By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. Executive functions are the skills required to manage day to day activities, including work, school, time, relationships and impulses. Many people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have inadequately developed executive functions. I write frequently about how to build executive function …
9 tips for analyzing poetry
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. Have you ever read a poem, made it to the last line, only to realize that you have absolutely no idea what it’s about? Cool. Keep reading. Students begin to analyze poetry in elementary school, and often have to do so …
10 ways to handle anxiety at nighttime
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. Anxiety and anxious feelings have a way of appearing at the worst moments, like at night, when we want to sleep. While it’s normal for our brains to run through events of the day, trying to make sense of our world, …
5 homework motivation tips
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. It’s hard to get and stay motivated to do things we don’t enjoy. For many of us, this includes homework. Here I share 5 homework motivation tips to help you get through the moments when you’re less than inspired. 5 homework …
7 New Year’s resolution ideas for students
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. While I’m not a huge fan of New Year’s resolutions (isn’t any time the right time to do something good for ourselves?), I do appreciate the “start fresh” vibe of January 1st. Let’s begin with the difference between a goal and …
How to study vocabulary words using the scaling technique
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. Many of my tutorials cover how to study vocabulary words using different memorization techniques. The study methods I share for learning vocab words aren’t shortcuts or magic: they’re legitimate strategies for acquiring language. The study tip I explain below is a …
How to improve executive functions in students
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. As an executive function (EF) coach, I specialize in ADHD and other disabilities that impact students’ abilities to manage the intersection of academics and self-management. In other words, I teach how to improve executive functions in students. Executive functions are the …
How to annotate text using the Highlight and Rewrite strategy
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. Knowing how to annotate text is basically a super power. It’s a skill you’ll need for your entire academic experience, no matter what class you’re in or what your major is. For this annotation strategy, you’ll just need the basics: a …
What you should be doing during your study period
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. Many high school students have a free period during the school day. This time is often called a study, a WIN block, or even an academic support period.* Whatever your school calls it, it’s a chunk of time during the day …
What’s the difference between a colon and a semicolon
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. One of the most common questions I get when I’m tutoring students for the SAT or ACT is what’s the difference between a colon and a semicolon? It’s a good question, and fortunately the answer is not that complicated. With that …