7 Strategies to Support Executive Functioning

1. Designate work space at home a) Good lighting b) Away from distractions c) Consider noise canceling headphones

2. Establish a homework kit a) Chargers b) Stationary c) Pens, pencils, highlighters etc.

3. Take care of physiological needs a) Provide water, snacks, breaks

4. Establish communication systems a) Email, paper or combination b) Systems for bringing papers back and forth

5. Create a “Week at a Glance” a) List all extracurricular activities b) Count travel times and get ready times c) Determine reasonable study times and down times d) Colour code activities for easy reference

6. Encourage good organizational habits a) Create systems for backpacks, lockers, personal spaces b) Decide if items should be kept, given away, or discarded c) Label containers and pockets so items are returned to the correct spot

7. Keeping track of assignments a) Support use of paper agenda b) Avoid fighting about electronic agenda use for older kids (as long as it is effective) c) Record “No Homework” on days where there are no assignments d) Determine how teachers post assignments e) Encourage your child to do their own problem solving labeled containers for sports cloths, laundry, shoes, toys, collections, etc. Label pockets in backpacks and practice putting belongings in there—make it fun by timing how fast they can pack up. Practice builds automaticity which reduces the cognitive load. At school, provide locker shelves for books, bags for gym clothes, and pockets for stationary; discuss how they would like to organize items and label accordingly.

Review items with your child regularly to decide if they need to be kept, given away, or discarded. Create a checklist of what goes to school daily and what comes home daily. Post it on the front door and inside their locker or on their desk.Create a designated “dump station” in your entryway where your child can put their coat, backpack and shoes etc. Even kindergarteners can build independence and organizational skills when you demonstrate how.

7. Stay on top of assignments

Students are typically provided with a paper agenda from school. Get them in the habit of using it regularly. The act of writing down important information helps them to keep it in short-term memory. Even when no homework is assigned, students can mark “no homework” or “NH” so that they know they haven’t missed anything.This keeps the agenda top of mind daily.

Some students like to colour code their assignments by subject. With your child, select a time of day to write in the agenda. Make sure your child knows where their homework is posted. Even teachers in the same school can use different methods. Make a list of each teacher and how they post homework—are the instructions in Google Classroom, on the white board, by hand-out, or given verbally? Encourage your child to problem solve if they have missed important instructions. Avoid trying to do it for them as you want to foster their independence in problem solving skills.

Older students continue to benefit from paper agendas but be flexible. If they prefer to use their phone and sync it to their electronic calendars and this is effective for them, that’s what counts.

It’s worth noting that building new executive functioning skills and creating new neuropathways doesn’t happen instantly, but with repeated actions and consistent effort your child can build independence in these key cognitive areas. As parents, your role is to collaborate and encourage your child’s independence by providing them with the tools and strategies they need to literally change their brains.

The mark of the new school year is all about transition and change which inherently causes stress. Being proactive about addressing some of these challenges in advance will make the back-to-school process much smoother for you and your family