THE TCS MODEL
Students Learn How to Learn
The homework that never made it home. The project started the night before it was due. None of that reflects ability. It reflects executive function, and executive function can be taught.
At The Craig School, students learn how to learn. Every day, in every class.
THE BASICS
What Executive Function Actually Means
Executive function is the set of mental skills that help a student get things done. Not what they know. How they manage what they know.
In plain terms, that means:
- Organization. Keeping track of materials, assignments, and time.
- Planning. Breaking a task into steps and knowing where to start.
- Self-management. Staying focused, managing impulses, and regulating emotions.
- Flexible thinking. Adjusting when a plan changes or a first attempt falls short.
- Self-advocacy. Recognizing what you need and knowing how to ask for it.
A capable child can lag in any of these skills and still be bright. When these skills are underdeveloped, grades stop reflecting ability and confidence takes the hit. TCS builds them on purpose, through explicit instruction, daily practice, and in-the-moment coaching.
HOW WE TEACH IT
Explicit Instruction, Then Practice Everywhere
Executive function is not confined to a single class period. It is taught directly and reinforced across every subject.
Every student receives about one hour of direct instruction each day through one of two programs:
- Grades 3 to 6: Social Skills. Students learn organization, emotional regulation, flexible thinking, and relationship building.
- Grades 7 to 8: Communications. Students practice communication, perspective-taking, conflict resolution, and self-advocacy.
Both programs are research-based and explicitly taught. Students then apply those skills across the rest of the school day.
A math lesson becomes a chance to plan an approach and organize thinking. A writing task becomes a chance to sequence and prioritize. A group project becomes a chance to communicate and stay flexible. The same language runs through every room, and that consistency is what turns a taught skill into a lasting habit.
THE RATIO MAKES IT POSSIBLE
Coaching in the Moment
A skill sticks when someone catches it as it happens. That requires small classes and staff who know each student well.
TCS maintains a 5:1 student-to-staff ratio. Each classroom is led by a California credentialed teacher and supported by Program Coordinators who provide academic coaching and executive functioning support throughout the day.
In practice, that ratio means:
- Support arrives immediately. A student stuck at the start of a task gets a cue right then, not at the next check-in.
- Progress is named as it happens. A positive choice gets reinforced in the moment, not at the end of the week.
- Struggles surface early. Small classes make patterns visible before they become entrenched.
- Coaching is specific. Instruction fits the student in front of the teacher, not a generic plan.
Support is built into the room. It is not something your child leaves class to receive.
THE RIGHT FIT
Who This Helps
TCS serves capable students in grades 3 through 8 who need a school built around how they think.
Executive function support is a strong match for a student who:
- Is bright but disorganized, forgetful, or slow to start tasks
- Has ADHD, autism, or executive functioning challenges
- Loses momentum on multi-step or long-range work
- Struggles to manage time, materials, or transitions
- Works better with clear routines and predictable expectations
A formal diagnosis is not required. The question is whether the environment fits the learner.
Frequently asked questions
Both, and that combination is what makes it work. Students receive about one hour of direct instruction each day, then apply those skills across every subject, from planning a writing task to organizing a science investigation to managing a group project.
Ability and executive function are separate things. A bright child can still lose track of assignments, freeze at the start of a task, or run out of time. TCS teaches the skills that help your child put their ability to work.
They are the two programs that deliver daily direct instruction. Students in grades 3 through 6 attend Social Skills, which covers organization, emotional regulation, flexible thinking, and relationship building. Students in grades 7 through 8 attend Communications, which focuses on perspective-taking, conflict resolution, and self-advocacy. Both are research-based and taught by credentialed teachers and Program Coordinators working alongside the Student Support Team.
It makes real-time coaching possible. With one staff member for every five students, a teacher can prompt a struggling student the moment they stall and reinforce a good choice the moment it happens. That immediate, specific feedback is what builds durable habits.
The goal is independence. Students build organization, planning, and self-advocacy skills they carry into what comes next. TCS graduates leave ready to manage their own learning and advocate for themselves in a traditional school setting.
GET STARTED
Is TCS the Right Fit?
If your child is capable but stuck, and the current school is not working, a direct conversation is the fastest way to find out whether TCS is built for a learner like yours.