Turn Intention Into Action
After graduate school, I found myself thinking about what I wanted my next chapter to look like. I’ve always loved working with students and helping them become the best version of themselves. At the same time, I reflected on my own children. For the most part, I’m proud of the independence they’ve developed. Have I made mistakes? Of course, what parent hasn’t? But I began to wonder: was that independence built through intention, or out of necessity? Maybe a little bit of both.
I have always worked full-time while raising my children. When I transitioned into education after my first daughter was born, I didn’t realize at the time how much that reality would shape the way my children approached responsibility and independence. Over the years, as I worked with different age groups, I started to notice something: a growing sense of learned helplessness in students. This was something my oldest child didn’t seem to have in the same way.
That realization stayed with me. While teaching second grade, I made a decision: I was going to intentionally build executive function skills into my classroom. I ordered planners for my students and explicitly taught them how to use them. We create monthly forecasts, write down assignments, and learn how to break larger tasks into smaller, more manageable steps. During reading lessons, we practice annotating and highlighting text to support comprehension. I use a visual timer, not just for students, but for myself as well. It keeps our lessons focused and helps students begin to “see” time, rather than guess at it. These aren't just classroom strategies—they are life skills. My second graders frequently tell me that they have started making to-do lists at home.
After completing graduate school, the ideas I had been developing began to take shape. I realized this work shouldn’t stop in elementary school. Older students needed these skills just as much, if not more. Naturally, I started with the students closest to me: my own children.
Our first stop was Target to pick out planners. While digital calendars have their place, many students struggle to truly engage with them. Writing things down creates a level of awareness and ownership that a screen often does not. I was also tired of hearing, “It’s in my head.” Without a clear plan, intentions never turn into action.
Convincing my own children to let me coach them wasn’t easy. In fact, it was much easier to get them to help around the house than to buy into this process. But slowly, as we implemented small strategies—writing things down, breaking tasks apart, and mapping out their time—they began to see the value.
And that’s when it clicked. The same process I was teaching students is the exact process I used to build this work. I didn’t go from idea to execution overnight. I took what felt overwhelming and broke it into smaller steps. I mapped out my time, blocking off evenings and pockets of my day to focus on one piece at a time. I tested ideas, adjusted, and kept moving forward.
I turned intention into action by giving it structure. This is exactly what students need to learn.
When a student says, “I know I need to study,” or “I need to get my homework done,” that’s intention. But without a plan—without breaking it down, assigning time, and knowing where to start—it rarely turns into action.
The goal isn’t just to get work done. The goal is to build a system that helps students:
See their time
Plan their work
Break tasks into manageable steps
Start with clarity and confidence
Because when students learn how to do that, everything changes. Small, structured steps turn overwhelm into action.
And action builds confidence. That’s where real growth begins.
