A LESSON HIDDEN IN A REPORT CARD
When I was growing up, our elementary school ranked every student in the class. One year, the three of us siblings brought home our report cards on the same day. My older brother and I had respectable rankings, but our youngest brother, still in kindergarten, ran into the house beaming with pride.
“I ranked 26 out of 27 students!” he announced. To him, the number 26 sounded far better than being ranked 2nd or 3rd in the class that his older siblings had received. Before we could say anything, my mother, a child psychologist, smiled and said, “Well then, this calls for a celebration.” Within minutes, we were walking to get ice cream.
Only years later did I understand what my mother had done. She protected something far more important than a number on a report card: a child’s confidence, motivation, and love of learning. Research shows these qualities build persistence, focus, and self-regulation, the skills known as executive functions that support long-term academic success.
WHAT IS EXECUTIVE FUNCTION?
Executive function refers to a group of mental skills that help children manage their thoughts, actions, and emotions in order to achieve goals. These abilities act as the brain’s management system, guiding how children focus attention, remember instructions, organize tasks, and respond to challenges. These skills are largely governed by the prefrontal cortex, a part of the brain that develops gradually throughout childhood and adolescence. In school, executive functions help students follow directions, organize work, resist distractions, and approach problems thoughtfully.
THE THREE CORE COMPONENTS OF EXECUTIVE FUNCTION
Researchers identify three core executive processes that support learning and self-regulation: working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility. These skills help students manage information, control behavior, and adapt to changing academic demands, and are strongly associated with success in subjects such as reading and mathematics (López-Jiménez, Marín-Marín, & Meersmans-Sánchez-Jofré, 2025).
Working memory allows students to hold and use information briefly, for example, when remembering instructions, solving multi-step math problems, or connecting ideas while reading. Inhibitory control helps children resist distractions and manage impulses so they can stay focused during lessons. Cognitive flexibility enables them to shift thinking, adjust strategies, and respond to new situations. Together, these skills form the foundation of self-regulation, a key ingredient for effective learning.
EXECUTIVE FUNCTION AND ACADEMIC SUCCESS
Research consistently shows that executive functions strongly predict academic performance, especially in the primary years. In mathematics, students use working memory to hold numbers and steps in mind, inhibitory control to avoid careless errors, and cognitive flexibility to adjust strategies. In reading, executive functions help students maintain meaning as they process new information; working memory supports comprehension, while inhibitory control helps filter distractions. Beyond specific subjects, executive functions help students follow instructions, complete assignments, manage time, and persist through challenges.
WHY SUSTAINED ATTENTION IS BECOMING HARDER
Children today struggle to maintain focus for extended periods. Modern life exposes them to constant streams of rapidly changing stimuli, especially through digital media. Frequent switching between activities makes it harder for the brain to practice sustained attention.
When attention is fragmented, children have fewer opportunities to develop the executive skills needed for deep concentration and complex thinking. The encouraging news is that executive functions are adaptable and can be strengthened with intentional support from schools and families.
WHAT PARENTS CAN DO AT HOME
Parents can support executive skills by establishing predictable routines for homework, meals, and bedtime, helping children build organization and time management. Encouraging children to think through problems independently also strengthens executive function. Instead of giving answers right away, parents can ask questions such as, “What do you think might work?” or “What should you try first?”
Board games, puzzles, and strategy games help children remember rules, control impulses, and adjust strategies, while sports and outdoor play strengthen attention and self-control. Most importantly, a supportive emotional environment helps children develop self-regulation.
BEYOND THE REPORT CARD: THE EXECUTIVE SKILLS THAT SHAPE A CHILD’S FUTURE
Years later, that same little boy who proudly announced he ranked 26 out of 27 students went on to attend a highly prestigious university and build a successful professional career. Today, one of his greatest passions is giving motivational speeches, encouraging young people to aim for the highest levels of education.
Looking back, my mother understood the most valuable gift we can give children is not a high rank on a report card, but the executive skills that help them keep striving long after the rankings are forgotten.
For more information about preschool through 12th grade, please contact Self Development Academy at (480) 641-2640 and Self Development Preschool at (480) 396-3522.