Posted on 11/04/2021
In the previous post, we looked at 4 key executive skills: response inhibition, stress tolerance, emotional control, and flexibility. Hopefully you are starting to see more clearly how these executive skills impact a person's daily life, and you are gaining clarity about the importance of nurturing these skills intentionally in your child or children. Today we're going to investigate 4 more executive skills; this time we'll be looking at those that more clearly relate to academic success.
Executive Skill 5: Sustained Attention
I might be known to tell my kids, "You really can afford to pay attention," but in reality, the ability to focus attention and sustain it is an executive skill that is more difficult for some than for others; thankfully, though, it can be honed. Sustained attention relates to a person's ability to maintain focus even when that person is tired or bored or in the midst of potential distractions. If a child can complete a chore that takes 5 minutes to do without constant supervision, that child is exhibiting sustained attention. A teen shows this skill when he or she is able to complete school work for an hour or more with only short breaks and without reminders.
Executive Skill 6: Organization
We all realize that some of us are more naturally organized than others; organization relates to creating and maintaining systems for information or materials. This can be shown in everyday life by a young child's ability to put toys back where they belong or a teen's ability to tidy up a closet and find a given article of clothing. For school, it could also mean keeping school supplies in their proper places and keeping assignment sheets for various classes in a given location for easy reference.
Executive Skill 7: Goal-Directed Persistence
It can be good to have goals, but there's not really a point if you don't have the skills to allow you to pursue and achieve those goals. Goal-directed persistence relates to having a goal and following through to complete that goal, regardless of competing interests or distractions. A child in the primary grades can demonstrate this kind of persistence by completing classwork in time to be able to go outside to recess. A teen can earn money and save it in order to buy a new cell phone or make a down payment on a car.
Executive Skill 8: Planning and Prioritizing
You may or may not need a fancy bullet journal or planner - digital or otherwise - in order to prioritize and plan. This skill set involves creating a map or plan to help you complete a task or meet a long-term goal. It involves breaking down a larger task into smaller ones and focusing on what is important. A teen might come up with a plan for applying for a scholarship or grant money to allow them to pay for their college of choice, and a child may be able to brainstorm with a parent to come up with a way to resolve a conflict with a sibling.
Continue reading with Part 6.
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