Blog
How Students Can Become More Creative
Wouldn’t it be amazing if every student had the creative brilliance of Pablo Picasso, Walt Disney, or Marie Curie? Imagine a classroom full of creative,
Teaching Students to Ask Better Questions
Teachers have been imploring students to ask questions for as long as I can remember. In fact, most classes, from preschool to high school, reserve
EF Beyond the Classroom: Why Some Unstructured Summertime is Good
Summer presents an interesting opportunity disguised as a dilemma. Students wrap up final exams, releasing themselves into a vacuum of unstructured time. Freedom in moderation
Why Vocabulary Matters & How to Improve It
Learning vocabulary is a tricky prospect, isn’t it? Endlessly important, yet mysterious to teach, the subject of vocabulary remains a sore spot in most classrooms
The Optics of Learning
When we think about the physiology of learning, in other words, the physical aspects of how students learn, the eyes are too often overlooked. We
Write Less, But More Often
I played soccer growing up, and nothing released pure pandemonium on the practice field like the coach announcing a full-field scrimmage. All we wanted to
How to Succeed In College
The transition between high school and college is laden with trapdoors, many of which have nothing to do with academic prowess. There are three main
Boredom is Really Important
Boredom is misunderstood. To most individuals, boredom is something to be avoided at all costs. Boredom is watching paint dry or watching grass grow. It’s
Why Do Students Procrastinate?
Students make some inexplicable decisions. With full knowledge of the negative consequences, sometimes they just don’t do the work. They push it down the road,
How to Recognize and Rescue a Student with Burnout
The burnout phenomenon is often reserved for middle-aged career types, but I think that belief is misguided. Burnout affects all age types, and it is
How to Change Habits
I know, I know, another post about habits. We are firm believers in habits and routines for success at school and beyond. Habits form the
The Five Minute Prep
Too often, struggling students focus on the wrong problem and thus arrive at the wrong solution. Like most human beings, students mistake busyness with productivity,
How to Increase Willpower
Students are bombarded with distractions and decisions all day, at school and at home. Although we frequently prefer systems to plain, old willpower, sometimes the
The Feynman Technique
Simplicity is underrated. Albert Einstein once said, “if you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” True mastery of a concept requires
Three Overlooked Steps in Creating a Winning Workspace
We are big organization people, here at Staying Ahead of the Game. From binders to backpacks, calendars to planners, and everything in between, we understand
The Pomodoro Technique
Students often tell us that they have a hard time motivating themselves to start studying. Once they get rolling, they are fine, but the genesis
Self-Evaluation: A Guide
Measuring progress is one of the essential steps in building academic momentum. We often use the analogy of a long-road trip to convey the necessary
Should My Student Use Flashcards?
Unfortunately, most students mock the mere suggestion of using flashcards to study. Seeing this academic staple as some outdated deterrent to progress, these students instead
A Productive Tool for Busy Students
A dean at a highly competitive Houston high school once told me, “students should expect three to four hours per night, including studying for tests
On Self-Awareness
What distinguishes our unique executive functioning skills program from traditional tutoring companies is our focus on impression management in addition to organization, time management, and
Practical Ideas for Chaotic Moments
As much as we love planners, binders, and other EF-driven systems, they are not perfect. Inevitably, something slips through the cracks or breaks the system.
Boosting Creativity and Executive Function on Vacation
As the world slowly returns to normal, many families are eager to travel after eighteen months of COVID complications. Vacations and family trips are a
Summer Reading Tips for Kids Who Don’t Love to Read
Parents and students alike often dread the mere mention of summer reading. For students, the topic is but a painful reminder of the inevitable return
Your In-Depth Guide to Conquering the ISEE
Few standardized tests are as mysterious as the ISEE. Almost every parent has some knowledge of the SAT or the ACT, but the ISEE is
