Executive Functioning: High School and Beyond

with Nicole Ofiesh, PhD

Executive Functioning: High School and Beyond

Episode 18, Season 2 | January 20, 2022

Show Notes

The last couple of years have been all about adapting to meet evolving and elusive protocols. For students with learning differences, the shifts from online learning to hybrid to in-person (and back) have made a part of their life that is already challenging exceedingly more difficult. Adaptation is a key aspect of Executive Functioning, which can be lacking in those with learner variability. In today’s podcast episode, we sat down with Dr. Nicole Ofiesh, Director of the Schwab Learning Center at CHC, about strategies students can use to build Executive Functioning skills in high school, college and beyond.

Guest Info
Nicole Ofiesh headshot

Nicole Ofiesh, PhD is a cognitive behavioral scientist with expertise in the intersection of learning and adulthood. With a focus on “the missing middle”, the time between high school and retirement, she believes an understanding of how cognition and the brain is associated with learning and performance is critical to preparing people for the needs of the 21st and 22nd centuries. She has been in hundreds of K-college classrooms and corporations over the years teaching and mentoring educators, administrators and professionals from line workers to medical doctors. She is Director of the Schwab Learning Center at CHC. Dr. Ofiesh has taught classes on assessment, instruction, design thinking and neurodiversity, and universal design for learning at the University of Arizona, Stanford University, Cal State East Bay and Providence College.

Resources

From Dr. Ofiesh:

Here are some tools our learning specialists love and use at the SLC. They recommend a couple productivity apps and tools. I like this Pomodoro Timer:

Tomato Timer

From Rosinel:

Pomodoro Timer apps:

Pomodor - Pomodoro Timer with Time log

Marinara Timer - Pomodoro Timer & other customizable timers, the timer links can be shared for virtual groups & co-working

Task Managers apps with Pomodoro timers:

Amazing Marvin - Customizable Task Manager & Daily Planner with timer features

Engross - Pomodoro Timer & To-Do List

KanBanFlow - KanBan Board Task Manager with Pomodoro timer

One additional tip/strategy I recommend when using these types of productivity and timer sites or apps is to add the site(s) to your browser start page or pin it to the task bar to make it easily accessible and more automated. It's also a visual cue to check your schedule and to do list for the day.

Learn more about CHC’s Clinical Services 

Learn more about Evaluations

From CHC’s Resource Library:

My Teen Struggles With Executive Function

Trouble With Executive Function at Different Ages

Executive Functioning Issues and Learning: Ways to Help Your Child After High School

With Handout

Activities for Enhancing and Practicing Executive Function Skills With Adolescents 

Executive Functioning Modules for College Students

Videos

Potentia Institute: My Brain Explained 

How to Boost Executive Function in Teens

Books

Executive Skills in Children and Adolescents: A Practical Guide to Assessment and Intervention

Promoting Executive Function in the Classroom (What Works for Special-Needs Learners)

Apps and Web Resources

Executive Functioning Tools and Resource