Grades 11–12
Take the Strengths Check-In for Grades 11–12 →
[Bracketed text] is AI-drafted content and proposed edits for review, and dashed cards are proposed new skills. None of it is approved.
PLAN
3 skills
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Planning and prioritizing
Set a goal and make a road map with key, manageable steps to reach it[, and decide which steps come first]
What it looks like
- [Mapping out a long project: He breaks a research paper into dated steps, such as choosing a topic, finding sources, drafting, and revising, and writes each step on his calendar.]
- [Ranking a heavy week: When a test, a college essay draft, and a team commitment collide, he decides what comes first and tells you his plan without being asked.]
What it doesn't look like
- [Treating every task as equal: He spends an evening polishing a small assignment while a major paper due in two days stays untouched.]
- [Planning only to the next deadline: He knows what is due tomorrow but cannot say what he needs to do this week to stay on track for a larger goal.]
Tools to help
- [A backward plan: Ask your son to start from a big due date, such as a college application, and work backward to list each step with its own date.]
- [A Sunday priority check: Once a week, ask him to name his three most important tasks for the coming days, then let him decide the order.]
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Organization
Identify materials and resources, and develop systems that keep track of work and tasks, organize information, and structure study and learning
What it looks like
- [Running his own system: He keeps class files, notes, and drafts in clearly named digital folders and can find any document in under a minute.]
- [Tracking the college process: He keeps one list or spreadsheet of schools, deadlines, required essays, and recommendation requests, and he updates it himself.]
What it doesn't look like
- [Searching before every task: He loses time hunting for a file, a login, or a handout before he can start working.]
- [Keeping details in his head: Important dates and forms live in scattered emails and texts, so some slip through until the last minute.]
Tools to help
- [A ten-minute weekly reset: Encourage your son to set a recurring time to clear his desk, sort downloads, and archive old files.]
- [One master tracker: Help him set up a single document or app for college and senior-year deadlines, then let him own it and update it.]
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Time management
Be aware of time - it passing, how much is needed, how to use it, what is urgent versus what can wait - to stay within time limits [Punctuation: set off "it passing ... what can wait" with parentheses or commas instead of spaced hyphens]
What it looks like
- [Estimating honestly: He knows a lab report takes about three hours and blocks that time on his calendar instead of starting the night before.]
- [Balancing commitments: He fits a job, a sport, or a club leadership role around his coursework and adjusts his plan when a busy week is coming.]
What it doesn't look like
- [Underestimating big tasks: He believes a major essay will take one hour, then stays up late when it takes four.]
- [Saying yes to everything: He takes on new activities without checking whether his week has room, and his schoolwork or sleep suffers.]
Tools to help
- [A time log: Ask your son to track how long his assignments actually take for one week, then compare that to his estimates.]
- [A shared family calendar: Put his major deadlines, games, and family plans in one place so he can see busy stretches before they arrive.]
What Browning is doing
[Upper School teachers and advisors may help students map long-term projects into steps and manage the deadlines of the college process alongside their coursework. TODO: verify with the division.]
Try this week
[Sit down with your son for 15 minutes and ask him to walk you through his plan for the next two weeks, including his biggest deadline. Listen and ask questions, but let him own the plan.]
ENGAGE
3 skills
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Healthy habits
Monitor sleep, physical activity,[ nutrition,] stress management, and mindful technology use
What it looks like
- [Protecting his sleep: He sets a regular bedtime on school nights and plans his work so he is not routinely up past midnight.]
- [Managing stress on purpose: During a heavy stretch, he goes for a run, plays music, or spends time with friends to recharge, then gets back to work.]
What it doesn't look like
- [Trading sleep for screen time: He stays on his phone late into the night, then struggles to focus in morning classes.]
- [Running on empty: He skips meals, exercise, and rest during exam season and seems worn down or short-tempered.]
Tools to help
- [A phone parking spot: Agree on a place outside the bedroom where phones charge overnight, and follow the same rule yourself.]
- [A weekly energy check: Ask your son to rate his sleep, exercise, and stress for the week and pick one small change he wants to make.]
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Emotional control
Identify[, name,] and manage feelings to direct behavior, complete tasks, collaborate productively, and accomplish goals
What it looks like
- [Staying steady under pressure: He receives a disappointing grade or college decision, takes time to feel it, and then talks about next steps.]
- [Leading calmly: As a team captain or club leader, he handles disagreements in the group without raising his voice or shutting people out.]
What it doesn't look like
- [Letting one setback spill over: A tough test result affects his mood for days and makes it hard for him to start other work.]
- [Reacting in the moment: He sends a sharp text or email when upset and later wishes he had waited.]
Tools to help
- [A pause rule: Encourage your son to wait one hour, or sleep on it, before replying to any message that makes him angry or anxious.]
- [Naming the feeling: When he is upset, ask what he is feeling and what he needs right now, then listen before offering advice.]
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Task initiation
Get started on tasks independently and without unnecessary delay[, even when a task feels hard or boring]
What it looks like
- [Starting without reminders: He sits down to work at the time he planned, without a parent or teacher prompting him.]
- [Tackling the hard part first: He opens the college essay or the toughest problem set early in his work session, while his energy is high.]
What it doesn't look like
- [Waiting for the right mood: He says he will start once he feels ready, and the task stays untouched until the deadline is close.]
- [Doing easy tasks to avoid hard ones: He cleans his room or answers messages while a big assignment sits unopened.]
Tools to help
- [The first five minutes: Suggest your son commit to working on a hard task for just five minutes; starting is often the biggest hurdle.]
- [A clear first step: Ask him to write down the very first action, such as opening the document and writing one sentence, before he sits down.]
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Proposed new skill
[Collaboration]
[Work with others, share ideas, listen, and contribute to a group]
The ENGAGE summary says students show up "ready to learn and collaborate," but no skill names collaboration.
What Browning is doing
[Upper School faculty and advisors may talk with students about balancing demanding schedules with sleep, exercise, and stress management as they take on more independence. TODO: verify with the division.]
Try this week
[Agree as a family on a time when all phones go to a charging spot outside bedrooms each night this week, and talk at the end of the week about how everyone slept.]
PERSIST
4 skills
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Working memory
[Hold information in mind and use it. ]Help your brain work efficiently by taking notes, breaking tasks and material into chunks, and connecting new concepts to things already known
What it looks like
- [Taking useful notes: In a fast-paced lecture or discussion, he writes down key ideas in his own words and reviews them later that day.]
- [Connecting ideas across subjects: He links a concept from history to something he read in English and uses that link to remember both.]
What it doesn't look like
- [Losing track of multi-step directions: He forgets part of a complex assignment and turns in work that misses a required section.]
- [Cramming without connections: He rereads notes the night before a test but struggles to recall material because he never organized it.]
Tools to help
- [A capture habit: Encourage your son to write tasks and ideas down right away in one app or notebook instead of trusting his memory.]
- [Teach it back: Ask him to explain something he is studying to you in a few minutes; teaching it helps him remember it.]
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Goal-directed persistence
Work toward a goal without giving up or getting distracted[, and keep going after setbacks]
What it looks like
- [Sticking with a long goal: He keeps working on a months-long project, such as a senior research paper or a college application, even when progress is slow.]
- [Keeping his reasons in view: When motivation dips in the spring, he reminds himself why the goal matters to him and keeps going.]
What it doesn't look like
- [Losing steam midway: He starts a big project with energy but stops making progress once the early excitement fades.]
- [Dropping goals after a setback: One poor result leads him to give up on a goal he cared about, rather than adjusting his plan.]
Tools to help
- [Milestones he can see: Help your son break a long goal into checkpoints and mark each one when he reaches it.]
- [A why statement: Ask him to write one sentence about why a goal matters to him and keep it where he works.]
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Sustained attention
Maintain focus and attention on the task despite distraction, boredom, or tiredness[, including digital distractions]
What it looks like
- [Working in focused blocks: He studies for 45 minutes with his phone in another room, takes a short break, and then returns to the task.]
- [Staying with dense material: He reads a long, difficult text all the way through, using notes or questions to keep himself engaged.]
What it doesn't look like
- [Constant switching: He moves between homework, messages, and videos every few minutes, and a one-hour task takes all evening.]
- [Fading on long tasks: He reads the first pages of a chapter carefully, then skims the rest without taking much in.]
Tools to help
- [A focus timer: Suggest your son try timed work sessions with short breaks, and let him choose the length that works for him.]
- [A distraction-free zone: Help him set up a study space where his phone and nonessential tabs stay out of reach.]
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Asking for help
Determine when you need assistance, support, or guidance and seek it out[ from the right person]
What it looks like
- [Reaching out early: He emails a teacher or schedules a meeting as soon as he feels lost, not the night before a test.]
- [Using his network: He asks his advisor, a college counselor, or a trusted adult for guidance on big decisions instead of handling everything alone.]
What it doesn't look like
- [Going it alone too long: He stays stuck on a problem for days because he thinks a senior should be able to figure it out himself.]
- [Asking a parent to step in: He wants you to contact a teacher for him instead of speaking up on his own behalf.]
Tools to help
- [A draft email together: Offer to look over a short email your son writes to a teacher, but let him write and send it himself.]
- [Normalize asking: Share a time you asked a colleague or mentor for help and how it made your work better.]
What Browning is doing
[Upper School teachers may coach students to break demanding work into focused sessions and to seek out teachers and advisors early when they need support. TODO: verify with the division.]
Try this week
[Ask your son to pick one hard assignment this week and work on it in timed, phone-free blocks. Afterward, ask what helped him stay focused.]
ADAPT
2 skills
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Flexibility
Identify and thoughtfully adjust to change or challenges by trying new strategies or seeking other perspectives
What it looks like
- [Adjusting when plans change: When a test date moves or a college decision does not go his way, he feels the frustration, then updates his plan.]
- [Trying a new approach: When a study method stops working in a harder course, he tries a different one, such as practice problems or a study group.]
What it doesn't look like
- [Getting stuck on plan A: He keeps using the same strategy even when his results show it is not working.]
- [Struggling with surprises: A sudden schedule change or new requirement leaves him upset and unable to move forward for a while.]
Tools to help
- [A plan B conversation: When your son faces a big decision, ask him to name a backup option and how he would feel about it.]
- [What else could work: When he is stuck, ask him to list two other ways to approach the problem before choosing one.]
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Response inhibition
Stop and think before acting[ or speaking]
What it looks like
- [Thinking before posting: He pauses to consider how a message or post might look to a teacher, coach, or college reader before sharing it.]
- [Holding back in a debate: In a heated class discussion, he listens to the full point and waits his turn before responding.]
What it doesn't look like
- [Acting on impulse: He makes a quick decision, such as skipping a class or buying something online, without thinking through what happens next.]
- [Speaking before listening: He interrupts others or answers before reading a full question, and he sometimes misses key details.]
Tools to help
- [Stop, think, choose: Encourage your son to pause and ask himself what could happen next before any big or quick decision.]
- [Talk through choices: When he faces a tempting choice, ask open questions about the outcomes instead of telling him what to do.]
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Proposed new skill
[Stress tolerance]
[Stay calm and keep thinking when things are uncertain, hard, or not going as planned]
The ADAPT summary says students "manage emotions constructively," but neither ADAPT skill covers emotions. This would carry emotions into ADAPT as well as ENGAGE.
What Browning is doing
[Upper School advisors may help students prepare for setbacks and changes, such as shifting deadlines or college decisions, by talking through both the feelings and the next steps. TODO: verify with the division.]
Try this week
[Choose a small change in a family plan this week and ask your son to help figure out the new plan. Then ask how he handled the change.]
REFLECT
2 skills
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Metacognition
[Think about your own thinking. ]Use self-monitoring and external feedback to reflect on progress in the moment and again after completion
What it looks like
- [Checking his own work: Before turning in an essay, he rereads it against the assignment guidelines and fixes what does not match.]
- [Learning from feedback: After a graded test, he reviews his mistakes, finds patterns, and changes how he prepares for the next one.]
What it doesn't look like
- [Looking only at the grade: He checks his score and moves on without reading teacher comments or reviewing what went wrong.]
- [Not knowing what he knows: He feels ready for a test, then finds that he understood less than he thought.]
Tools to help
- [A test wrapper: After a test comes back, ask your son what went well, what he would change, and how he will study next time.]
- [A weekly check-in question: Ask him which strategy helped him most this week and which one he wants to drop.]
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Growth mindset
Understand that everyone has strengths and areas for growth, identify your own, and believe that ability is not fixed and can be developed[, and see mistakes as part of learning]
What it looks like
- [Choosing a challenge: He signs up for a demanding course or new activity because he wants to grow, even though it may affect his comfort.]
- [Knowing his strengths and growth areas: He can say, "I write well, but I am still working on managing long-term projects," and he has a plan for both.]
What it doesn't look like
- [Avoiding risk to protect a record: He passes on a course or role he would enjoy because he worries he will not do well right away.]
- [Talking about fixed ability: He says things like "I'm just not a math person," and stops putting in effort in that subject.]
Tools to help
- [Praise the process: Point out your son's effort, strategy, and progress, not only his grades or results.]
- [Share your own growth: Talk with him about a skill you are still developing as an adult and what you are doing to improve.]
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Proposed new skill
[Transfer]
[Use what you learned in one class or situation in a new one]
The REFLECT summary says students "transfer learning to new contexts," but no skill covers it.
What Browning is doing
[Upper School teachers may ask students to review their feedback, set goals, and reflect on their growth as they prepare for life after high school. TODO: verify with the division.]
Try this week
[Ask your son to name one strength he has built during high school and one skill he wants to keep growing in college or beyond.]