When people hear "Executive Functioning" or "Executive Skills" they might think of things like leading a team, handling money, recording and analyzing information, or the kinds of business skills a CEO might need. When we talk about Executive Functioning skills in the fields of Psychology and Education we are talking about things like: concentration; being able to sustain attention on a particular task for a prolonged period of time; self regulation (and emotional regulation); working memory; organization; taking relevant materials and putting them in the most efficient order for your goals; planning; prioritizing tasks based on deadlines and level of importance. Of course, a Business Executive needs to have these skills, but students of all ages (especially in high school and college) need to work on these skills.
Unfortunately, Executive Skills are often overlooked. Adults assume that students are picking up these skills in their surroundings (or perhaps by osmosis), when, in fact, these are skills that can be taught just like literacy and math! A common misconception is that you either possess or don't possess these skills. But, it's not binary. These skills will mature and develop over time.
Our innovative Star Sessions model reinforces these skills every time a student comes to study with us. We practice them methodically and deliberately, building skills that transfer with the student outside of the learning center and enable success at home, at school and at life.
For more on Executive Functioning, read this great article on Understood.org.