents alike are feeling a bit apprehensive about what to expect in the upcoming school year. Our vice president and head of academic coaching, Adam Silver, spoke with Emmy Award winning journalist, Natalie Tysdal about back-to-school readiness through executive functions support. In the interview (linked here), Adam addresses four ways that parents can guide their children towards academic success for this school year:

Family Communication

In order to get the most out of this school year, it is critical for parents and their children to reestablish academic expectations as a family unit. Having an open dialogue with your child about what they expect and want from this school year can help you both get on the same page. This conversation may require negotiation and adjusting expectations from you as the parent (and that is ok!). Even though parents will always set the boundaries, flexibility on both sides will help strengthen family communication and keep everyone on the same page for the school year!

 

Creating Systems and Good Habits

Whether you help to create it or not, your student is developing routines – so why not help them establish good ones? Standard morning and night routines can help learners flourish, both academically and as a person. These routines should involve setting times for homework, eating, showering, and extracurriculars. Plus, with systems in place, the hours consumed by TikTok or YouTube will decrease and alleviate any frustrations surrounding overuse of technology. Additionally, the most important tool for creating quality systems is a planner. Whether it’s a shared Google Calendar, a paper planner, or a tack board in the house, consistently using and communicating through a planner is critical for setting up strong work habits. 

 

How to Study

Quizzing, forced recall, and repetition are the best strategies for studying. It’s not enough to just review notes, much in the same way an athlete wouldn’t go into an upcoming football game by simply reading the play book. Practice is key. Have your student practice putting out the information they’ve learned before they put out the information for a grade. If they can practice recalling the material for a tutor, teacher, or you, then they’ve learned enough to be successful on the test! 

 

Study Environment and Best Practices

Where a student works is just as important as how they work. In school, teachers ensure the learning environment is free of distractions and unnecessary noises, and mimicking that environment at home can yield the same positive results. One of the biggest battlegrounds for competing interests and easy distractions is technology. Even though it is practically impossible to do work without a device these days, you can reclaim work-time focus by making a few helpful adjustments. Consider having your child start their designated homework time by changing the notification settings on their device to strictly work-related apps and designate a time to shut down the phone/social media apps.

 

These tips are sure to prepare any learner for getting back into the classroom for the 2021-2022 school year and can help keep parents’ minds at ease!

 

Need help getting your student on track? Check out our academic coaching page or give us a call to learn more!