Detail oriented and structured. Linear, sequential, step by step, left brained, focused, organized, good listeners, strong students, on top of things, responsible, concrete, practical, regulated, likes rules, facts, safe, on time, follows directions, knows the right answer, good with systems, uses planners, puts things back, good with folders and binders, turns in homework, studies. Not good with details. Global, big picture, holistic thinkers. Right brained, random, distracted, disorganized, … [Read more...]
Clean Slate
New semester = clean slate. I work with a lot of students right before a semester begins so they can get a strong start. From grade school to grad school, here's what I do with many students: Backpack Empty it, clean it out. Ask what they use each pocket for. This raises awareness that they are choosing "homes" for things such as books, supplies, folders, money, etc. I don't necessarily care where they put things, I care that they have intentionally chosen the place, because it's all about … [Read more...]
Overkill
Yesterday I met with a new student who wants help with organization. I asked her to tell me how she tries to organize and she showed me her 3 ring binder. Any of you who know me know I'm not a fan of the binder for most of the kids I work with. It's a simple matter of ROI (Return on Investment). For kids who aren't naturally organized, it's a lot of paper pushing investment for what's often little, if any, return. And they know it. Same Old Story This case is the same story I've seen so many … [Read more...]
Quick Organizational Overhaul
Some students seem to get organization through osmosis, but many need a great deal of direct and specific guidance in order to develop their style. Simply speaking, some kids systematize more naturally than others and regular overhauls make a big difference for the “organizationally challenged”. Here’s a rundown of how I often begin sessions with students who are still developing their systems. This quick overhaul can be done with any age, elementary through grad school. It’s good to do this at … [Read more...]
Just Throw it Away.
Look, teachers pass out a lot of "stuff." Whether you’re working with a first grader or a grad student, help them develop the habit of taking a half hour every weekend to go through the backpack/locker/desk and eliminate the clutter. This includes old assignments, trash, broken pencils, etc.. Of course there are reasonable times to keep things, but ask students to consider if it’s really valuable or if it can be recycled. In this world of material abundance, letting go of the right stuff is an … [Read more...]
Unitasking vs. Multitasking: What's Best for Students?
Although multitasking has it's place, it's often nothing more than doing several things in succession with diminished quality. When it comes to struggling students trying to learn in our fast paced society, multitasking usually gets in the way. When I unitask, when I am fully present for what I am doing, I find that less is more. More fun, more productive, more interesting, more valuable and even more efficient. Many years ago, I got ahold of a book called The Miracle of Mindfulness by … [Read more...]
6 Supplies Students Really Need
So you get the school supply list and assume that all of the items are necessary. You visit the office store, spend a ton of money to get everything and feel good about crossing this huge task off your list. But your gut wonders if all items were really necessary. You wonder about the impact on the environment. You wonder if your child will use all the supplies. You wonder if you're wasting money, time, energy. You wonder where the teacher will store 25 boxes of tissues and why the school … [Read more...]