Many students struggle with time management, procrastination, organization of materials and assignments, breaking large projects into manageable steps, and maintaining focus during independent work. Others find it difficult to transition between tasks, remember multi-step instructions, or regulate frustration when work feels challenging. These challenges often go unaddressed in classroom settings where teachers manage 16-20+ students simultaneously.

In a classroom of 20+ students, teachers focus on content delivery rather than individual work habits and organizational strategies. Personalized 1-on-1 instruction allows tutors to assess your student's specific challenges, teach targeted strategies tailored to their learning style, and practice these skills in real time with immediate feedback. This targeted approach helps students build sustainable habits rather than temporary fixes.

During the initial session, a tutor will assess your student's current executive functioning skills—how they approach planning, organize their materials, manage their time, and handle distractions. They'll also discuss specific challenges you've noticed and academic goals. This foundation helps the tutor create a personalized plan focused on the skills that will have the biggest impact on your student's success.

Progress shows up in concrete ways: improved assignment completion rates, better organization of materials and notes, more consistent use of planners or digital tools, reduced procrastination, and increased independence with homework. You'll also notice behavioral changes like less frustration during work time and better ability to transition between tasks. Many students see improvements in grades as a natural result of stronger organizational and focus skills.

Executive functioning becomes increasingly critical as students progress through school. Middle school transitions (6th-7th grade) often reveal gaps when students face multiple teachers and more complex assignments. High school students benefit from support managing longer-term projects, college prep work, and increased independence. Even elementary students can develop strong foundational habits early, setting them up for success later.

Varsity Tutors connects you with tutors who have expertise in learning strategies, study skills, and often backgrounds in education, psychology, or coaching. Many have experience working with students who have ADHD, learning differences, or simply need better organizational systems. Tutors are skilled at identifying root causes of challenges and teaching practical, evidence-based strategies that students can apply across all their classes.

Absolutely. In fact, combining executive functioning support with subject tutoring often produces the best results—students learn the content while also developing the organizational and focus skills to manage it independently. Many students find that stronger executive functioning skills actually improve their performance in math, writing, and other subjects because they're better organized and more focused during learning.