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Rosemarie A. Lucey, M.Ed.

Educational Success Coach

Is your adolescent/young adult overwhelmed in managing academics? Do you see behaviors of frustration, anxiety, and shutting down? Is it a struggle to keep track of homework, manage short and long-term assignments, and manage time overall to meet life and academic demands?

This may be due to weaknesses in executive functioning. Learning in the 21st century, coupled with the barrage of various technology platforms, has added increased daily demands which students are required to manage as part of their learning process. 

Executive functioning develops between the ages of two to 26 therefore, most students are not equipped to handle these increased academic demands. It is even more taxing for students with ADHD which impacts executive function skills and development.

The good news is executive functioning skills can be learned! 

RAL Educational Success Coaching provides 1:1 coaching for executive function skill building specifically tailored to each individual student.  

I believe an individualized holistic approach provides the greatest impact in guiding students to reach their potential. I focus on three key concepts as the foundation of my work in helping students turn challenges into success: executive function, metacognition, and growth mindset. Insight into these areas allows students to gain a perspective of self and empowers them to learn how to set goals with action plans and implement new strategies and tools for success. 

What is Executive Function?  

Executive Function is a set of mental abilities such as working memory, emotion regulation, and flexible thinking, that allows an individual to independently manage oneself and resources to complete a task or achieve a goal/s. There are many areas of executive function and weaknesses in one or more areas create gaps and challenges and interfere with task or goal achievement. Executive Function weaknesses can be strengthened with various strategies and tools. 

Executive Functions can be classified as organizational and regulation.

  • organizational – gathering information and structuring (organizing) it for evaluation
    • attention, planning, sequencing, problem-solving, working memory, cognitive flexibility, abstract thinking
  • regulation – evaluating the information you have and adjusting your actions
    • initiate (getting started), self-control, focus (maintaining attention), emotional regulation, decision-making

What is Metacognition?

Metacognition is self awareness, having the awareness and the understanding of one’s own thought process.

Self awareness builds independence and resilience in handling life’s challenges both academically and personally. Self awareness allows one to constructively reflect and make adjustments when faced with challenges. Self awareness unlocks the idea that growth and change are possible thus shifting one’s thinking from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset. 

What is Mindset? 

Mindset is the underlying belief one has about their ability to learn. People with a fixed mindset believe they do not have the ability. People with a growth mindset believe they can learn by correcting deficiencies to achieve goals.

A Fixed Mindset Point-Of-View…

  • you must succeed perfectly every time
  • failing means “you are a failure”
  • a problem is dealt with by assigning blame & making excuses

A Growth Mindset Point-Of-View…

  • you can bounce back from failures
  • failing is painful but does not define you
  • a problem is faced, dealt with and learned from, and you are energized by setbacks and/or constructive criticism

Contact

Rosemarie A. Lucey

(978) 790-0873