Executive Function Coaching

I do group and 1:1 coaching each semester, where you get me working directly with you and your child. Click to learn more >

“The most impressive attribute of Seth is his steadfast dedication. He has never given up on our daughter, even when she has become overwhelmed and wanted to give up. He has taught her to believe in herself. She is now graduating and will walk in the December ceremony. Seth will be with us at the graduation and share the pride that we all feel. She could not have done it without him.” – Bonnie A, CA

Introduction

I offer Executive Function Coaching for struggling Middle School, High School or College students.

1. Are we ready for coaching?

The bottom line is that my intention is to help students create substantial changes so they can turn the corner to be able to be successful and happy in school and life. Effective coaching is not quick, easy, or cheap. It requires commitment from the student and parent in order to get results. Not only do students need to learn new mindsets, systems & skills, but they need to develop new habits, which takes patience and persistence. Therefore, coaching may be right for you if…
  1. You’re not looking for a quick fix.
  2. You’re willing to take persistent action to put forth the time and effort.
  3. You’re actively involved in your child’s life, learning, and development, and you’re willing to participate in this process.
  4. You want honest and clear feedback from me, even if it’s hard to hear.
  5. Your child wants change and support.
“I am so in awe of how you relate to the kids.” – Christine C.

2. Who is Coaching for?

  • Middle school, high school and college students.
  • Students who struggle with Executive Function (see video & article).
  • Struggling, overwhelmed, unhappy or frustrated students who need tools for school and life.
  • Students with low grades.
  • Students who don’t get their work done or turned in on time, who have a lot of missing work, late work, zeroes, incomplete work, makeup work, etc.
  • Students who don’t know how to study, do homework, or how to “do school.”
  • The “Organizationally Challenged.”
  • Students who struggle with focus, attention or concentration.
  • “Unmotivated” students who procrastinate or are labeled as “lazy.”
  • Students who struggle with time management.
  • Students who have been told they “aren’t meeting their potential.”
  • Students who can’t start, are avoidant of school work and resistant to help.
  • Students with social-emotional challenges and sensitivity.
  • “Underachievers” and “At-Risk” Students.
  • ADHD/ADD, Dyslexia, Processing disorders, Sensory issues, Asperger’s, ASD.
  • Gifted and Talented Twice Exceptional (2e) students (most of my students are 2e).
  • Students with IEPs, 504s, RTIs.
  • Students who feel unsuccessful.
  • Outside-the-box thinkers & learners.
  • Students who need to learn how to manage school so they can become successful as adults.

3. Why you should not hire me?

I do things differently, and I’m not right for everyone. Here are some things you should know:
  1. Effective coaching is not quick, cheap or easy. You get what you pay for and the process takes effort and time, from students AND parents.
  2. I only work with involved parents. I’m not here to “fix” a child. I’m here to coach you and your child to learn strategies that will help him or her navigate school and life. It’s not a magic bullet, and it doesn’t work for uninvolved parents who don’t have time to invest in the coaching process or in relationships with their children.
  3. I am honest and transparent with you, and I don’t sugar coat things. If you hire me, I’m assuming you want honest feedback, even if it’s hard to hear.
  4. I believe in education, but I don’t believe in everything that goes on in schools. There are a lot of things that I don’t agree with because they are remnants of an antiquated system and an educational culture that’s in desperate need of improvement. “Once in a while it really hits people that they don’t have to experience the world in the way that they have been told to” – Alan Keightley
  5. Letter grades are wildly inadequate and should be replaced by authentic forms of assessment that give families useful insights into the growth and needs of their students. This should have happened decades ago. Grades certainly improve with my coaching, but that’s not the purpose. The purpose is to help kids build skills to be successful, happy and healthy now and in their future. Therefore, the “metric” I’m most interested in is this: Does your child feel more successful, happier and healthier? Are we helping them get the skills to build a better future while having a great childhood?
  6. Standardized tests cause more harm than good, and are often misused and misunderstood. They are a necessary evil and that’s the only reason I care about them or help kids navigate them.
  7. Public and private education are both typically driven by profits more than the needs of the students. Decisions are often influenced by people who profit from the status quo of the system, rather than educators, parents and students. Textbook, testing, curriculum and other companies perpetuate a false narrative about the best ways to educate our children in order to maximize profits, rather than do what’s best for kids.
  8. I’m fun with my students and families. I do not create a sterile, academic environment. My “professionalism” isn’t based on conforming to traditional standards. It’s based on connecting with students authentically and caring about them personally. My relationship with students and families is personal and genuine.
  9. I’m not going to BS you. I’m going to give you my truth about helping your child.
“Many thanks for the invaluable support you give our son. His motivation for school has increased exponentially in the last year and a half and much of that is because you are helping him realize that he is capable of doing the work. He is more positive and confident in his ability to succeed at school than he has ever been before.” – Martha Tissot, Boulder, CO, mom of HS Junior

4. What are the benefits of coaching?

  • Students feel happier and more successful
  • Parents worry less and feel more confident that their child can build a great life
  • Learn to work smarter not harder
  • Less stress, more fun, more laughter
  • Improved relationships
  • Greater emotional well-being
  • Supportive reminders and encouragement
  • Have a brighter future
  • Build the habits that successful students need
  • Improved Executive Function
  • Have tools to overcome resistance, avoidance and procrastination
  • Better organized
  • Manage time better; know how to plan
  • Study skills: navigate homework, studying, projects and tests more effectively
  • Increased responsibility and independence
  • Turn in high-quality work on time
  • Enjoy learning more
  • Improved academic performance and better grades
  • Increase in confidence and self-esteem
  • Develop tools, strategies and systems specific to learning styles and preferences
  • Develop metacognition (better understanding of oneself as a learner, self-awareness, more reflective, introspective)
  • Improved emotional regulation
  • Improved critical thinking skills
  • Greater ability to tap into deeper levels of creativity
  • Develop better social-emotional skills
  • Create lifestyle changes to positively affect learning
“Before working with Seth I was studying for most of the day, every day, with little results to reflect my effort. As my second semester at CU was ending I felt I wasn’t cut out for school and was debating dropping out of college. Fortunately, my mother convinced me to work with Seth and give school 1 more shot. I’m glad. The difference is undeniable and the study skills, priceless. From time management to study space dedication/set up, as well as study techniques that commit the information to memory over time rather than cramming 3 days before an exam. My stress decreased drastically, I was able to enjoy life and do well in school, my GPA improved from a 2.4 to a 3.6 the first semester.  Now I enjoy the school experience!” -Nick Bitzer, CU Student

5. Why Executive Function Coaching is my passion?

For me, there’s nothing better than helping a struggling student turn it around. I like the challenge of working with complex learners and helping them see how awesome they are, discover their strengths, get their stress in check and develop a more positive mindset. It’s about helping students become happier and more successful. For my definition of “success,” I don’t care about grades or test scores. I care about my students’ happiness and well-being. Grades just happen to go up as a byproduct. So what do I do exactly? I provide coaching, empowering struggling students to experience greater success and happiness. I do this by meeting academic needs with a critical twist. Academic needs are addressed in conjunction with executive function and social, emotional and lifestyle needs (sleep, nutrition, exercise). It’s a holistic approach that attacks the problem from many angles. This requires robust programming and a mix of 1:1 coaching, home visits, parent coaching, school visits, school communication, and anything else that’s needed to create change. I help students develop the specific systems necessary to overcome their unique challenges. With extensive experience addressing extraordinarily diverse learning needs of outside-the-box thinkers, coaching is personalized to help individuals shine. My goal: My goal with all clients is to reach a point where they do not need my coaching because they can independently navigate their educational experience and thus create a better future for themselves. Testimonials My professional background Click to learn more >

Parents, a quick summary

You want insights and solutions that make a difference for your child. Period. Since 2010, I’ve been working with countless families to help struggling students turn around their educational experience. I also have 12 years of prior teaching experience, a Masters degree in Gifted Education and much more experience with complicated kids. Usually, students have been through a lot by the time they get to me (tutors, programs, therapists, testing, etc.), and they are often skeptical. But quickly, we begin to see a transformation and this is powerful. A lot of programs have fancy data, utopian stock photos and other marketing tools that can feel inauthentic. That stuff can be misleading, because change takes time, energy and expertise. It’s never quick and easy, and it never looks like stock photos. I don’t care what the test scores say. I don’t care what grade cards say. I care about the intangibles that matter. I care that you and your child feel happier and that your child is gaining skills that will help his or her future. My approach is non-traditional and unconventional. I take a holistic look at what’s going on, because the challenges your child faces are complex and interrelated. It’s critical to ask the right questions so you can stop spinning your wheels and pinpoint the strategies that move the needle and make the difference. My mission is to empower students to get on a new trajectory, to cross a threshold so that your child can navigate education independently and learn to stand on their own two feet in life. Click to learn more and get on the waitlist >