Executive Functioning OR: How to get your mother to stop nagging you!

Am I organized? If someone opens your binder, odds are they’ll see: Nothing. You just keep your papers in a heap in your locker. Tons of paper shoved in the front pocket, which is breaking Papers put into sections, and stuff to be turned in all in one spot On a typical Saturday, you find yourself: Late to tennis practice because you forgot to set your alarm Unable to get out of bed because you have too much to do Starting the day with friends because you did your homework Friday

What’s going on? If you don’t turn in homework, it’s usually because: You can’t get started on homework, but you actually want to do it. You did it, but now you can’t find your homework. You are always running behind or staying up too late because you are involved in too many things. You nearly always turn stuff in.

Assess Yourself Perfectionist: everything has to be done perfectly, but sometimes you get nothing done at all because you’re paralyzed Overloaded: you have too many things you’re involved with Procrastinator: you put off doing things you don’t enjoy Overly-optimistic: you consistently underestimate how long tasks will take you

How to use your planner… For stuff due tomorrow: write down everything you need to do today. For stuff due another day besides tomorrow: write down today what the assignment is; also write down a little note on the day it is due. At the beginning of every week, get your schedule for your mom: ortho, football practice, games or meets especially, weekend trips.

See planner examples in Study Skills workbook!

Brain Dump Once a week-Sunday: Brain Dump-Friday or Sunday: Check Cornerstone grades Missing work? Wrong grades? Brain Dump-Friday or Sunday: What projects are due? Have I started? What do I need to begin? History game? English outside reading book? Bible? What family stuff do I have coming up? What sports/babysitting/jobs do I have coming up?

Time Estimation Evaluate yourself: In the mornings, are you usually: Ready to go, with your stuff packed, when it’s time Scrambling at the last minute, often leaving stuff at home Ready way before everyone else When your parents ask you what homework you have that night, you feel: Irritated because you’ve already done it Angry because you left it at school Confused because you can’t remember what It is Like crying because you’re sure it’ll take you all night When you want to get together with friends, do you: Text everyone and get plans together Sit around hoping someone will text you Not really interested because it seems like too much work to make plans

How long will this take? You have 10 math problems. You mostly understood the lesson today, but the last two are word problems. You have to write a paragraph about why Eustace turned into a dragon. You were supposed to start it in school, but you forgot to save it to your flash drive. However, you remember your topic sentence. You have a Bible project due in four days. You have to read a chapter of Isaiah and then write two journal entries about what it means to you on two different days. You have a science test tomorrow. You have not really understood the unit, and you forgot your notes at school. However, the Jeopardy questions are online.

List all the things you need to do to write your paragraph about Eustace:

List all the things you need to do to write your paragraph about Eustace: Read the chapter Know at least 3 details what Eustace was like before he got turned into the dragon Know at least 3 details what Eustace was like after he became a boy again Recall what we discussed in class regarding his dragonish behavior Write a topic sentence Write down three details Reread what I wrote Get a family member to read it and fix errors Revise my paragraph Print it and put in my backpack

Your Binder Binder for each class Tabs Doing: Extra paper, packets you Doing, done, keep Doing: Extra paper, packets you Re working on, worksheets that haven’t been turned in yet Done: everything from that unit that you turned in and has been handed back Keep: Things to keep all year (lists of adjectives, instructions for long-term projects, etc.

Flash drive Digital Life Each class should have its own folder Ex: Language Arts, History, Bible, Math, Study Skills, etc.