Executive functioning skills ensure that we make it to work on time, pay our bills, and plan, shop for, and cook meals. We also use executive functioning skills when we choose to eat a balanced meal rather than a quart of our favorite ice cream for dinner, or get up on time, even when we would much rather go back to sleep. It can be helpful to think of this skill set as making up the “responsible” part of our brain that makes decisions based on long-term outcomes rather than our emotional state or short-term rewards.
ADHD is an executive functioning disorder. For kids with ADHD, this executive dysfunction can look like not giving themselves enough time to complete tasks like homework or chores, or maybe forgetting to do these tasks altogether. They often struggle with impulse control, which means they may go straight from having a thought or feeling to blurting it out or acting on it without stopping to consider whether or not it’s a good choice in that moment.
It can be helpful to think of this skill set as making up the “responsible” part of our brain that makes decisions based on long-term outcomes rather than our emotional state or short-term rewards.
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Studies have shown that executive functioning skills can improve through practice and repetition.
Unfortunately, this can feel like a circular problem: kids can improve their executive functioning skills by using executive functioning skills. So, how do we get kids who lack executive function to practice executive functioning?
We give students challenges that motivate them to flex and strengthen their executive functioning skills. They have to plan ahead. They have to talk with each other, agree on a strategy and stick with it. They have to be thoughtful about their decisions because sometimes a wrong move might mean a loss for their team.
Our students get to practice engaging their brain circuitry for planning ahead, impulse control, and time management, while having a great time and making new friends. Improvement in executive functioning can lead to better academic performance and smoother daily routines at home.
We give students challenges that motivate them to flex and strengthen their executive functioning skills.
How ADHD impacts self-confidence
Kids with ADHD often struggle with self-confidence. We can think of self-confidence as a feeling of competency or trust in our ability to navigate our world.
Children with ADHD can struggle to complete tasks, often feel overwhelmed, and frequently get in trouble for impulsive behaviors (interrupting, speaking during class, getting out of their seat when they shouldn’t).
So it makes sense that self-confidence tends to be a significant struggle for these kids; how can they feel competent or trust their ability to function effectively in the world when they so often fail to complete tasks, struggle more than their peers in similar situations, and are regularly called out by their teacher for distracted behaviors?
How Neptune builds confidence in kids
Fostering self-confidence is one of our specialties at Neptune School. More than 80% of our students described an increase in their self-confidence after just one month in our program.
This isn’t surprising - we put a lot of thought and care into how we work with our students, from our challenging yet achievable game scenarios that allow students to build mastery, to our one-on-one goal-setting conferences. Neptune students can see their skills improving week by week. And just as importantly, they know that they have a supportive teacher who is there to help them along the way.
For example, one of our students, who had struggled with shyness, was able to successfully lead their team to complete multiple challenges over several weeks, within Neptune's supportive environment. This success boosted their confidence, and translated into improved communication and teamwork skills at school and in their daily life.
Click here to learn more about how we help kids build self-confidence at Neptune.
More than 80% of our students described an increase in their self-confidence after just one month in our program.
For kids to learn to manage their ADHD, they need to understand it.
Neptune teachers talk with kids in language they can understand about ADHD symptoms and strategies. We talk about the parts of the brain, motivation, and executive functioning. Most importantly, we listen to students and guide them in finding strategies that they can use to help manage their ADHD symptoms.
We want Neptune students to feel empowered to manage whatever challenges they face - including ADHD. By understanding their ADHD, students can better advocate for themselves and implement effective coping strategies.
By understanding their ADHD, students can better advocate for themselves and implement effective coping strategies.
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