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In this post, I'll teach you about the most powerful tool in your toolkit to support the development of executive function skills -- teacher estimates of achievement.
According to the wide-ranging research of John Hattie, "teacher estimates of achievement" is the highest-impact factor that educators, parents, and mental-health professionals can utilize to support student growth.
If you are wondering what the 0.4 means, it represents the "hinge point" at which 50% of the strategies were above and below.
Let's explore how you can use this strategy to empower EF skills in your classroom, home, or coaching sessions.
What exactly is teacher estimates of achievement matters?
Teacher estimates of achievement is a teacher’s ability to gauge the most important next steps a student can take, adjusting support based on their needs.
When effectively implemented, this strategy can accelerate learning and help students overcome challenges.
This concept relates to what Dr. Russell Barkley described as the "point of performance," or the area in a student's life where the skill deficit was present.
As a parent, teacher, or coach, when you understand the struggle and can make appropriate "estimates" of what your students can do next, you can drastically improve their educational outcomes.
So what are the barriers to using this technique?
Why do parents and educators struggle to support students?
Misconceptions About Responsibility
Many parents and educators believe that only teachers can utilize this strategy.
However, executive function coaches, therapists, and parents can also play a vital role in estimating the next steps for a student’s development.
Bottom line -- don't let the word "teacher" in teacher estimates of achievement prevent you from using the strategy or expecting teachers will fix everything.
Lack of Coordination
Often, there is a disconnect between parents, teachers, and other support providers.
This lack of communication can hinder the effectiveness of teacher estimates, as it requires a collaborative effort to identify and address a student’s needs.
This also directly relates to another key strategy for student success which is know as "collective teacher efficacy."
Teacher Bias and Training
Teachers may not have the necessary training to accurately estimate student achievement, leading to potential biases.
The most common scenario is when teachers describe students with ADHD as:
"Lazy"
"Needs to try harder"
"Doesn't care enough"
Without understanding the nuances of executive function challenges, teachers might misinterpret a student’s behavior, affecting their ability to provide appropriate support.
To learn more about ADHD, check out our article, Parenting Students with ADHD: What Is The ADHD Iceberg?
3 ways to utilize the teacher estimates of achievement strategy
Be in the know
Start by educating yourself and others about the importance of teacher estimates of achievement and other factors that can positively impact student outcomes.
A neat place to start is the Visible Learning Meta database, which is a frequently updated database categorizing the research of John Hattie and his colleagues.
Conduct Baseline Assessments
Use free tools to assess students’ executive functioning skills. Understanding their strengths and weaknesses will help in estimating the next best steps for their development.
To get started today, check out our article:
Provide Training and Support
Many teachers would love to help with executive function skills, but have received little or no training around the subject.
To get started, check out our Educator's Guide To Teaching Executive Function Skills by Grade Level and speak with your department leadership or school administration about how these can be incorporated into annual outcomes.
If you are a parent or educator who believes executive function skills are a acritical part of student success, check out our guide, How to advocate for executive function coaching services (as part of the IEP)
Summary
Understanding teacher estimates of achievement can be an essential step in developing students’ executive function skills.
Here is how you can start to leverage this strategy:
Do a little research on the strategy
Use free tools to assess students’ skills
Advocate for training that supports interested parents and educators
Hope this helps 🤙🏻
P.S. These are skills that executive function coaches work on with their students. If you want to try working on them with your students, consider joining hundreds of other educators and parents who have completed my Semester Success Blueprint Course. In less than 2 hours, this comprehensive course will teach you and your student the system I developed to help hundreds of students learn how to manage school effectively and raise their self-awareness and engagement with school.
About Me
Hey! I'm Sean 👋
I'm a former public school special education teacher who realized that executive function skills are more important than knowing when George Washington crossed the Potomac.
Since then, I've made it my mission to teach anyone who will listen about how to develop these key life skills.
In 2020, I founded Executive Function Specialists to ensure all students with ADHD and Autism have access to high-quality online executive function coaching services. We offer online EF coaching and courses to help students and families.
Realizing I could only reach so many people through coaching, in 2021 I started the Executive Function Coaching Academy which trains schools, educators, and individuals to learn the key strategies to improve executive function skills for students.
In 2023, I co-founded of UpSkill Specialists, to provide neurodivergent adults with high-quality executive function coaching services.
When not pursuing my passions through work, I love spending time with my family, getting exercise, and growing my brain through reading. You can connect with me on LinkedIn.