{"id":1852,"date":"2022-03-25T14:34:32","date_gmt":"2022-03-25T14:34:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vividolearning.com\/?p=1852"},"modified":"2022-10-04T17:29:16","modified_gmt":"2022-10-04T17:29:16","slug":"executive-functions-dont-come-in-a-box","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vividolearning.com\/executive-functions-dont-come-in-a-box\/","title":{"rendered":"Executive functions don’t come in a box"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
I read an article today that offered a handful of strategies to develop students\u2019 executive function skills. I see articles like this all the time these days, and I have a confession: they make me bonkers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
While I\u2019m thrilled to see more and more educators embracing the term executive functions, too often suggestions for teaching executive functions don\u2019t reflect an understanding of what executive functions actually are. So they aren\u2019t very helpful. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
To be sure, the term executive functions is a complicated one. It\u2019s an umbrella term<\/em> \u2013 a fancy way of saying a term that refers to a group of concepts that make up a category<\/em>. Researchers don\u2019t all agree on what goes into that category, so the term is still a bit of a moving target. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Still, everyone agrees that brains have a handful of superpowers when it comes to getting things done. With those superpowers, brains function much like an expert \u201cair traffic controller.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Doing ANYTHING on purpose engages your air traffic controller \u2013 your cluster of executive functions. Talking, changing a tire, solving a math problem, listening to a lecture, reading for understanding, playing hopscotch, making a cup of coffee, using a strategy \u2013 for brains to do something with intention, they need to do a whole bunch of things: <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n As your brain (and its air traffic control system) develops, it gets better and better at all of those processes. Because that\u2019s what human brains are designed to do. (Thanks, mother nature!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n It takes about 25 years for brain cells to mature fully, and once they do, impulses move through neurons faster. In essence, nature greases the wheel to maximize the brain\u2019s efficiency and effectiveness. Because students are in school for the bulk of those 25 years, it\u2019s to be expected that biological forces are naturally bringing them closer to having tip-top brains the whole time. (High five, biology!) <\/p>\n\n\n\n If nature takes care of developing executive functions, why is everyone talking about teaching<\/strong> executive functions? <\/p>\n\n\n\n