Written for us by our coach Megan Moody

Planning is an Executive Functioning skill required to think about and organize the activities required to achieve a desired goal. Most students diagnosed with ADHD struggle with planning homework, projects, studying for tests and other activities.

With any HomeworkCoach student, I like to begin each session by looking at the student’s upcoming assignments for the week. I always ask students or parents for access to the student’s blogs or web sites where assignments are kept. Before each session, I take a few moments and check sites so I know what’s going on for the week. When we start the session, I review what I found online with the student.

I ask if the student has done the required homework for the day/week. I then ask to see their agenda, or wherever they document their assignments. If I see a major test or project coming up, I start asking a lot of questions: “What are you doing to study? Have you made flashcards? How did you do on your last quiz?”

I guess I’m a like a bee in the student’s bonnet. I keep asking the same questions and start sessions in the same manner until these elements of planning become part of our expected routine. Now, I get excited to hear the student tell me, “I have a science test this week and a Spanish project due on Friday.” It shows me that the student is starting to practice these planning skills without me.