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Research has shown that the capacity for generalization in problem solving is limited even in neurologically healthy people....People tend to learn by acquiring situation-specific mental templates.
The Executive Brain: Frontal Lobes and the Civilized Mind
by Elkhonon Goldberg
For me, The Executive Brain was a page-turner.
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I'm repeating myself! (you may need to hit refresh a couple of times to make the page appear)
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I find myself fascinated by the concept of executive function. In fact, my husband and I talked about it while on our walk last night.
I think hubby and I both tend to be organizers and list makers. I joke that I have a master list to keep track of my lists.
What's interesting, though, is that several years ago, I went into a "creative" mode (long story). What was interesting is that while I was in that creative mode, I struggled to stay on top of things and to stay organized.
What I am trying to do now is figure out how to strike the balance between creative mode and executive function mode.
(Good lord, I hope this makes sense!)
I should also add that I was a list maker as far back as college. To me, it was just natural to make lists of the things that I needed to remember. I also remember that my calendar was of great importance as well.
One of my roommates once marvelled at my list-making abilities, and started using the strategy herself.
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I should add that hubby's comment about "executive function," particularly as it pertains to employees who are involved in management is that developing those skills is pretty important. He also noted that, at least at the adult level, motivation plays an important role. Put simply, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make them drink.
Implicit in the above, of course, is the assumption that organizational skills and habits can be acquired through practice.
I should also note that I have spent years serving as my kids' frontal lobes, particularly in the elementary school years.
What I learned, early on, was that if my kid was going to be able to survive/thrive, I would need to use my executive function skills, such as they were. I'm not convinced that elementary school kids necessarily have innate strong executive function skills. Maybe some do, but I think it's more likely that it's a skill or behavior that needs to be trained and developed. (And that it's not, as Catherine likes to point out, a character issue.)
I learned to ask my kids a sequence of questions: Do you have any homework? What subjects? When is it due? Do you have the textbooks that you need? Let's look at your planner. When is the date of your test? Do you have any notes from your teacher? Any handouts? Did they send anything home? Were there any announcements in class that are relevant. Did you hand in your field trip permission form? And so on and so on. Do you still have lunch money in your account?
You have band on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays this year? Okay, let's set your drums in the middle of the floor (a nice addition to any living room), so that as we stumble over it, we might remember to bring it on the relevant day. Because, of course, the penalty for forgetting an instrument is a detention. Not that there's anything wrong of shameful about that, but for a working parent, or a parent with small children, when your kid can't ride the bus home because of a 20 minute after school detention, it becomes a penalty for the parent as well.
Okay, that was quite a rant. My apologies. I'm setting aside as a separate issue the question as to whether the schools require too much in that regard. At some level, developing those abilities becomes almost imperative if the child is to be able to balance the expectations required in high school (see my rant under "more annoying opeddery").
What I learned, early on, was that if my kid was going to be able to survive/thrive, I would need to use my executive function skills, such as they were.
This is SOOOO true - and it's not easy. (Or not for me!)
What's interesting, though, is that several years ago, I went into a "creative" mode (long story). What was interesting is that while I was in that creative mode, I struggled to stay on top of things and to stay organized.
That IS interesting.
That list of questions you just posted is a PERFECT illustration of why being your child's frontal lobes is difficult.
I question how many parents can do a decent job of it.
It forget things CONSTANTLY.
Last winter, when C. was home from school for over a month, it took Ed, C., and me 'til spring vacation to dig out.
Just trying to figure out everything he'd missed & get it all done was overwhelming. (And I had dutifully gone to school every day to pick up homework, notes, etc.)
I agree that it is difficult to be your child's frontal lobes. My frustration is with teachers who actually thought 8 and 9 year old children actually HAD (or should have) these skills.
Something that I hammer home with my college freshmen class is the importance of using a planner or a calendar. I tell them that they need to put all of the tests and finals of which are aware of onto their calendar. Put due dates for papers, quizzes, etc. on there as well. Also, every activity, every meeting, etc. Get it on the calendar and make it a habit of referring to it.
I have a specific format that I ask this class to follow for papers. We go through the format in class, and then I tell them to use it as a checklist prior to turning in their papers. I also tell them that it's a great checklist to use for other classes as well.
Perhaps I have been reading KTM for too long, but I seem to have adopted this philosophy that if I want someone to acquire a certain skill, I should first identify that skill, and then provide the means by which to attain it.
I loved the approach taken by M's Reading teacher this past year. She required the kids to turn in weekly Reading logs, but her system made it almost impossible for them to not turn them in. She required that the logs be kept in their notebook, she gave them time in class to update them, and she gave them bonus points for turning them in the day prior to the due date. If for some reason they didn't turn in the log on time, they spent the next day's lunch period with her, writing her a note as to why they didn't have it done. Her basic philosophy was that she wanted them to succeed, she expected them to succeed, and she would do everything within her power to help them succeed.
Her history teacher had basically the same philosophy when it came to the state-mandated Constitution test. She wanted them to succeed, she provided a path for them to succeed, and when they did succeed, she cheered (and in one case, cried) when they did succeed.
About the whole creative mode thing--what I discovered was how much fun it was to be creative. I also discovered that I had to have a balance, or things didn't get done. I'm still trying to find that balance.
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