Strategic Thinking for Enhanced Student Success

What is Strategic Thinking?

What is Strategic Thinking in an educational setting? Strategic Thinking is a student’s ability to plan, make decisions, and take action to achieve their goals. It can help students improve their academic performance, prepare for their careers, and become more valuable to future employers. Here are some skills that students develop with ExQ:

• Observation: This is the ability to collect relevant information and look for patterns.
• Planning: Learners understand how to develop a plan with a clear structure.
• Problem-solving: Students can solve problems during academic coursework and in their relationships.
• Adaptability: Students are flexible and ready to change when unexpected circumstances arise.
• Communication: Learners understand when to consult others for feedback and ideas.
• Evaluation: Kids learn how to evaluate plans and learn from their own successes and failures.

With ExQ for School, students build Strategic Thinking abilities to devise a plan to get things done in traditional teacher-directed classrooms and inquiry-based learning environments.

What does the teacher survey data reveal about the current emphasis on teaching Executive Function?

When we surveyed 135 educational leaders about how important it is to teach students social-emotional and Executive Function skills, including understanding their strengths, managing their goals, recognizing their challenges, and regulating their emotions in secondary education—72% replied that it was extremely important. Without growth and development in their Strategic Thinking abilities, our students will not know how to meet their needs and reach their potential.

In addition to the data reflecting a growing awareness of the need for direct and explicit Executive Function classroom teaching, ExQ’s students are also demonstrating specific growth in their Strategic Thinking abilities. Through ExQ’s year-long curricular training, students made 13% growth in Strategic Thinking as indicated by a 53% Strategic Thinking score at the end as compared to 40% at the start (N = 3,141).

When students engage with ExQ’s Executive Function classes, they increase their ability to self-reflect and develop critical thinking skills that help them become independent and self-reliant learners. ExQ helps learners develop a growth mindset and be open to the idea that all of us have strengths and challenges. ExQ helps our students understand that our Executive Function skills, like Strategic Thinking, can improve with practice.

What are educators saying about students learning Strategic Thinking skills with ExQ?

This year, ExQ talked with a Georgia High School Assistant Principal, Dr. Griffeth about teaching students Executive Function. He shared that after the Covid pandemic, he noticed shortened attention spans in students. However, he also noted that ExQ effectively helps students regain their focus. He emphasized the importance of teaching Executive Function skills early, praising ExQ for providing a strong foundation for ninth graders in planning, goal setting, strategic thinking, and self-reliance.

As an experienced administrator, Dr. Griffeth noted ExQ’s emphasis on self-awareness, Strategic Thinking, and emotional resilience helps students build the crucial skills required for lifelong success. Despite potential onboarding challenges due to students’ short attention spans, he appreciated ExQ’s structured approach, which encourages mastering each step before moving on. Through his own Executive Function training, Dr. Griffeth also shared that overcoming challenges can lead to growth and success, reinforcing the benefits of ExQ in helping students navigate their educational and personal journeys by building strategic thinking abilities.

An emerging trend shows that educators, parents, and policy makers alike, have begun to center conversations and effort around building stronger literacy skills in all learners. In addition to the basic skills of learning to read and write, we want learners to develop the complex cognitive abilities and self-regulation needed to develop the broader concept of literacy. This skill set required to organize, direct, and manage personal learning goals with Strategic Thinking is called Executive Function, and collectively, these are the foundational skills key to activating learner agency.

By developing Strategic Thinking thought through a growth mindset, smart work habits, self-reflection, and self-regulatory social-emotional strategies, ExQ promotes students’ motivation and their sense of personal competence. ExQ helps students build Strategic Thinking and improve literacy in a number of ways, including:

• Reading: Strategic thinking is needed when teaching reading, involving looking for clues in the text to make inferences about what is happening.
• Writing: Writing can help students cement new concepts, organize their thoughts, and learn to communicate ideas.
• Critical thinking: Critical thinking strategies can be used in the classroom to guide the learning process.

ExQ helps students develop the complex Strategic Thinking abilities and self-regulation needed to develop the broader concept of literacy. With ExQ, students build the foundational skills that are key to activating learner agency and literacy.

 

Strategic Thinking can help students improve their mental health. With ExQ, students practice ways to improve emotional resilience and provide the mental agility they need to thrive in uncertainty. Strategic Thinking can help learners develop emotional intelligence and a balanced response to stress. It can also help students navigate challenges with foresight, adaptability, and a focus on long-term goals. Strategic Thinking can also help our students overcome self-doubt, fear, and learn strategies to avoid procrastination. With ExQ practices, students learn study skills and ways to improve organization to increase their motivation and resilience. Other ways Strategic Thinking helps to to improve mental health include:

• Setting goals: Strategic Thinking skills help our students learn how to set realistic and measurable objectives, and with ExQ, students learn ways to plan the steps to achieve them.
• Exercise: Regular exercise can improve brain function, cognitive performance, and our students’ abilities to think, learn, and make sound judgments.
• Building resilience: Resilience is the ability to overcome adversity and bounce back stronger. ExQ’s Executive Function curriculum helps students build resilience by developing strategies for maintaining a positive outlook, staying focused on goals, and remaining motivated.
• Stress management: Stress management can help our students improve both physical and mental well-being. ExQ’s exercises help students learn how to advocate for help from trusted resources, and surround themselves with people who help them stay calm.
• Mindfulness: ExQ has a built-in mindfulness training practice to help students become aware of what’s happening in the present, build gratitude in their daily lives, and boost self-confidence.

Strategic Thinking in the context of college and career readiness for students refers to the ability to analyze situations, set clear goals, consider various options, and make informed decisions to plan their academic path and future career, often involving skills like critical thinking, adaptability, problem-solving, and effective communication to navigate the complexities of higher education and the workforce.

ExQ helps students develop strong Strategic Thinking habits so they can better position themselves for success in college and their future careers by making informed choices and developing the necessary skills to navigate a dynamic job market.