Using a Planner Effectively
A planner is the most important tool a student can use to help them manage their time and plan for schoolwork. Online school portals are not planners, but rather one resource for students to get information for populating their planners. Teacher announcements in class and assignments written on the board are other resources for information. Every student’s planner will look different based on their unique needs. Read the tips below for ideas on using a planner effectively.
Planner Suggestions:
The best planner is the one a student will actually use!
School planners are ideal because they include school-specific holidays.
If your school does not provide a planner, use any academic planner.
Students should carry their planners with them throughout the day.
Students should write things down in their planners immediately upon learning about assignments.
Students should check their planners right when they get home and dedicate 10-15 minutes to making an action plan for the day.
Students should check their planners again before bedtime to be sure everything has been completed.
6 Steps to Using a Planner:
Write something next to every class every day.
Write “none” if there is truly no work in a particular class.
Write the specific assignment rather than something categorical.
Break longer-term assignments into more manageable entries.
Star tasks that are due the next day.
Cross out items as they are completed.
When students learn how to use their planner effectively, they improve self-monitoring and organizational skills. This helps them plan ahead to turn in assignments on time and allot the right amount of time to study for tests and quizzes. Watch our video tutorial from Illuminos CEO & Co-Founder Evan Weinberger for more information on how to effectively use a planner.
Get the Illuminos Executive Function Planner
Could your student use help with:
Managing homework effectively?
Creating a study plan?
Setting SMART Goals?
Communicating and self-advocating effectively?
Then our Executive Function Planner is for you. Order yours today!
A Guide to Self-Evaluation
Measuring progress is one of the essential steps in building academic momentum. Although we often assess students’ progress via report cards and exam grades, there is usually more to the story. School success should be measured through quantitative and qualitative measures, similar to annual job performance assessments. Proficiency in test-taking and homework accuracy should be evaluated alongside the more nuanced soft skills like organization and time management. A clear picture of progress and potential comes into view only when we combine the dual natures of student performance.
Of course, measuring student progress comes with other challenges beyond the essence of scope. Another factor is perspective. Our perspective of our own progress is skewed one way or another. Some students are too hard on themselves, while others need to be more critical. Parents and teachers can also be biased. Parents sometimes have strict standards that either don’t fit their child or are missing other elements of students’ success. Teachers carry biases, too. Some measure student performance exclusively on empirical data compared to the class average, ignoring the better approach of measuring a student compared to that student’s past performance.
Even with our perspective biases, there are three dimensions to consider in a progress checking practice: timing, balance, and implementation. Even the slightest step in the right direction is progress. Any amount of improvement should be celebrated.
In assessing a student’s progress, timing is critical. We recommend self-assessments weekly, monthly, and quarterly. These assessments can be written or verbal, formal or informal. The goal is to check progress and course correct consistently enough to get to the intended destination. Parents, teachers, or coaches can facilitate initially, but the ultimate goal is for students to evaluate their progress independently.
Self-evaluations should be balanced and consist of a brief check of the following skills: organization, time management, learning skills, and impression management. Students need to self-assess for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
To evaluate a student’s progress, walk through each skill and apply the tools. For example, students can assess the strengths and weaknesses of their current study habits, as well as opportunities for growth and roadblocks that might inhibit these new habits. The same can be done for organization and time management. For impression management, students should consider how well or how poorly they control the impressions they leave on teachers, parents, and peers. Then, apply the four tools to complete a thorough analysis and course-correct as needed.
The steps laid out above focus on implementation rather than fruitless data collection. When students properly assess all four skill-sets/tools, action and implementation follow naturally. The evaluation produces the correction in one fluid motion, whether it be a minor tweak from week to week or a major overhaul to begin a new semester.
At Illuminos, we provide the customized scaffolding your child needs while he or she learns to master organization, time management, note-taking, study and test-taking skills, self-advocacy, verbal and non-verbal communication, and social skills. To learn more about executive function and how it can help your child, please read our other resources or schedule time to talk with us.
Importance of Executive Function Skills
Written By: Isabelle Saunders
There’s no debate that school is a world-class juggling act: you’ve got extracurriculars, homework, your social life, studying- it can be a lot to handle. The older you get, the more important it is to develop executive functioning skills. Executive functioning is, quite simply, the skill instrumental in academic success. It’s been boiled down by educators to seven attainable attributes:
Adaptable thinking: ie, flexibility. As challenging as it may be, you have to keep trooping when you encounter a problem. Adapt to problems- find a way around them and exercise your problem-solving muscles. It’s an asset to accept the fact that what you think won’t always be right, and you have to be open to new ideas and ways of accomplishing things.
Planning: Foresight is nothing short of necessity. Whether it’s mapping out a busy week or setting up your after-school routine, planning cuts your to-do list into bite-sized pieces that you can visualize and accomplish. Planning out a project before you do it gives you a template do that you go into it with rhyme and reason instead of blindly hacking away at it.
Self-Monitoring: Introspection and self-evaluation! Only you know what your personal best is, and only you can make sure you’re giving it. Self-monitoring is to grasp what you’re doing wrong and have the agency to pivot to another strategy. It’s to realize how you’re doing on the task at hand, and to know how to improve.
Self-Control: To keep a firm grip on your emotions and behavior is crucial in any social setting. You have to be okay with receiving constructive criticism, and to keep trekking when something undesirable happens. A good way to maintain self-control is not to take school feedback to heart: what a teacher thinks about your essay is not a reflection on what they think of your character. And besides, you are fully capable of taking that criticism in stride and improving.
Working Memory: Sherlock Holmes always referred to his memory as a mind palace. Think of all this acquired knowledge like that: you’re storing away information to bring out and out to use later. Some of us have better memories than others, and that’s okay. If you’re someone with a naturally poor memory and nothing seems to help, no matter how closely you pay attention, there are ways to work with that. A few possibilities are to take detailed notes, try using mnemonic devices for memory, and use flashcards for a deeper form of concept association.
Time Management: This one’s for the chronic procrastinators. Time is a force that should be filled wisely. To get anything done, you have to be time-aware enough to do it. Be it in the classroom or at home, time won’t stop for you to complete your work.
Organization: For some of us, organization comes naturally. For others, it’s a learning process. Keeping your binders, desk, locker, and other school supplies neat and organized is the key to enhanced concentration and lowered stress levels. Is that last week’s math homework, Tuesday’s notes, or the drawing you made during lunch? No one wants to navigate their way through a storm of mixed papers- the front pocket in your binder is best used for current work only.
An anagram to remember these concepts is:
Adaptable thinking
Introspection
Retain information
Planning
Organization
Self-control
Time management
Responsibility and self-advocacy are not traits that sprout overnight. Like every other skill, they have to develop and be put into practice. The attributes covered, of course, don’t just apply to school: they’re necessary for a well-rounded and capable person.
Importance of Self Awareness
Written By: Isabelle Saunders
It’s easy to pick out someone’s characteristics when you’re watching them through your own eyes. You know your friend is a natural leader, or a pessimist, or can’t take anything seriously, and so on. But it’s harder to tell when it’s YOU. For some reason, it just proves more difficult to categorize our strengths, weaknesses, values, etc., because they’re the only ones we're used to having.
This is what makes self-awareness a challenge. Self awareness, to put it simply, is knowing yourself- being conscious of your own thoughts, feelings, strengths, and limitations. It’s an asset in communicating with others and pinpointing how you think. Clearly, it’s a pretty important attribute to have in a school setting, but it’s also invaluable for life in general.
“To know thyself is the beginning of wisdom.”
-Socrates
The importance of self-awareness
Here’s a scenario: you’re in a lecture-style class, meaning the teacher is primarily talking. No matter how hard you try, you can’t seem to make the information stick. That “the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell” goes in one ear and right out the other. That’s because you’re not an auditory learner- you can’t easily retain information just by hearing it said. This is one of many possible examples that goes to show why academic self-awareness is necessary. If you don’t know these things about yourself, you’ll wonder what’s wrong when you have trouble in a setting outside of your strengths. With self-awareness in your inventory, you’ll be able to set yourself up for success by utilizing your unique skill set in a problem. You’ll be able to pick out where you want to see improvements, empowering you to meet your goals and grow as a student and individual. Self-awareness isn’t just something students need. It’s a universal human necessity.
So...how?
Gaining self-awareness is about listening to yourself. Let yourself think coherently, and pay attention to the tone of your inner voice.
Pay attention to others. Other people see you, just like you see them. When with your peers, try to analyze their unique personalities. It will help to familiarize you with the concept of every person as having distinct habits and complexities.
Personality tests. Yes, really. Tests such as the enneagram and MBTI are a treasure trove of personal insight. The questions will help you analyze yourself as a complex person. They put into words your social-emotional makeup, and warn you of limitations you possibly haven’t yet taken mind of.
MBTI: https://www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test
Enneagram:
Be receptive to constructive criticism
When someone offers you (well-meaning) constructive criticism, don’t just dismiss it. Try to see where they’re coming from, use it to better understand yourself and your weaknesses, and step towards growth.
Benefits
Social: A huge part of school is communicating with other people. This goes on to benefit things such as job interviews and presentations as well. When you are knowledgeable of yourself as a person, you have some insight as to how you come off to others. Maybe what you intended to be strong leadership can be seen as bossy. In any case, you’ll become more aware of how others interact with you, and you can use this sensitivity and empathy to strengthen your relationships with your peers.
Academic: As aforementioned, you’ll know how you best learn, and how you tend to manage work. If you know you tend to procrastinate, you can work to combat it. If you know you tend to bite off more extra-curriculars than you can chew, you can find a way to regulate it.
Personal: It’s so important to understand your emotions. It’s essential to your emotional maturity that you learn not to repress what you feel, but to be able to grasp and analyze it. You can master what you’re good at, work on what you struggle with, and understand your limits.
Check out the sites below for more information!
https://nickwignall.com/self-awareness/
Understanding An ADHD Student
Written By: Isabelle Saunders
School is a primarily concentration-based institution: if you don’t pay attention, you’re likely to get lost quickly. Though many students are able to retain information taught to them in the standard class-lecture form, children with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) will often have a much more challenging time with this. They have difficulty paying attention and sitting still, which are integral aspects of the typical classroom. Educators, if your ADHD students are wrestling with an inability to focus or track in class, it’s important that you do everything you can to make sure they’re not left behind. If you yourself don’t have ADHD, however, it may be a bit hard to know where to start.
What helps an ADHD student may vary depending on the child, so it’s important to get in touch with them and/or their parents about what best works for them. However, these are some universally helpful ways to work with the symptoms of ADHD.
Understanding
The first step to teaching your ADHD student is understanding how their brain works. Know that their possible lack of concentration in class or tendency to forget assignments is not a simple disinclination- it’s not from lack of trying. Their mind is just wired a bit differently, and they’re still able and eager to retain information, but maybe in a way at odds with your method of teaching.
Approaches
Movement: A symptom of ADHD is the need to be moving. If you allow them time to shake out the pins and needles, they’re likely to be better able to focus their attention on the subject at hand. Recess, of course, is the most obvious way to accommodate this, but after a certain age, recess is no longer included in most school schedules. In addition to or instead of recess, consider allotting time (say, a 5-minute break) for your students to move around and stretch. Try planning kinesthetic lessons that channel movement into learning and memory. Another idea is to let your ADHD students stand during lessons, if they so desire. If your class’ desks are arranged in rows, it’s easy to let them stand in the back.
While fidget toys, such as fidget cubes, have been labeled by many teachers as merely distracting to the user, they actually help with ADHD. Little movements, such as knee-bouncing or pencil-tapping, are a way to channel the extra energy into one motion. By permitting objects such as fidget cubes, you are giving your students a way to keep their hands moving in a way that’s quiet and not distracting to anyone.
Organization: ADHD students may have trouble keeping track of many assignments at once, so organization is vital. Most classes have a binder where all notes and assignments are kept, so check in with your student to make sure their binder is kept neat and it’s easy to find their work. They’ll need dividers to separate old homework, notes, quizzes, etc. Apart from the binders, try suggesting a separate folder for to-be-completed homework. This is a good space for more immediate objectives, and they won’t have as many binders from different subjects to remember to take home. It’s also a good idea for them to keep an academic planner where they can write down assignments and due dates as soon as you say them.
We all learn differently, and those with ADHD are no exception. Remember to give your ADHD students positive reinforcement when they’re doing well: sitting through lessons takes a lot of effort and energy on their part, and hearing that you notice the work they’re putting in will be a huge encouragement. Be patient, and know that you’re not trying to combat the symptoms of ADHD; you’re working off of them. They don’t take away a student’s ability to learn- they merely make them learn in different ways.
To learn more, check out the links below:
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/school-success.html
College Readiness and Academic Self-Advocacy
Written By: Laura Lorenzen, MSW and Andrea Malkin Brenner, PhD
Anticipating the transition from high school to college can feel overwhelming for parents and teens, and especially so for teens with executive functioning challenges. Simply possessing strong academic competence is not enough to thrive in college. Students need strong academic self-advocacy skills in order to successfully navigate this life-changing transition.
For parents, approaching the shift from high school to college as a gradual process of moving your child from dependence to independence -- and beginning this process well before the transition to college -- can make this change far less daunting..
Understanding the differences between high school parenting and college parenting
You may be communicating closely with your child’s high school, discussing everything from the accommodations your child needs to their grades and even their homework assignments. Colleges, however, are prohibited by law from providing parents with any information regarding student accommodations, grades, or academic progress.
While students who have a diagnosed disability such as ADHD, a learning disability, or autism, are able to obtain accommodations in college, parents are not part of this process. Your child is viewed as an autonomous adult by the college and will need to independently ask for help, seek campus resources, and request learning accommodations.
Parents whose children have executive functioning challenges often provide support in other ways. You may currently help your child stay on top of homework assignments, manage time, and plan out when and how long-term assignments will be completed -- or work closely with your child’s teacher to do so. In college, that type of support can be provided by academic support staff or through the campus tutoring center, but your child will need to seek it out.
Steps you can take now to prepare your child for the transition to college
It’s never too early (or too late) to start preparing your child for this transition. There are a number of essential skills your child will need and that you can help them learn.
Ensure your child understands and can talk about their learning needs and the accommodations they will require to succeed in college.
Openly include your child in discussions about their needs and ask for their perspective on what tools help them learn.
Ensure your child can identify and seek out sources of information and help. Many teens are not familiar or comfortable independently asking for help; this is a critical skill that takes time and practice to master. Help your child practice this skill now, so that they are comfortable self-advocating later.
Build your child’s capacity to independently problem-solve and make sound decisions. Ask how they would solve a problem that arises, and help them think through the pros and cons of their solution.
Before they enter the college setting, allow your child to try and fail, as long as no lasting harm would occur from that failure. This will give your child crucial practice and an opportunity to safely learn from their mistakes.
Though it might be tempting to jump in to iron out difficulties your child is having, they’ll learn more and be better prepared for the future if instead they are guided and supported to find answers and solve problems on their own. Helping your child take charge of their academics doesn’t mean they have to do it alone. With the right self-advocacy skills, your child will be able to request accommodations in college, find needed campus resources, and comfortably ask for help -- the critical skills they will need to thrive on their own.
For more information about this topic, join us for our upcoming webinar:
College Readiness: Your Neurodiverse Teen and Academic Self-Advocacy
Tuesday, April 13, 7:00-8:00.
Register Here: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMqdeyvqjssGNEdv66j5gqqLZFlYCpCldon
Andrea Malkin Brenner, PhD, co-author of How to College: What to Know Before You Go (and When You’re There), is a college transitions educator and a former college professor and first-year administrator. Laura Lorenzen, MSW, founder of District Special Education Partners, provides parent coaching and IEP advocacy services. Her next parent class on “Supporting Your Disorganized Child” launches in late April.
Creating a Productive Study Space
Written by: Coach Alison Lake
The perfect work space for homework and studying is not one-size-fits-all. Everyone works differently, but having an organized space is a universal way to ensure productivity and good use of time.
Choose Your Space
When identifying the best study space for you, keep in mind comfort, lighting, household activity, available furniture, temperature, etc. Ideally, the most productive work space is free of distractions and not in a high-traffic area in the home. If it's in the student's bedroom, work should be done on a desk or table, not on the bed. The most efficient and effective setup is separate from other activities that might be going on in the house, and has enough space for all the items you need.
Remove Clutter
Within the study space and, if possible, within eyesight, remove any items that aren't needed for assignments. Visually, a simple setup makes it easier to focus on the task at hand and not become distracted. It might not be possible to remove all unrelated items from the line of vision, but if the workspace only has the items you need, staying organized will become second-nature. Keep the area clean and dispose of any trash daily. An organized, pleasing area helps keep the brain uncluttered as well.
Keep Materials Close By
It's important to keep all necessary materials very handy so they can be easily grabbed from an arm's length. These may include a planner, binders, folders, pens and pencils, calculator, notebook paper, laptop, timer, and any other items needed to study and complete homework on that day. Having to hunt around for items each day can be disruptive and time-consuming. Studying will be much more efficient if everything you need is close by.
Ensure Comfort
The most productive study space should be ergonomically sound, with a comfortable, supportive chair, and a table or desk that's at the right height for the student. While a bed is comfortable, it's not supportive enough for study and encourages bad posture and distraction.
Also consider neck position at the desk or table. Hunching over a laptop or book for long periods can lead to neck and shoulder pain. Prop up a monitor or laptop on a couple books if you have a separate keyboard or don't need to type when watching a video, for example. And consider using a textbook stand so the book is positioned directly in the line of sight.
Adjust the room lighting so it's bright enough to protect your eyes but not so bright that it causes a headache, and draw the blinds if needed to keep out direct sunlight.
Reduce Distractions
It may be impossible to remove all distractions, but try to set up a permanent workspace that's not right in the middle of nightly dinner, sibling playtime, or the TV area. Try to avoid places in the house where family members and pets will be walking by frequently. Keep smartphones and other smart devices out of eyesight or turn off unnecessary notifications. Wear noise-canceling headphones if needed.
Make Adjustments
Above all, don't hesitate to make slight changes to the study environment if something isn't working quite right. Move somewhere else, rearrange belongings, or try a different chair to find the right setup for you.
It's OK to Allow Room for Failure
Written by: Coach Alison Lake
As parents, we don't want to see our children struggle or fail in school. We do our best to protect them and provide all the support we can. It's a natural instinct to step in and help. Many of us sat up late helping with a last-minute term paper emergency because our child didn't start early enough or felt stuck.
But this approach can prevent growth. There's a fine line between providing parental guidance, which children truly need while growing up, and overprotective parenting. It's important for children to work independently, learn from their mistakes, and experience any consequences. These are important skills they will use in school and later in life.
What does this mean academically?
Long-Term Projects
Let's take long-term, multi-step assignments--the research project, the term paper, the science fair. It can be daunting to start a complicated task and see it through to the end. Students often don't know where to start, or feel overwhelmed by the magnitude. It might be tempting to dive in and work on the project together.
Put in some time at the beginning to map out a plan. Encourage your child to break the project down into steps well ahead of time and estimate how much time each portion will take. They could work on the project 20 minutes every day, for example. They should use a checklist and mark the steps in their daily planner, then review their progress on each step. That way, they are taking responsibility and ownership rather than depending on you to get it done.
Identify the Problem Source
Parents can help by asking questions to uncover the source of the problem. Ask where they feel stuck, if any portion of the assignment is confusing, and how much time they have been spending on it each day. Review their system of organization and how they are keeping track of assignments and items. Daily planner use and a binder divided into subjects and sub-tasks will help them easily see what they need to do that day and what's coming up.
Encourage Reflection
Let's say a student stayed up late working on a paper they left to the last minute. Or they forgot their homework binder one yet again and Mom or Dad didn't bail them out by driving to school to pick it up. Or they didn't listen in class when the teacher shared important details about an upcoming test, and did poorly on that portion of the test.
That's a good time to gently encourage reflection and ask your child what they learned from the experience. How did being late and disorganized make them feel? How was their motivation level? Did other things take priority? How would success look in this circumstance, and what steps would they need to take to get there next time?
Answers to these questions will provide information about where they fell short and help guide your child to a better approach going forward.
Of course, your child doesn't need to struggle alone if there is a chronic problem, such as consistently bad grades or lack of motivation. That is a good time to consider supplemental options such as an executive coach, subject-area tutoring, after-school help, or additional resources.
No one wants to see a child fail. But when they experience failure from time to time and learn from it, they will build a foundation of coping and project management skills that will help them succeed in the future. Children will become more resilient, and free to experiment and explore different ways of achieving their goals.
Student Networking Tips
Written by: Coach Alison Lake
It’s never too early for students to start networking, even at a young age.
Networking is a natural offshoot of impression management. For young people, it's about showing curiosity, asking questions, gathering information, demonstrating care for others, and forming productive relationships.
Students who seek out more face time with teachers, coaches, and other leaders and show interest in classes and activities are more likely to succeed in school and be considered for opportunities. Networking also extends to connections outside of the school campus--in the community, the neighborhood, and even family gatherings.
Building those relationships over time can lead to a more positive overall impression of the student. This comes in handy when it's time for college recommendations, for example. But the more meaningful benefit is that the student is enriched by these interactions and projects a lasting impression of being a good citizen and member of the community. And it's good preparation for life beyond middle and secondary school.
As students become more active in extracurriculars and move to a schedule of multiple teachers, they interact with a greater number of school leaders. And as they mature, they are also thinking more about what's next--the next grade, summer jobs, college applications. Networking and careful impression management will help them gather support and build a solid foundation for success.
Adopt a Sincere Attitude
It's important for students to avoid creating the impression of seeking brownie points or special preference over other students. Instead, they should earnestly approach each personal interaction as an opportunity to learn more, and apply what they learn in those conversations to their studies, course choices, and academic, professional, and personal plans.
If these conversations don't come naturally, particularly for introverts, students can jot down a short list of questions they want to ask when they know a meeting is coming up. Sometimes, all it takes to start is a simple question: How did you get into teaching? What do you like best about working with young people? What advice would you give someone of my age? What do you wish you knew back then? How can I improve?
In fact, coming prepared with a list of questions is a good idea in any situation, because this shows preparation, thought, and consideration for the other person's time.
Teachers
Teachers really appreciate when students show interest in their work and expertise. After-school help can lead to conversations about real-world applications of the material, potential career paths, and different ways of thinking about challenging concepts. It's also a chance to engage someone smart outside of their classroom routine, and learn something new from them.
Teachers know their students well, and are used to working with a variety of different personalities and skill levels. They might share a unique suggestion that will work well for that student. And they often recognize students who appear willing to improve and learn and put in extra time.
Coaches
Sports is an ideal environment for building leadership skills and learning to navigate different challenges. And students can learn things from their coaches that they might not get in the classroom.
While it might not always be easy to get one-on-one time with a coach, players can maximize the time they have before, during, and after practice to ask for advice, ideas, and recommendations.
Conversations can be about the sport, about setting and achieving goals, about creating a disciplined plan for practice. Even if a student doesn't want to go on to become a professional athlete, lessons learned from coaches are invaluable in all areas of life.
Older Students
Graduates and students in the next grade or two can answer questions about difficult course material, share their academic experience and impressions of teachers, and provide a glimpse of college or the working world.
These interactions might be more comfortable for students, since they often happen informally with peers and are spontaneous. And they make a big impact, because students can often implement what they hear in their own lives.
Neighbors/Family Friends
Students often consider potential career paths and college majors during the last two years of high school. Friends of their parents who work in different fields can be a goldmine of information, ideas, and contacts.
It's important to schedule time with these busy individuals and be punctual, coming with a list of questions. Professionals are often flattered to be approached by a young person and are more than happy to be helpful and share anecdotes about their work and backgrounds.
Relatives
This might sound strange, but even relatives who are in college or the workforce have a wealth of experience that's worth tapping into. That uncle who's worked in IT for many years, or the cousin who's a chef, would probably be happy to describe their jobs and what they enjoy. And they likely still remember clearly what worked for them back in school, and what didn't. Hindsight provides useful lessons.
Networking is an important life skill that is productive and rewarding at any age. The more students network, the more comfortable they will become with asking questions and learning from others. The process of networking often uncovers new avenues and information, and may open doors that wouldn't have been available otherwise.
Back to School Tips
Written by: Coach Nathaniel Jenkins
Summer is just ending and school is back in session. For some, there are feelings of joy that there is another opportunity to further their education, but for others there is a lack of motivation. Back to school anxiety is typical for all students, but the nerves can be heightened in students with executive functioning difficulties or ADHD. A student with ADHD in their daily life may feel like they’re struggling with school, whether it is a small homework assignment or a large project, more than their peers and that is NORMAL. Every new school year allows for a clean state for all students, but sometimes that isn’t enough. ADHD, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, may negatively impact a student’s life and outlook on a new school year. While it’s understandable to feel a sense of struggle, it doesn’t have to be that way. According to the Child Mind Institute https://childmind.org/article/back-to-school-tips-for-kids-who-are-struggling/, there are a few key points to understand when working with a student who feels like they are struggling or falling behind because of diagnosed, or even undiagnosed ADHD.
1. Make organization a priority
2. Address how to handle situations if things don’t go according to plan
3. Set up morale boosters
4. Don’t surprise students with questions about school
5. Allow space for trying, failure, and trying again
Firstly, it is highly important to approach the struggle head on and create strategies for how to move forward with an approach that works for the student: instilling organizational skills in the student will promote a sense of achievement. Next, developing a support system for the student will go a long way in academics and life in general, but this is something the student must be willing to ask for and accept when offered; unfortunately, a lot of students are afraid to ask for help. Knowing how to help the student through these times with morale boosters, or ways of boosting the students’ outlook, will help the student stay on track and keep from becoming defeated. It is important to keep in mind as a parent, teacher, coach, etc. that school is meant to be challenging for students. The goal of receiving an education is so a student can form educated opinions, learn problem solving, and communication skills, but asking about the progress in all of these unexpectedly can be overwhelming for a student. Setting up a schedule for times to discuss questions and concerns with the student about school is very beneficial for both parties. By doing this, the student doesn’t feel like they are receiving criticism and it will allow for the student to start becoming independent and confident in their own abilities. Allowing the student to try one method, potentially not succeed, then try a new method will be far more valuable for handling obstacles in the way during life and academics.
Students with ADHD have incredible opportunities for success. ADHD or not, there is more to life than school, but sometimes it may not feel that way for the student. School is very important and understanding how to coach the student to handle struggles and obstacles is priceless. Nerves before the start of the new school year are completely normal, but nerves and potential struggles don’t define the outcome, the amount of work and willingness to succeed are what define the student. As a coach, understanding the student is imperative to help them succeed in life and academics. The best tip for those who feel they struggle with school in general is to approach the new year with the mindset that they will succeed and do whatever it takes to do so.