FUTURE INVESTMENTS - Donna Young, Executive Function and Learning Coach

Donna's practice focuses on guiding students to improve their executive function skills. She helps students use their natural intelligence to learn more effectively. Strong executive function skills help students manage their own behavior to get things done (even if they don't really want to do them.) While a student's initial executive skills are inherited, they can be influenced positively (or negatively) by environment, experience, and instruction. Generally, executive function skills continue to develop until about age 25, but many students experience delays in development if they have learning differences or ADHD. The good news is that executive function skills can be learned and practiced. This allows students to enjoy greater success and assume more and more responsibility for their personal academic adventures. WITH COACHING, STUDENTS CAN... • focus more readily in class and on homework. • follow oral and written directions more effectively. • plan, organize, and complete daily assignments. • independently complete and turn in homework on time. • plan and manage long-assignments. • handle academic setbacks and learn from them. • use technology more effectively to process information and tasks more quickly and thoroughly. • learn to advocate for themselves with their teachers. • tackle things they don't really want to do. • feel really good about themselves and what they can do. • and much more! ._____. ._____. ._____. As a credentialed teacher, Donna has over 40 years of experience working with students, professionals, families, and schools. She understands executive function skills and deficits and how they impact school performance in students at different developmental levels. Donna has expertise in: • creating individualized systems and materials that facilitate executive function skills and learning. • understanding schools (both culture and organization) including typical teacher expectations regarding how homework is assigned, monitored and completed, and how grading systems typically work at different age levels. • problem solving with students in order to identify and break down and/or manage barriers. • communicating clearly and diplomatically with students, parents, teachers and other professionals. ._____. ._____. ._____. Donna's coaching approach is effective and informed by current research in the fields of education, brain development, and psychology. She is the mother of four children which has helped develop her understanding, methodology, and empathy. Change takes time, commitment, and partnership. It is a growth process that requires trust, understanding of the issues, shifting mindsets, and lots of practice on the part of both students and parents. Donna provides individualized recommendations, organizational systems and materials, and regularly scheduled check-ins to maintain accountability and monitor progress. Typically, following an initial parent meeting (as indicated by the age/grade of the student,) Donna meets with a student for one or two full sessions (50 minutes) to identify areas for growth, formulate a plan, and practice strategies for success. She then follows up with shorter Zoom sessions (15 - 25 minutes) to check-in with students and assess the effectiveness of the strategies and their use. These Zoom sessions decrease in frequency as the skill set grows. After 6-8 sessions (in-person & online) many students can better use their individual strategies to manage their academic demands. Other students may benefit from more ongoing, periodic support. I'm happy to provide a sample schedule and more information as well as answer any of your questions during a free phone consultation.