Wooden bookshelves filled with books are organized alphabetically, with picture books displayed on the top shelf and letter labels visible above each section.

Embedded Classroom Support

Executive Functioning Challenges

Before coming to McLean, many of our students struggled in planning, organizing, and completing tasks in a timely fashion. Previous teachers labeled some as uncooperative or even lazy. In reality, however, they weren’t given the strategies they needed to succeed as their brains hadn’t yet developed the ability to consistently and reliably connect the dots.

Two teenage boys sit on the floor indoors, facing each other and having a conversation; one holds a clipboard.Classroom wall with a clock, a daily schedule on a whiteboard, instructions for students, and organized shelves with supplies below.A classroom schedule is posted on a whiteboard next to a wall clock showing 1:50, with markers and a yellow note labeled "Mustang Time" nearby.A young girl adjusts a wall clock in a classroom, with a daily schedule and time-related posters visible in the background.Two teenage boys sit on the floor indoors, facing each other and having a conversation; one holds a clipboard.Classroom wall with a clock, a daily schedule on a whiteboard, instructions for students, and organized shelves with supplies below.A classroom schedule is posted on a whiteboard next to a wall clock showing 1:50, with markers and a yellow note labeled "Mustang Time" nearby.A young girl adjusts a wall clock in a classroom, with a daily schedule and time-related posters visible in the background.
A bearded man points at a laptop screen held by a young woman in a "McLean School" sweatshirt outside a brick building. Other people are visible in the background.A student wearing a dark hoodie raises their hand in a classroom while other students sit nearby, facing forward.A teacher and a student review papers together at a desk in a classroom with a laptop and a whiteboard in the background.A teacher stands beside a seated student, both looking at a laptop on the student's desk in a classroom with books and posters in the background.A bearded man points at a laptop screen held by a young woman in a "McLean School" sweatshirt outside a brick building. Other people are visible in the background.A student wearing a dark hoodie raises their hand in a classroom while other students sit nearby, facing forward.A teacher and a student review papers together at a desk in a classroom with a laptop and a whiteboard in the background.A teacher stands beside a seated student, both looking at a laptop on the student's desk in a classroom with books and posters in the background.

Embedded Classroom Support for Executive Functioning Challenges

Scaffolded Skill Development

Teachers increasingly empower students as they progress through grade levels. For instance, grade 9 students receive explicit test-taking strategies, while by senior year, students independently develop their own study guides, preparing them for college-level expectations.

Task Breakdown & Sequencing

Assignments are divided into smaller, manageable steps, making complex tasks less overwhelming and improving focus and completion rates.

Consistent Routines & Schedules

Daily schedules and classroom routines provide structure, reduce anxiety, and help students plan and manage their time.

Explicit Instruction in Planning & Organization

Teachers provide direct instruction in strategies for organizing materials, managing time, and setting goals, fostering students’ independence.

Visual Cues, Color Coding & Time Awareness

Teachers integrate visual aids like sticky notes, charts, and color-coded materials to enhance memory and organization, helping students manage tasks and information more effectively. We also explicitly support students in understanding the passing of time—using visual timers, countdowns, schedules, and check-ins to help them “future think.” These tools make time more concrete, strengthening students’ ability to plan, anticipate next steps, and develop strong time-management skills.

Collaborative Learning Environment

Teachers, Learning Services team members, and counselors work together to support students. Under the direction of a Coordinator of Learning Services in each division, this multidisciplinary approach ensures that each student’s unique needs are addressed, promoting holistic development and success

Integration of Mindfulness Practices

Mindfulness techniques are incorporated to help students develop self-regulation skills, enhancing focus and availability for learning.

Partnering with Parents

We work closely with families to ensure learning strategies and support extend beyond the classroom. Regular communication, progress updates, and guidance empower parents to reinforce organizational, planning, and time-management skills at home, creating a consistent and supportive learning environment.

Connections Across the Curriculum

Did you know engagement in the arts—be it visual arts, theater, or music—enhances executive functioning skills such as planning, organization, and self-regulation? Through structured artistic experiences, students develop critical cognitive abilities that support academic success and personal growth.

Read More
A student pushes a cart with art supplies in front of a colorful classroom mural featuring illustrations of artists, musicians, writers, and scientific equipment.

XPerts Talk

View all posts

Executive Functioning and Organizational Challenges

Jenny Whichard ’92, Head of Lower School at McLearn School

Five Ways Parents Can Help Teens with Executive Functioning

Karen Hundal, Coordinator of Learning Services for Upper School 2023

Oh I See! How Visualization Supports Executive Functioning at School and at Home

Jenny Whichard ’92, Head of Lower School at McLean School

Helping Children Develop Skills to Solve Their Own Challenges – The Learning TRY-Angle

Becky Stewart, Middle School Coordinator of Learning Services 2023

Dive Deeper

Two children sit on the floor in front of bookshelves; the boy in the foreground reads a spiral-bound book, while the girl in the background holds a notebook.
Dyslexia & Reading Challenges
Classroom schedule with time slots and subjects is displayed on a whiteboard next to a round wall clock showing 10:09 and a holder with colored markers.
ADHD
A person writes in a planner with a pencil at a desk, next to an open binder and a pencil case.
Dysgraphia & Writing Challenges
The entrance to McLean School.

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It’s critically important for a child to be in a school that respects them for who they are, and supports their academic strengths and challenges. This has always been true for McLean. 

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