116. Teaching Executive Function for School (and Life!) Success with Sean McCormick

We assume our children will organically learn how to organize their thoughts and belongings, be able to manage their time, and more. Not true. In fact, if you thought about it, you’d realize that you struggle with this too.

We must teach these executive functioning (EF) skills to our children. In doing so, we can transform their family and school experience.

This week on the podcast, I’m joined by Sean McCormick, who was inspired to teach and coach executive functioning to empower parents and teens to be more organized, thoughtful, and goal-oriented. He shares how receiving executive functioning support impacts learners and families, why students with EF skills are more successful, how to have a family meeting about goals, and what educators can do when a student has a language barrier.

Every human needs to have EF skills, and if we as parents and educators struggle with it ourselves (as we often do), bringing in a professional is key. Listen in!

Sean McCormick is a parent, husband and international executive function coach. He founded Executive Function Specialists, a remote coaching business that empowers parents and teens to be more organized, thoughtful and goal-orientated.​

He also hosts the Earn More Tutoring Podcast, which helps educators world-wide build better practices to help more students and families with their educational needs.

You can learn more about Sean’s work by Googling Executive Function Specialists or Earn More Tutoring. 

• [1:20] - How I learned about executive functioning
• [3:13] - How executive function impacts learners 
• [3:33] - Sean’s story 
• [5:12] - The impact communication and organization skills have on school
• [6:12] - How support impacts learners
• [6:57] - Research behind what’s most impactful for students
• [9:30] - Helping others become EF specialists
• [10:39] - Scott’s big mission - Ensure every student has access to EF and teachers are trained in it
• [11:08] - What everyone needs to know about EF
• [11:53] - EF skills have higher predictor of school readiness and outcomes
• [12:59] - What parents can do to ensure kids have EF skills
• [16:33] - Family meetings: start with gratitude 
• [18:58] - Remember: there’s an unequal power dynamic in families 
• [20:01] - EF when kids have language barriers
• [22:05] - Suggestions for parents/teachers to integrate EF into work
• [23:10] - Reticular activation system 
• [25:20] - Turbo Time
• [27:59] - Sean’s Magic Wand
• [30:28] - Maureen’s Takeaways

• Executive Function Specialists
• Dr. Adele Diamond
• Dominican University goals study
• Dr. Stephen Krashen
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seanelliotmccormick
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanemccormick/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/efspecialists/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGGiMfT7eZVDn2LYkb1kmgQ
• Email Maureen

• Maureen’s TEDx: Changing My Mind to Change Our Schools

• The Education Evolution
• Facebook: Follow Education Evolution
• Twitter: Follow Education Evolution
• LinkedIn: Follow Education Evolution
• EdActive Collective
• Maureen’s book: Creating Micro-Schools for Colorful Mismatched Kids

• Micro-school feature on Good Morning America
• The Micro-School Coalition
• Facebook: The Micro-School Coalition
• LEADPrep