 Spring Break is right around the corner, and now more than ever we hear parents and teachers saying that it is challenging to keep students motivated. A lack of motivation often leads to procrastination – with students leaving assignments until the last minute, not preparing for exams well enough in advance, and often feeling a general sense of detachment from schoolwork. We understand that this lack of motivation can be frustrating – for both students and parents – so our expert team of tutors share their insights as to how to best set priorities to remain motivated and avoid procrastination. Create a Schedule For those students who have a difficult time planning for long assignments or preparing well enough in advance for an exam, it is important to create a schedule to properly prioritize time. Creating a schedule is a part of executive functioning, a practice we define as being able to put “work before play.” Executive functioning is a critical skill that many students need coaching on in order to create an environment that maximizes on-task behavior and minimizes avoidance behaviors. Fortunately, there are many fun ways to create a schedule to help students stay organized. As Laurie Koshgarian of The Village Tutors says, “To begin, you first need to break the assignment or task down into sizable chunks that are appropriate for the student’s age. For younger students, we often then make a GET READY – DO – TASK chart like the one below. This chart is a digestible and visual way for students and families to see what work needs to be done and when.” 
Partner with an Executive Functioning Expert Sometimes for students and families, attempting to tackle organization challenges alone at home is not enough. That is why the team at The Village Tutors has prioritized executive functioning trainings and education in order to offer sustainable resources for families. The Village Tutors are trained in the Rush Medical/Neurobehavioral Center’s Executive Function Skills Building Program © in order to support the topics of priorities and procrastination. For some students, struggles with priorities and procrastination look like having difficulties keeping a backpack organized, not using a planner, or not having an effective system to stay organized and keep track of assignments. These students often have challenges turning homework in on time and find themselves stressed and overwhelmed by their schedules and due dates. Working with an executive functioning expert offers students the opportunity to create a personalized plan to focus on increasing productivity and experiencing success in school. Improve Habits and Study Skills As a part of the executive functioning services, The Village Tutors teaches students how to be more thorough in homework completion and create notes to aid in understanding. These important skills help students to develop a long-term understanding of creating priorities in work completion, while also not leaving work to the last minute. The team acts as mentors and partners to build confidence in students and support their development of independent work habits. By teaching students how to better prepare for assignments and exams, they are subsequently empowered to take ownership over their work. This ownership and pride leads to an increase in prioritization, and a decrease in procrastination. Over time, these necessary skills help students to be more focused in their schoolwork and less anxious overall about what is expected of them. -- The Village Tutors is proud to support students and families by offering executive functioning skills support. To learn more, see the services information on the website. |
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