Executive Dysfunction
What They Don’t Teach our Children in School
As a Clinical Neuropsychologist who assesses children and adolescents, one of the most common complaints I hear from parents is how scattered and disorganized their children are. These are challenges in the area of what are called executive functioning.
Executive functioning (EF) is a general term used to describe a series of skills that includes planning, organization, time management, and self-awareness (or metacognition). Executive functioning is the control center of our brains that allows for purposeful and thoughtful decision-making.
“Well Developed Executive Functions can be the dividing line between being in control of school work or feeling overwhelmed by it.”
Case Examples
Over the years, I have encountered countless individuals with executive dysfunction who have struggled badly once academic demands started to ramp up.
Paul
Take Paul, a freshman at an Ivy League University who, when I met him, had recently returned home, having been placed on academic probation.
Paul had been a wonderful student through high school. Once he left for college and was left to his own devices, however, he was no longer able to keep up with the workload.
Prior to being out and on his own, his parents had helped out by keeping a close eye and providing oversight and a significant degree of external structuring.
Once he arrived on campus, however, those supports were no longer in place. His ability to balance all of his various life pursuits - academics, social life, extracurriculars, etc. - came crashing down on him.
Rebecca
I am also reminded of a more recent case, Rebecca, a lovely, happy, and highly motivated middle school student with an ordinarily sunny disposition and effervescent personality, who loves to learn.
Rebecca had recently transitioned into the next grad and quickly fell behind. Before long, she felt overpowered, helpless and, in time, “stupid.”
Always highly intelligence and having possessed a wonderful work ethic, she could no longer fall back on these compensatory assets.
Once again, there was simply too much to balance and homework time was a very challenging and stressful time, not just for her, but for her parents as well.
Students are Rarely Taught EF Skills in School
The building our students' executive functioning capacities is something that is rarely if ever taught in school.
Teachers, understandably, prioritize the curriculum and scarcely move beyond it. Students are expected to ‘pick up’ these skills on their own.
Some do, but a high percentage to not, and at a significant cost.
Even before the pandemic, the situation had reached a tipping point. Now that our days often feel even less structured and predicable, the consequences for many students are being exacerbated.
Many otherwise good students are falling behind, their grades slipping, along with their confidence levels.
Their anxiety levels are rising and I am hearing more and more from parents that home and family lives are becoming increasingly strained.
So What are Parents’ Options?
There are several possible paths to pursue if your child is struggling with executive functioning.
Direct conversation with the teacher and/or child study team.
One strategy is to approach your child’s teacher and engage in an open and honest dialogue about how much your child is struggling with remaining organized and getting their work done. There may be ways to create a system that allows for improved structure and oversight from the teachers.
Remediating your child's executive functioning directly.
Another is to work with a professional executive functioning coach. This is someone who works closely with the student, to help build an individualized system, improves study habits and techniques and ensure that assignments are being completed, to the best of the student's ability, and submitted in a timely fashion.
Educational and Neuropsychological Testing
There are certain cases in which problems with executive functioning represents only one of several parts of a larger problem. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, for instance, often goes hand in hand with gaps in EF. So too can other problems, such as learning disabilities (e.g., dyslexia) anxiety, and/or low motivation. For some students, many if not all of these issues can co-occur.
Whichever option you are considering, I invite you to contact me with any questions or concerns you might have about your child’s school performance.
Let’s talk about how I can be helpful and find ways to help your child regain their sense of stability, competence and confidence.