412: Rethinking Executive Functioning Skills: It is NOT about Following Directions (Executive Functioning Series)
From Learn Smarter Podcast by Rachel Kapp and Stephanie Pitts- Educational Therapists
May 19, 2026 · 10 min
About this episode
The episode discusses the importance of developing executive functioning skills for learner independence rather than enforcing compliance.
Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET unpack why executive functioning work is about increasing a learner’s capacity —not enforcing compliance. They break down the difference between behavior that comes from pressure and behavior that comes from internal skills, and they explain why real progress happens only when learners develop planning, regulation, and flexible thinking. This episode helps Smarties understand how shifting from “Do it because I said so” to “Let’s build the skills you need” leads to independence and long-term success. Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/learnsmarterpodcast   How to connect with us: Join our e-mail list Rachel’s Kapp Educational Therapy Group website Steph’s My Ed Therapist website @learnsmarterpodcast , @kappedtherapy , @myedtherapist
People in this episode
Hosts: Rachel Kapp, Stephanie Pitts
Topics covered
- executive functioning
- learner capacity
- planning skills
- regulation
- flexible thinking
- independence
- long-term success
Keywords
- executive functioning
- learning capacity
- behavior
- planning
- regulation
- flexible thinking
- independence
- success
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Rachel’s Kapp Educational Therapy Group, Steph’s My Ed Therapist, Learn Smarter Podcast
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