Once upon a time, there were only a select few students that struggled with executive functioning. Now it seems as if almost all of our students struggle with executive functioning. Start teaching executive functioning in the classroom daily.
I know you might be thinking that you don’t have time to teach one more thing. How in the world are you going to write more lessons??? Not to worry we have you covered at The Mind Trek!
Teaching Executive Functioning in the Classroom Every Day
1. Use The Mind Trek middle school program. It includes a 6-week mini-course on executive functioning with 4 lessons a week. You can also purchase many books or lessons online. Our 6-week mini-course includes self-assessments so students can discover their strengths and weaknesses with executive functioning. Each week students will delve into a new topic such as self-understanding, organization, time management, attention, flexibility, and initiative.
2. Use the time that students are coming into class to give them something to do. Set up a daily brain teaser for students to solve. This will keep them on task, improve flexible thinking, and persistence.
3. Sneak executive functioning skills in your directions. For example, if you are giving directions to a large assignment talk about time management. Show students how to break down the assignment into smaller pieces. When you are discussing your next test talk to students about how they should be studying for your test.
4. Use games as a reward. You can talk about motivation and attention when you present the award. Students will also learn problem-solving skills and time management. Go a step further and challenge students to change the rules of the game. This will encourage them to use flexible thinking.
Working as a Class
5. As a class set up their planner or calendar at the beginning of every week. Students will get into the habit of working on their planners. They will also learn the skills to fill out their planner on their own.
6. Take time to do a locker, backpack, or desk cleanout each month. In the process talk to students about how they need to clean out their things. Teach them to create 3 piles. One to keep, one to throw away, and one that goes someplace else (donated, to the library, turned in, etc.)
Planning Exectutive Functioning Lessons
Perhaps your students are in dire need of BIG lessons. Outline the topics that you want to cover. Do they need practice with grit, paying attention, controlling their emotions or behavior, initiative, or flexible thinking?
Once you have come up with your topics decide how frequently you want to teach about them. Do you want to do a weekly lesson? Perhaps you only have time to add an executive functioning once a month. Write it in your calendar or your planner so you don’t forget.
Now comes the fun part, start planning. You know how often you want to do your lesson and the topics to cover. Dig in! Scour the internet for cool lesson plans or talk to your principal about purchasing The Mind Trek Program for your school.
Get low to no prep lessons on emotions, self-control, empathy, communication, conflict resolution, working together, leadership, mindset, overcoming failure, goal setting, grit, peer pressure, bullying, plus mini executive functioning lessons!
Keep up the great work with your students!
Check out our free lessons here!
