Are you curious about how understanding your brain can transform learning, teaching, and everyday life? In this episode of The People Teaching People Podcast, I sit down with Samantha Woods, the founder of Kaizen Education Services and a self-proclaimed “brain nerd,” who has spent over 20 years exploring neuroscience and its practical applications. Together, we discuss how executive functioning skills are the key to thriving in today’s fast-paced world.

Samantha shares her journey from classroom teacher to trailblazer in executive skills coaching through the innovative Brain Hub Academy. Whether you’re an educator, parent, or simply curious about optimizing your brain’s potential, this conversation is packed with actionable strategies to unlock your full potential.

Listen in as we talk about:

02:42 Unlocking learning potential

06:44 The brain’s CEO – executive functioning skills

09:59 ADHD and Executive Functioning

17:50 Practical tools for executive functioning

24:40 The brain’s response to anxiety

28:09 The future of education

33:04 The Brain Hub Academy

38:30 A teacher who inspired growth

41:00 Hope and resilience in teaching

Connect with Samantha:

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• Website: https://kaizeneduc.com/
  
• LinkedIn: Samantha Woods
  
• Instagram: @kaizeneduc
  
• Facebook: @KaizenEducationServices
  
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  • Facebook Group: Know Better, Do Better! Understanding ADHD Kids
    
  
  
  
• YouTube: Kaizen Education Services
  

Connect with Tiana:

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• Website: https://tianafech.com
  
• LinkedIn: Tiana Fech
  
• Instagram: @tianafech 
  
• Facebook: @tianafech 
  
• Book: Online Course Creation 101: A step-by-step guide to creating your first online course 
  

Samantha’s fascination with the brain and executive functioning started with what she calls “the four boys” who changed everything for her. As a teacher assigned to support struggling students, she was handed assessments and reports that didn’t explain why these bright kids weren’t thriving. Determined to find answers, she stumbled into a seminar by Dr. Peg Dawson—completely by accident—and discovered the missing piece: executive functioning. It wasn’t about behavior or intelligence; it was about how these students were being taught. That realization ignited an 80% passion-fueled journey into neuroscience, forever shaping how she approached learning and success. Learning isn’t just about what we teach—it’s about how we support the brain’s ability to process, organize, and thrive.

Executive functioning skills are like the brain’s management system—often called the “CEO” or “conductor” of the brain. Found in the prefrontal cortex, these skills help us plan, organize, start tasks, stay focused, and regulate emotions. The catch? They’re the last part of the brain to fully develop! Samantha first learned about executive functioning at a workshop, and it completely changed how she saw learning struggles—not as a lack of intelligence, but as a challenge in brain development. Understanding executive functioning can be life-changing—once we recognize these skills, we can find better ways to support ourselves and others.

 ”Attention deficit disorder isn’t actually a deficit of attention at all. It’s misdirected attention.”

ADHD and executive functioning challenges go hand in hand, yet many people don’t realize they’re deeply connected. Executive functioning skills—like focus, impulse control, and organization—are often delayed by up to 30% in ADHD brains, making an 18-year-old function more like a 14-year-old in these areas. Unlike the common stereotype, ADHD isn’t just about hyperactivity; many people, especially girls, fly under the radar because their struggles manifest as inattention or anxiety rather than disruptive behavior. The key to supporting individuals with ADHD isn’t just managing behavior—it’s addressing the underlying executive functioning delays that make everyday tasks harder. ADHD isn’t about intelligence or bad behavior—it’s about lagging executive functioning skills. Understanding this shift can change the way we support and empower those with ADHD.

Samantha explains that executive functioning skills are essential for everyone, not just those with ADHD, and can be developed through practical, everyday strategies. She highlights the importance of modeling behaviors like time management and impulse control, particularly in an era full of distractions like phones. One powerful approach is talking about “brains, not behavior,” which helps individuals understand why they might be struggling to focus and how they can regain control. Samantha stresses that scaffolding—breaking tasks into manageable chunks and actively teaching students how to organize, study, and manage their time—is crucial. These strategies aren’t just for kids, though; they’re useful for adults too, especially in our information-heavy, tech-driven world. Everyone can benefit from building a personalized toolkit for managing life’s challenges, and that toolkit evolves over time. Creating and refining your own toolkit for executive functioning is essential for success, no matter your age or diagnosis.

Samantha dives into the connection between executive functioning, anxiety, and emotional regulation, explaining how modern life overloads our brains with constant “threats.” She uses the analogy of the brain’s amygdala acting as a security guard, deciding what’s a threat and triggering the fight-or-flight response. In today’s world, those threats aren’t just physical—things like social media, a math test, or a presentation can set off this alarm system. When anxiety is triggered, it shuts down the thinking brain, preventing us from using our executive functioning skills. This is particularly problematic for kids and adults with ADHD, who may struggle with impulse control and emotional regulation. The result? Anxiety overwhelms the thinking brain, making it harder to manage tasks or emotions effectively. While this response was protective in prehistoric times, it’s less helpful today, especially with the constant influx of stimuli. Managing anxiety and developing executive functioning skills go hand in hand—without them, our brains struggle to function in today’s overstimulating world.

Samantha passionately advocates for a fundamental shift in the education system to better support modern learners, emphasizing that it’s not the fault of teachers or principals, but rather the outdated structure that’s not meeting the needs of today’s students. She argues that the current system, which prioritizes content delivery, doesn’t equip students with the critical executive functioning skills—like problem-solving, planning, and organization—that are essential for success in the real world. She highlights how even highly educated professionals, like spine surgeons, are shocked by the lack of these skills in their residents, pointing out that if students aren’t taught these skills, they can’t develop them. For neurodiverse or anxious students, the traditional education model can actually be damaging, as it doesn’t fit their unique needs. Samantha calls for a reimagined approach that focuses more on teaching life skills than just content, believing that the system must evolve to truly prepare students for the future. The future of education must prioritize developing executive functioning skills, not just content, to help all students succeed in an increasingly complex world.

The Brain Hub Academy, created by Samantha, evolved from years of in-person coaching into an accessible online platform designed to help both parents and educators develop essential executive functioning skills in students. Originally intended for parents, the platform expanded after educators expressed interest, resulting in a hybrid model that includes professional development for teachers and a student-focused learning area. The Brain Hub Academy provides a variety of tools, strategies, and cognitive assessments to help users understand how their brains work, focusing on strengths and areas for improvement. By normalizing these differences and integrating executive functioning skills into classrooms, Samantha hopes to reduce educator burnout and empower students with the confidence to manage their learning challenges. It’s a collaborative space where parents, educators, and students can work together to build skills and foster growth in a way that makes learning more effective and less stressful. The Brain Hub Academy shows how understanding the brain and executive functioning skills can create a more supportive and empowering learning environment for everyone—students and educators alike.

Samantha reflects on the profound impact of Mary Ann Johnston, her former principal, who became her ultimate mentor in education. Mary Ann was the embodiment of lifelong learning and growth—she never stopped improving herself and encouraged everyone around her, especially new teachers, to do the same. Her ability to set achievable challenges, always pushing others to reach for more, instilled a sense of continuous progress in Samantha. Beyond being an educational leader, Mary Ann’s intuitive support and recognition of each person’s strengths made her an exceptional role model. Samantha credits her for teaching her the value of authenticity, personalized growth, and the importance of never settling for the status quo. The best mentors inspire growth by challenging you to reach higher, recognizing your strengths, and pushing you to always improve, no matter where you are in your journey.

Samantha shares a powerful message about the importance of perseverance and modeling resilience, especially for those working with children. Drawing inspiration from Winston Churchill’s famous words, “If you’re going through hell, keep going,” she encourages educators, parents, and mentors to keep pushing forward even when times are tough. Kids, she notes, are always watching and learning from how adults navigate challenges. By showing them that it’s okay to struggle, fail, and pivot, we teach them the invaluable skills of resilience, adaptability, and hope. Samantha emphasizes that the most important thing we can do for the next generation is lead by example—walking through the storm and showing them how to emerge stronger on the other side. The most powerful lesson we can teach is not just through words, but through actions—by facing challenges with resilience and showing kids how to navigate their own struggles.

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Today’s episode is produced by VOLT Productions, a full-service podcast production agency helping creators and entrepreneurs launch, grow and monetize their shows. You can learn more about the agency’s founder Simona, their work and their team by going to www.voltproductions.co.