What is Executive Functioning?

In our private tutoring practice, we see many students asking for help with “executive functioning.”  This buzz phrase refers to, in short, one’s ability to stay organized and successfully orchestrate the many facets of life.  
Some people describe executive function as “the CEO of the brain.” That’s because executive functioning skills allow us to set goals, plan and get things done. When kids struggle with executive skills, it impacts them in school and in everyday life.
Executive functioning weaknesses show up for many students, particularly those who struggle with attention.  For the purposes of our work, we are less interested in a student’s diagnosis, and more focused on harnessing the strategies that can help students with their executive skills.  
There are three main areas of executive functioning.  They are:

1. Active working memory (also called cognitive counter-top and RAM for the brain).  Poor working memory makes it hard for kids to use the information they get in school. In math class, your child might remember the numbers the teacher said to add: 24 and 9, but she might not recall what she’s supposed to do with them. Or she might not hold on to that sum of 33 so she can subtract another number from it.
   
2. Cognitive flexibility (also called flexible thinking).  This skill allows us to think about concepts in many different ways.  It helps with problem solving. Students with weak flexible thinking skills can seem rigid. They may seem fearful of change or easily frustrated by challenges that come their way.
   
3. Inhibitory control (also called impulse control or self-control).  This is a skill that keeps our actions in check. Students who struggle with inhibition control may seem to disrupt class, and many struggle to make friends.  They have a hard time thinking through their actions before they actually take that action.
   
   There are plenty of resources available to help with executive skills, and we offer workshops to students and families that address these issues.  For more information, please contact us at College Access Partnership.