Monthly Tips

Each month, a Thinking Organized tip is emailed to our growing list of educators, parents and students who want to improve their executive functioning skills.

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How Brain Training Games Strengthen Executive Functioning Skills

February 16, 2021
Executive functioning skills are key to learning and managing in daily life. Whether you are a student or a high-powered CEO, knowing how to self-monitor, think flexibly, and recall information is crucial for success. However, many children have difficulty with planning, understanding and following directions, or staying focused, all of which can diminish their self-esteem and enjoyment of school. If your children are struggling with these skills, introducing them to brain training games is a fun way to help them develop their executive functioning skills.

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Erica MechlinskiHow Brain Training Games Strengthen Executive Functioning Skills

Make SMART Goals SMARTER

January 14, 2021
Setting goals to start off the new year is an important tradition. While we do not always stick to these plans, taking some time to reflect on our lives and envision what the future could hold provides a burst of energy that can take us far.
Last year, we encouraged everyone to set SMART goals, or goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely, in order to help them achieve what they wanted to accomplish. However, 2020 was not the amazing, productive year many were hoping for, and many were likely hindered from reaching their goals. In light of all of the changed plans in 2020 and all of the personal growth and exploration many of us have been forced into, we at Thinking Organized think that it is time to embrace SMARTER goals for 2021.

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Erica MechlinskiMake SMART Goals SMARTER

Executive Functioning, Language, and Fun: A Triple Treat for the Holidays

December 16, 2020
With the holiday season just around the corner, you may be looking for fun activities to keep your children busy and off of screens. Many of our children have been engaged with distance learning for the past several months, so showing them that there is a world beyond their computer is crucial. Though it is important for students to rest during this break, there are many fun activities they can do that practice their executive functioning and language skills during the holidays so that they are prepared to return to school next month.

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Erica MechlinskiExecutive Functioning, Language, and Fun: A Triple Treat for the Holidays

Shelter from the Storm – A Moment for Mindfulness

November 16, 2020
For students and parents of all ages, the practice of mindfulness is a powerful tool for staying focused throughout the day. As the world seeks ways to cope with the increased stress of working and studying from home as a result of COVID-19, adding resources for remaining grounded has never been more important. Mindfulness is the practice of focusing one’s attention on the present moment without judgement. Studies have shown a wide variety of benefits of using this practice, ranging from increased emotional control to greater concentration. Like most things, mindfulness can be difficult for beginners, but with regular practice even the most skeptical can become comfortable with the practice.
By incorporating mindfulness into your children’s regular routines, you can help them build a powerful tool for managing moments of stress and emotional confusion throughout the day.

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Erica MechlinskiShelter from the Storm – A Moment for Mindfulness

Managing Academic, Work, and Personal Obligations During COVID

October 13, 2020
Between school and work, every family has a busy schedule. For children and adults with executive dysfunction, managing academic, work, and personal obligations can feel like an impossible task. This challenge is only magnified by the virtual platform that we are all using during COVID; in this time of virtual classes, meeting, and events, it seems that we are constantly jumping from one thing to the next. As a result, we might overlook projects or forget to complete a task. If your family is struggling to remember its obligations, check out these methods to help you record and track all of your responsibilities.

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Erica MechlinskiManaging Academic, Work, and Personal Obligations During COVID

Preparing for a New School Year in the Age of COVID

September 9, 2020

These last six months have been unusual, to say the least. COVID-19 severely altered our daily lives, and while it is impossible to determine who was impacted the most, many people would agree that children experienced a uniquely difficult time. The sudden transition to distance learning, where they had less classes, less homework, and less structure, was jarring. Many students lost motivation and found it challenging to put forth effort. With a new school year upon us in times that are still uncertain, many parents are rightly concerned that their children might still lack that motivation – especially since many schools are using hybrid models or engaging in virtual-only learning. There are several steps you can take to help ensure that your children are successful this school year.

 

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Erica MechlinskiPreparing for a New School Year in the Age of COVID

Executive Functioning Skills in Standardized Testing

August 18, 2020
Students with ADHD and executive functioning weaknesses tend to experience academics and testing differently than those without learning disabilities. It is important to remember that these challenges are not a sign of incompetence, nor are they suggestive of a student’s intelligence. What these challenges do suggest is that these students learn differently and require specific structures to perform well in school. This is true not only for achieving high grades, but high scores on standardized tests as well.
To effectively prepare for the SAT, students should seek to strengthen their executive functioning skills while simultaneously reviewing content.

 

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Erica MechlinskiExecutive Functioning Skills in Standardized Testing

Why is Reading Difficult?

July 6, 2020

You are doing it right now without even thinking about it: reading. Many of us don’t even remember learning to read, but it is actually a complex, multifaceted skill built upon subskills. If children have difficulty with any one component of reading, they will struggle to keep up with their classmates and may avoid the task altogether.

 

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Erica MechlinskiWhy is Reading Difficult?

What is Writing Fluency and Why is it Important?

February 13, 2020
Parents often hear their student’s teachers, speech-language pathologists, or educational specialists talk about fluency in reading, writing, or speech.
 
Fluency in any of these areas refers to the automaticity and accuracy in which these skills are used. Fluent language speakers can naturally and readily use words in a language to communicate their ideas, and fluent readers smoothly decode words in a printed text. Therefore, fluent writers can easily express their ideas on a page.

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Erica MechlinskiWhat is Writing Fluency and Why is it Important?

Setting Goals for the New Year

January 15, 2020

What is a better way to ring in the New Year than with a resolution? 2020 is a great time to help your children set new goals and identify areas to improve upon, whether in their academic, professional, or personal lives. However, while our children often begin the year with some well-meaning motivation, they might struggle to create a clear plan for what they want to achieve. As a result, they can feel burned out before they reach their objective. To help your children set a goal, follow through, and see progress, encourage them to use the SMART GoalSetting tool this year.

 

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Erica MechlinskiSetting Goals for the New Year