Maggie Beattie Roberts highlights brain-based, whole-child teaching at its most practical. It's exactly the kind of insight that transforms how teachers approach lesson planning, student engagement, and instructional strategies for learners who seem "stuck."

What if the reason your students struggle with writing has nothing to do with effort — and everything to do with how their brain is wired? In this clip, we break down the three core executive functions that make or break a student's writing experience: working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control.

Think of executive functions like the stagehands of a Broadway production. Nobody sees them — but without them, the whole show falls apart. When we understand and support these behind-the-scenes cognitive processes, we give students the neurological foundation they need to actually *do* the work a writing curriculum demands.

🧠 In this video, you'll learn:
➡️What executive functions are and why they matter for writing
➡️The 3 categories every educator needs to know: working memory, cognitive flexibility & inhibitory control
➡️Why low engagement or avoidance in writing may be an executive function issue — not a behavior issue
➡️How supporting executive functions builds student success from the ground up
➡️What this means for inclusive teaching, instructional coaching, and classroom practice

Whether you're a classroom teacher, instructional coach, school counselor, or school leader, understanding executive functions is one of the most powerful tools you can add to your practice.

👇 Drop a comment: Which executive function do you see students struggle with most in your classroom?

🚀📚 Watch Part One & Part Two of our ⁨@schoolutionspodcast S5E24 interview.

Chapters
0:00 - Introduction: Why Students Struggle with Writing
0:08 - The Three Categories of Executive Functions
0:20 - The Stagehand Analogy: Executive Functions Explained
0:38 - What Happens When Executive Functions Break Down
0:52 - Supporting Executive Functions to Build Writing Skills
1:05 - Engaging the Cognitive Motors for Writing Success

📧 Connect: [email protected]
🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl

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When coaches, teachers, administrators, and families work hand in hand, it fosters a school atmosphere where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged in their learning journey.