A lot about school can feel overwhelming to a child, and that's why Staying Ahead of the Game has distilled its proven method down to four simple steps.

These pillars are why the Houston-based academic tutoring company has made a major difference in so many children's lives — because Staying Ahead of the Game isn't just about studying, but setting students up for success in all areas of life.

1. Organization: Having everything you need in five seconds or less.
If students don't lose papers and can find what they need with minimal effort, most of those missing assignments and late grades disappear.

SAOTG's unique binder system helps students maintain organization on a micro level (like helping them consistently turn in assignments on time) and a macro level (i.e. providing a perfect one-stop shop for cumulative exam review).

They also teach kids how to set up e-binders, which is SAOTG's term for how students name, organize, and sort the files on their computers, something that is obviously increasing in importance.

You can read even more about the importance of organization here.

2. Time management: Knowing what you need to do, and when you need to do it.
Students are like mini CEOs nowadays, with a barrage of task stimuli like schoolwork, sports, extracurricular activities, and social obligations.

There isn't a successful CEO in America who can keep it all "in their head," and yet many students try to do just that. This is why SAOTG recommends students get a planner ... and actually use it.

Their unique planner system takes advantage of the latest neuroscience, as well as tried and true principles of time management, to make sure students stay on top of their assignments and use their free time wisely.

The planning system helps students prioritize and complete assignments, reducing procrastination — and the stress that results from it — in the process.

You can read more about how vital time management is here and here.

3. Study skills: Doing it efficiently and productively.
Students need to learn how to learn. This means mastering the following skills:

• Following instructions
• Reading effectively
• Note taking
• Memorizing efficiently
• Clear, concise writing

However, all of these very tangible skills require intangible skills such as the ability to focus on demand, the ability to create the right study environment, or the confidence to ask questions and advocate for themselves.

This is why SAOTG's well-rounded approach has proven so successful. There's studying for school and there's learning for life, and their experts know the first is not achievable without the second.

4. Impression management: Becoming your best self-advocate.
Success is 20 percent technical skill and 80 percent interpersonal skill. That's why SAOTG teaches students to manage their impressions with teachers, parents, and peers by improving communication skills, negotiation skills, proper etiquette, and more.

They also help students work on their internal management skills, especially since kids today are combating new issues such as social isolation, being "always on" in the context of virtual learning, and learning how to adapt their learning style to new teaching styles and technologies.

Now more than ever, executive functioning skills are crucial to students' success and health, and that's why Staying Ahead of the Game has proven so necessary. Instead of being a "Band-Aid solution," they help students succeed inside and outside of the classroom with skills that will last forever.

To start your child on the path to personal success, call 713-665-4263 or email info@saotg.com.