Executive Function, Dysfunction & Us

Outline

1. **BASELINE ACTIVITY (10 MIN)**
Participants complete self-assessment (LINK)
Opening with this allows for those coming in late to complete and engage in workshop without missing opening or foundational info
Participants complete a self-assessment tool to identify their own executive function strengths and growth areas
Guided reflection to connect personal insights to professional practice; this tool can be used w/ teams and students for development and targeted implementation

2. **WELCOME & INTRODUCTION (5 MIN)**
- Welcome
- Overview of workshop goals and agenda

3. **UNDERSTANDING EXECUTIVE FUNCTION (7 MIN)**
- What; Where; When; How
- Presentation on the key components of executive function
 - Discuss the importance of executive function in academic and social contexts
 - Real-life examples of executive function in action

4. **UNDERSTANDING TOXIC STRESS, TRAUMA, & THEIR IMPACTS (7 MIN)**
- Who; Why; When; How
- Define toxic stress and trauma, and their prevalence in student populations
- Explore research on the neurological and psychological impacts of toxic stress on executive function
- Case studies illustrating these effects in educational settings

Directly impacts the learning experience (for ALL learners; students and adults)

5. **STRATEGIES FOR DEVELOPMENT(25 minutes)**
- Introduce evidence-based strategies to enhance executive function in the classroom
- Group discussion: Sharing successes and challenges in implementing these strategies
- Create an action plan for integrating learned strategies into participants’ work with students

6. **CLOSING; Q&A (5 minutes)**
- Open floor for questions and sharing of insights
- Provide resources for further learning and support

Supporting research

The Deepest Well - Nadine Burke Harris, M.D.
Executive Functioning in Education - Lynn Meltzer
The Body Keeps the Score - Bessel Van Der Kolk, M.D.
The Garden Within - Dr. Anita Phillips