56 GoodLifeFamilyMag.com JULY | AUGUST 2017 GoodLifeFamilyMag.com JULY | AUGUST 2017 57 ByTierneyThompson, PhD | Contributor Get Ready, Get Set…. Now Go! Does Your Child Have the Planning Skills to Succeed? EMBRACE! Among the many tricky skills that we hope our children master before they go off on their own is time-management. Whether we call it "organization," "long-term planning,"or "time-management," preparing to do a task is vital to its success. Often what parents call their child’s lack of time-management and organizational skills is actually a struggle with executive functioning. Executive functioning is the ability to analyze, organize, decide, and execute. Many students often get caught in one phase or another without a clear plan, and often those with learning differences and/or ADHD are not even sure where to start! Analyze Determine what needs to be accomplished in order to complete the task. This can be as simple as figuring out what needs to be done to get to soccer practice on time or as complex as applying for colleges. Asking the questions of “How long the task will take?” and “When does it need to be completed?” are the best ways to start. Organize Determineanymaterialsneededtocomplete the task. In the case of soccer, it might be cleats, shin guards, uniform, and water. In the case of a project, it may be art supplies, books, paper, pencils, and a computer. Decide Determine if the plan is a good one or if there is a better option. Re-examine if all the pieces are in place for the final step. Make a checklist to help stay on track. Execute Put the plan into action. In the beginning of teaching this process, students will need extra reminders to stay on task, but they should refer to their plan and check their list, whether it is physical or mental. Using their phones is a great way to help them keep track of their plan. For high schoolers, planning ahead for busy weeksisessentialtocreatingabalancebetween things they want to do and things they need to accomplish. These skills become increasingly important as we send our children off to college where they go from 35 hours a week in school to just 15 hours of classroom time. Some think this extra “free time” can become just “free time” and not study or work time. If your child has significant issues with executive functioning, it may be time to take a deeper look by having a psychoeducational evaluation. This type of evaluation will examine strengths and weaknesses while determining what type of accommodations and strategies will help your student reach their potential. It will give them insight into how they can create balance in their life before they have to adjust to the “free time” in college. Developing these skills early can be a huge help later on. Tierney Thompson, Ph.D. is an educational diagnostician and founder of Thompson Diagnostics. 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A full psychoeducational evaluation can answer many of these questions and be the first step to determine which of the cognitive processing areas is impeding the student’s ability to learn. Tierney McClellan Thompson, Ph.D., can help determine what accommodations and strategies might improve the situation and help the student reach their true potential. Real answers with real solutions can help improve academic performance which improves self-esteem. EVALUATIONS AND ACADEMIC PLANNING Many students struggle with learning and never understand why. Determining why a student has difficulty learning is imperative in solving the problem. A full psychoeducational evaluation can answer many of these questions and be the first step to determine which of the cognitive processing areas is impeding the student’s ability to learn. Tierney McClellan Thompson, Ph.D., can help determine what accommodations and strategies might improve the situation and help the student reach their true potential. Real answers with real solutions can help improve academic performance which improves self-esteem. ABOUT US Tierney McClellan Thompson, Ph.D., has worked with students with specific learning disabilities and ADHD for 20 years. She earned her undergraduate degree from Texas A&M University and her Masters and Ph.D. from the University of North Texas. Since then she has been teaching, tutoring, and evaluating students from ages 3 to 25. Her passion has been helping student learn how to learn. She has evaluated more than 700 students and helped families determine how to help their students. She is dedicated to empowering students to reach their true potential. If you are interested in having your child evaluated or have questions regarding the evaluation please call (214) 394-0929 or visit thompsondiagnostics.com 1701 Capital Avenue Plano, Texas 75074 Many students struggle with learning and never understand why. A full psychoeducational evaluation can answer many of these questions and be the first step in helping your child reach their learning potential. Tierney McClellan Thompson, Ph.D., has the experience and qualifications to determine if your child has a learning disability.