Habits of Mindfor the 21st century student

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There is a great deal of research that shows that students who demonstrate a high degree of executive function are more likely to perform well academically in high school, and be ready for university and a career.

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Habits of mindfor the 21st century student

Executive functioning skills The habits

Using Studyo

Supports the development of working memory and helps with long term planning.

Creating timelinesSupports the development of working memory and helps with long term planning.

Learning to organize is to develop the ability to impose order on work, chunk the task and prioritize.

Learning to assess and monitor performance refers to the ability to monitor one’s own performance and to measure it.

Learning to shift is to develop the ability to move from one situation or task to another.

Working memory refers to developing the ability to hold information in one’s mind.

Learning to initiate an action is to develop the ability to begin a task and to generate ideas.

Plan

Organize

Self-monitor

Shift

Hold information

Initiate

“To do” lists can also support a student’s ability to manage tasks and make transitions.

Drawing to do lists

The use of an agenda allows students to track their goal completion.

Using an agenda

By “chunking” materials or subjects by color, students can remain organized and retain information in a manageable way.

Using Color-codes

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Habits of Mindfor the 21st century student

More and more teachers and parents are looking at the literature on executive function to better enable children and adolescents for success in school. Executive functioning skills are responsible for us getting our work done on time, they prompt us in asking for help when we need it and allow us to seek more information to complete a task. Scientists who study executive function skills refer to them as the biological foundation for school readiness. More specifically, they believe that in practice these skills support the process of learning (focusing remembering, planning) that enables children and adolescents to effectively and efficiently master the content of learning (reading, writing and computation).

Furthermore, in her seminal work, Mindset; The New Psychology of Success (2006), Carol Dweck, advocates that some specific strategies may be taught and employed by all students such as time and work organizers, color-coded or sectioned notebooks, calendars to keep track of deadlines and monitor progress, task-analysis checklists, memory aids, and opportunities to develop important work habits, such as breaking down problems or projects into manageable “chunks”, realistically estimating time demands, generating alternative solutions and selecting the best one, and taking the time to pause, reflect and consider options before impulsively acting upon a first thought. These types of strategies thus have an impact and implications well beyond the academic years.

We have drawn from the body of research in neuro-education to develop a list of Important habits of minds needed for academic success in the 21st century.

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The Habits

Initiate: Learning to initiate an action is to develop the ability to begin a task and to generate ideas.

Plan: Learning to plan is developing the ability to manage the demands of a given task.

Organize: Learning to organize is to develop the ability to impose order on work, chunk the task and prioritize.

Self-monitor: Learning to assess and monitor performance refers to the ability to monitor one’s own performance and to measure it.

Shift: Learning to shift is to develop the ability to move from one situation or task to another.

Hold information: Working memory refers to developing the ability to hold information in one’s mind.

Technology can effectively increase a student’s executive function.By using tools available on personal devices, students can develop strategies:

• Take step by step approaches to work; break long assignment into chunks and assign time frames for completing each chunk (chunking)

• Use visual calendars to keep track of short and long term assignments, due dates, chores, and activities

• Plan and structure transitions times and shifts in activities

• Create checklists and “to do” lists estimating how long tasks will take

• Use management software or apps

• Schedule a weekly time to clean and organize workspace

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Using Studyo The Studyo app provides a number of these tools to help and assist students develop these important habits that will help them throughout their academic career and beyond.

Using an Agenda: The use of an agenda not only keeps the student organized, helps with task transition, working memory and self- regulation, but allows the students to track his of her goal completion.

Adding Information to a Calendar: A calendar gives us the ability to predict an event. When a teacher adds a task or assignment to a calendar, it give students an opportunity to both physically and mentally prepare in anticipation. In doing so, they are better able to transition from one activity to another.

Drawing to do lists: The primary purpose of a “to do” list is to clearly outline the steps needed to achieve a goal. These types of lists can be created and used in a variety of ways for students. They can be made to set goals. “To do” lists can also support a student’s ability to manage tasks and make transitions.

Using Color-codes: Color coding can be very useful for students who are visual learners. By “chunking” materials or subjects by color, students can remain organized and retain information in a manageable way.

Creating Timelines and using pictograms: Timelines or pictograms help organize information. They can be used in a variety of ways, for a variety of subjects to support the development of working memory. They can help students collect their thoughts, create and convey ideas as well as draw connections. Furthermore, the help students with long term planning.

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Conclusion Finally, there is a great deal of research that shows that students who demonstrate a high degree of executive function are more likely to perform well academically in high school, and be ready for university and a career. Furthermore, by considering these skills along with academic achievement, educators can more accurately identify students who need help and intervention to achieve success. It is imperative that teachers and parents help students develop executive functioning skills and by the same token provide the proper technological tools to achieve this.

By paying close attention, and employing tools and technologies that help train executive function skills from a young age, students will be better prepared to succeed in todays world. Teaching things like using an agenda, color coding tasks and adding to dos on a timeline are all ways to help students gear up for school and what lies just beyond graduation.