From Prompt-Dependent to Self-Directed: Teaching Executive Function Skills So Students Can "Student" Without Being Told

What if the biggest barrier to student independence isn't motivation — it's that we've never actually taught them how? In this fireside chat, Sarah Ward pulls back the curtain on executive function: what it really is, why so many capable students still can't get started, stay on track, or finish what they begin — and what we can do about it. Drawing on the award-winning 360 Thinking™ methodology, Sarah shares the surprising simplicity behind teaching students to plan, manage time, and self-direct — without adding a new curriculum or more prompts. Expect candid conversation, a few “aha” moments, and strategies you’ll want to use Monday morning.