Tip of the Week

August 3, 2015

School supplies and executive function

Ready or not, ads for school supplies are beginning to flood our mailboxes. Yes, it feels early, but the timing provides an opportunity to practice some important executive function skills like planning, organizing, and prioritizing. Before you head out to Staples, sit down with your child and determine together what she will need for the upcoming school year. Think about each specific class and begin to map out an organizational plan. Does she prefer a binder for each class or one big binder with dividers? What kind of assignment book will she need to track her homework? Does she need specific tools for any classes (e.g. a graphing calculator or colored pencils)? By being involved with the selection of materials, your child will more likely “buy-in” to the organizational process you’ve decided upon together, and will feel a sense of excitement and confidence as she heads into the new school year.