The Virtual Learning Challenge

Navigating this new educational landscape can be stressful. The problem I hear over and over from families is that their student is avoidant of school work and struggling to manage their academic workload independently. As a result, homework time becomes a high pressure situation filled with stress and anxiety that leads to little to no improvement in school performance.

Collaborative learning spaces have the power to elevate achievement by placing students at the center of it. The Virtual Learning Challenge provides an opportunity for students to take ownership in the learning process as they compete with their peers on weekly challenges in a race to win various prizes.

This program promotes executive function skill building by incorporating task challenges that require students to apply a range of skills like planning, organizing, managing time, initiating, and self advocating in a low pressure environment that promotes student autonomy.

Students will receive executive functioning and academic resources and support in a collaborative group setting in a way that promotes student autonomy which creates a relaxed, low pressure environment that removes the feeling of overwhelm and anxiety that often leads to resistance.

How It Works

The Virtual Learning Challenge is available for students ages 12-18 to register through April 23rd. The program will run through the end of May. Once students register, they will gain access to the virtual learning classroom where they will find all of the learning challenges, executive function resources, and discussion boards to connect with peers.

The virtual learning classroom is formatted through the platform Trello which provides students with a safe and secure place to learn and connect with peers from all over the world.

Each week, students will have the opportunity to participate in weekly challenges that promote executive function skill building and successful completion of academic work.

The weekly challenges involve active participation and completion of various tasks that involve application of various executive function skills. Students will learn about strategies and resources they can utilize to help address individual challenges related to executive function.

As long as students are actively participating, everyone will walk away from the challenge with a prize. Small prizes will be awarded throughout the competition based on performance and progress. The final prize will be awarded to the winner once the competition ends. Small prizes include $5 Gift Cards, learning tools, and educational subscriptions. The final prize is a $50 gift card to a store of their choice.

The Executive Function Resource Toolkit

Students will gain access to The Executive Function Resource Toolkit includes an extensive collection of my resources, checklists, tools, strategies, and templates that will help empower students to take an active role in their learning process and work through their individual challenges relating to executive function.

From managing overwhelm and working through avoidant behaviors to remembering to turn in homework and planning for long term assignments these materials will help students learn the strategies that will help them shed old dysfunctional habits and replace them with habits that are productive.

The resources provided include: Academic Self Monitoring Forms, Homework Completion Checklists, Daily Schedules, To Do Lists and More. This toolkit is priced at $59.99 but will be included with student registration. You can learn more about the EF Resource Toolkit here.

The Weekly Challenges

There will be several opportunities for students to earn points and take the lead in TVLC competition. Below is a short list of task challenges that will be posted in the classroom and available for students to complete for points. Students will be provided with all of the resources referenced in the task challenges upon registration. All of which can be used long after this challenge ends.

-Complete A Task Analysis For A Long Term Assignment

-Advocate Your Needs By Emailing A Teacher

-Get An Assignment Completed and Turned In Before The Due Date

-Create A Weekly Schedule For Completing Homework

-Apply The Space Approach and Organize Your School Binder or Backpack

-Improve Self Awareness By Completing An Academic Self Monitoring Sheet

-Create A Mnemonic Device To Remember Key Information

-Plan For an Upcoming Task With The Get Ready, Do, Done Technique

Student Registration

The cost to enroll in this program is $50. Student registration will include the following:

-Executive Function Resource Toolkit ($59.99 value)

-Student Prizes Including a $5 Gift Card, Learning Tools, and Educational Subscriptions

-Chance To Win A $50 Gift Card To A Store Of Their Choice

-Safe Space To Connect and Socialize With Peers, Gain New Perspectives, Learn New Strategies