Skool broke ⚠️ How Schools COULD Improve (Executive Function, ADHD, 2e, Neurodivergence)

I’ve heard this kind of story from students many times. One student in particular last year was telling me:

“School sucks. I hate school. The teachers hate me. Nobody likes me. This is too hard.”

He was in a place where he felt really beaten down, withdrawn, and unsuccessful. Just going to school felt bad.

This is very common among the students I work with—some version of this story.

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That’s why I’m making this video.

This video is about one way that school could be different. School does not have to be the way it is right now.

For many kids, it’s not working. And unfortunately, the pace at which education is improving is very slow. That’s discouraging and, honestly, sad.

What’s especially sad is that kids are suffering needlessly—or, at the very least, they’re not being empowered to truly develop their strengths and potential.

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So I want to talk about one change we could make. It wouldn’t be that hard, and I’ll also touch on why it’s difficult to implement.

At the very least, I want to give you a vision of what things *could* be like.

There’s a quote that says:

“Once in a while, it really hits people that they don’t have to experience the world the way they’ve been told to.”

We’ve all grown up in educational systems that make things seem like “this is just how it is.”

But it doesn’t have to be.

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My name is Seth Perler. I work in the executive function, neurodiversity, parenting, and education spaces.

I run a site at sethperler.com and a summit at executivefunctionsummit.com. I also create content on YouTube, podcasts, and more.

My mission is to help kids—especially those with executive function challenges.

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Before I share this idea, I want to be clear: I don’t have all the answers.

Good educators don’t pretend to have all the answers. Systems sometimes act like they do—but individuals shouldn’t.

This is just one idea. If we sat down and talked for hours, we’d come up with many more.

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Let’s start with how school is currently structured.

We divide learning into subjects: math, science, social studies, reading, writing, and so on.

But that’s not really how life works.

More importantly, while students are learning these subjects, they are often not directly learning executive function skills—how to plan, organize, and complete complex tasks.

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So what does that mean?

I want you to imagine life as a series of projects.

Going for a run is a project.
Cleaning dishes is a project.
Doing homework is a project.
Having a job is a series of projects.

Executive function is essentially project management.

Education should also be about project management—helping students learn how to execute meaningful tasks from start to finish.

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Now think about this:

What projects matter to you in your life?

And then think about the projects students are asked to do in school.

How meaningful are they to students?
How engaging are they?
Are students actually learning how to execute them effectively?

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Students with strong executive function may figure it out.

But students who struggle with executive function often struggle deeply in this system.

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I also want to point out that many successful students have advantages.

Some are in better-resourced schools.
Some have more support at home.
Some naturally have strong executive function skills.

The system tends to work well for them—but it should work for everyone.

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There’s a saying in special education:

“Best practices for special education are best practices for everyone.”

That means personalization—tailoring education to the individual.

But that’s hard to do in a classroom with 25–40 students, especially when teachers lack resources and support.

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Now, let’s look at how the system is constructed.

Most schools operate on:

* A 10-month school year
* Two semesters
* Standardized schedules
* Multiple subjects per day

Students move from class to class—math, science, language arts—switching every 45–60 minutes.

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But that’s not how the brain naturally works.

Imagine being deeply engaged in writing—and then a bell rings. Suddenly, you have to switch to a completely different subject.

For some students, that works fine.

But for many, it’s very difficult.

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Even for high-performing students, I would argue they’re not getting the most out of this system.

It’s like doing bicep curls with a pen and expecting real strength gains.

There’s a lot of activity—but not a lot of deep learning.

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We also tend to rely heavily on grades.

But grades only tell a very small part of the story.

They don’t truly reflect how much a student is learning or growing.

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So what happens when students fall behind?

We try to push them through faster—more chapters, more units.

But that’s not how the brain works.

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So here’s one idea.

What if we changed the structure?

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What if students had fewer subjects at a time?

What if learning was more interdisciplinary—combining subjects into meaningful, real-world projects?

What if students focused on:

* Two core subjects
* One interdisciplinary, passion-based project

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What if:

* Classes were smaller
* Sessions were longer
* There was more time for deep work
* Students had more choice
* Relationships with teachers were stronger

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What if we focused more on:

* Project-based learning
* Self-evaluation
* Rubrics instead of grades

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What if the school year looked different?

Maybe:

* Year-round learning with longer breaks
* Four-day school weeks
* More flexible schedules

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Yes, this would require change.

And systems don’t like to change.

There are industries built around the current system—curriculum, testing, and more.

But the real question is:

Would this be better for kids?

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Right now, too many students feel like:

“I hate school. I can’t succeed. Nothing I do is enough.”

It doesn’t have to be that way.

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So how can we create systems that are:

* More engaging
* More meaningful
* More effective

There are already educators doing amazing work—but it’s not yet the norm.

We need more than small changes. We need a shift.

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What ideas do you have?

What creative, even “weird” ideas could improve education?

Share them. We need more voices and more collaboration.

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That’s my message for today.

My name is Seth Perler. You can find me at sethperler.com and executivefunctionsummit.com.

If you like what I’m doing, please share it. Leave a comment and let me know your thoughts.

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Most importantly, I’m focused on helping students with executive function challenges—those who struggle the most in systems like this.

How can we help them leave school each day feeling:

“I learned something. I feel successful. That was engaging. I want to come back tomorrow.”

That’s the goal.

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Have a fantastic day.

I wish you peace in your heart, joy in your life, and—most of all—connection with the people you care about, especially the kids in your life.