Depending upon where you live, you are anywhere between days to weeks to months of sheltering in place. While staying at home isn’t what any of us want to be doing now, it is the only choice. This situation is not easy for anyone, including students. I thought I would summarize what I’ve observed in …
As the COVID-19 virus spreads, more instances of school closures, social distancing and self-quarantine are appearing. While the health benefits are obvious, it can be very challenging for both adults and children. We all wonder what we should be doing if we’re stuck at home and of course, I’m thinking, “Encourage executive function skills!” Here …
“I made that mistake because I was too well rested,” said nobody, ever! The value of a well-rested brain can’t be understated. While many brain functions are reduced with inadequate sleep, executive functions are particularly vulnerable. Because these are very high level skills, they need optimal conditions to function optimally, with sleep being high on …
It is always an honor and pleasure to talk to parent and teacher groups about executive functions. When discussing strategies adults can employ to encourage, enhance and expand executive functions in children I include several simple techniques. I’d like to highlight one that is often underappreciated: “Share Your Story.” Executive functions are housed in the …
A few months ago, I read the following from the HUMANS OF NEW YORK photo blog. https://twitter.com/humansofny “My high school wasn’t very challenging. I never had to struggle. I was 15th in the class. Section leader in my marching band. Top of this. Top of that. Where I grew up, not too many people go …
Remember- A New Year’s resolution is just a wish without a plan! What’s your plan? Use the steps of GOSTRONG to help your year get off to a strong start.
Back to School I am often asked, “What is the best planner?” The answer: “The one you will use!” Not only having a planner but also knowing how to use it is key to success in school. Yet something so instrumental is often left to chance, inconsistent in methodology or ignored. Let’s begin by …
Once your child has the ability to feel and tell time, you can begin to teach calculating and estimating time. Calculating Time The ability to know exactly how much time has passed or will pass between designated moments is necessary in life. Unfortunately, many of our students treat this calculation as an addition or subtraction …
The switch of the clock for daylight saving time is a great opportunity to think about time. Time is a difficult concept for anyone to understand. Einstein showed us that time is relative, and while that may be true in the big picture, time is absolute in today’s world and your child’s classroom. There is …
Recently, I had the opportunity to moderate a discussion after the viewing of the movie Screenagers. Delaney Ruston, physician and filmmaker, “takes a deeply personal approach as she probes into the vulnerable corners of family life, including her own, to explore struggles over social media video games academics and internet addiction.“ The movie investigates the …