Lucia had been doing everything she could to support her son, Mario, in school. She helped with homework, stayed up late to help him study for his tests, and even turned the guest bedroom into an office for him to work uninterrupted. Despite her tireless efforts, Mario’s grades were still slipping.
Lucia knew Mario was smart, but for some reason, it wasn’t translating into his schoolwork. Frustrated and exhausted, she sat at the kitchen table, staring at Mario’s latest report card. She felt overwhelmed, not just by the worry of him falling behind, but also by the constant hand holding required just to keep him on track.
Like Mario, some children and teenagers have proven themselves smart in various ways but struggle with everyday responsibilities due to executive dysfunction. This is also very common among those who have ADHD. According to world-renowned ADHD expert Dr. Ned Hallowell, "The most telling sign that anyone has ADHD, be it a child or an adult, is unexplained underachievement."
Here is how executive dysfunction shows up in school
Your child is constantly losing things, whether it's pencils, books, or even their lunch.
In class, they blurt out answers before the teacher finishes speaking and end up giving the wrong response.
They procrastinate a lot or leave projects half-finished.
They spend too long on easy assignments and rush through important exams.
How an Executive Function Coach Can Help
An Executive Function (EF) coach can be a great support for children struggling with executive dysfunction. At Habit Coach, we offer individualized coaching tailored to your child's unique needs. Here's how we can make a difference:
Identify Weak Executive Function Skills, Barriers, and Strengths
EF coaches look into your child's executive function skills, observing them in action, and gathering insights from parents and teachers to get a full picture. They look at how your child performs in different environments and identify not just areas of struggle, but also strengths that can be leveraged for further improvement.
Building Healthy Habits
Once the assessment is complete, EF coaches work one-on-one with your child to develop healthy habits and strategies that address their specific challenges. They can support your child with:
Overcoming procrastination
Creating systems to organize tasks and materials effectively
Developing time management strategies
Improving focus
Strengthening working memory using practical strategies and cognitive exercises
Managing impulsivity and regulating emotions
Learning how to initiate tasks and see them through to completion
Providing Accountability
EF coaches make sure your child can effectively use their new-found skills in real-life situations. Through regular check-ins and progress monitoring, coaches help keep your child on track and organized.
Executive Function Coaching vs. Academic Tutoring
Academic tutoring is a common support available for children who struggle in school. While both executive function coaches and tutors work with students to improve their skills, it's important to draw a distinction between these two roles.
Tutors vs Executive Function coaches
Tutors work on teaching specific subjects like math, science, or history, helping students understand academic lessons and completing assignments.
EF coaches, on the other hand, work on executive skills that are foundational to learning such as working memory, attention, organization, and follow-through.
Tutors focus on helping students understand the material and meet learning outcomes based on the child’s academic curriculum.
EF coaches focus on helping students develop skills that are beneficial in school and beyond. They teach students how to manage their schoolwork more effectively and build better study habits, but they also address challenges related to executive function that affect home life, relationships, and long-term goals.
Training
Tutors often have a strong background in the subject they teach. Some are also certified teachers who have experience in teaching methods and pedagogy.
EF coaches are experts in executive function. We are trained to understand how executive function impacts learning and can offer strategies to compensate for difficulties with working memory, organization, time management, getting started, focus and follow-through, planning and prioritizing, impulsivity, flexible thinking, emotional control, and self-awareness.
Do you think your child needs an executive function coach? Let us know at Habit Coach and we are more than happy to help!
