Lifestyle Tips for Active Learners
(Add Matthew Saccaro notes)
---------------
We can also look at our academic project spreadsheet which contains deadlines for all your classes, and plan backwards from these deadlines. You can break each deadline into smaller, self created deadlines that cumulatively lead up to the successful completion a major project or test. You can then identify and schedule blocks of time when you can take the actions that will lead up to the completion of these academic projects.
---------------
Tips and Resources tab instead of Resources?
Learning Tips
with hyperlinks leading to tips on one page
Eve Chosak, Academic Coach and Tutor
Uncovering Motivation and Accountability:
Verbalizing/Identifying your values and priorities
Uncovering Inner Motivation/Leveraging External Reinforcement
Time Management
Organization
Study Strategies
Resources and Tools
Self Advocacy/Communication with Instructors
Partnering with Disability Resources
Life Balance and Self Care
Career Planning/Building Opportunities
----------------
Accountability Has the Word "Count" In It
Not enough to just have goals.
What do you appreciate, what do you count on in your life? If you are a student, t this stage, many of those things are driven by the adults in your life. As you progress toward adulthood, more and more of the things you count on in your life will be driven by you. What does this mean?
What do you count on? What are your goals? What would you like to have, and be able to count on? What can you do to make that happen? Can you break it down into smaller steps? What is the very first step? For example, let's say that you would like to travel. This could be: Opening up a web browser tab and typing in a search phrase, such as "teen travel." Just let yourself get inspired. See what is out there. Or, your goal may be less glamorous, such as acing your finals. A first step could be setting up a meeting with your instructor to get preparation tips, or looking at the syllabus to locate any preparation steps which have been provided, such as study guides, due dates for study guides, scheduling in study sessions, etc. Find out one new piece of information. You may find that this one simple thing propels you forward to take one more positive action the next day. Each day, take one positive action toward your goal. One small step. Inch toward it.
------------------
Just One Thing
How to develop new habits.
Take just one small positive action. This will propel you forward toward your goals. Do this regularly, and you will see the actions accumulate and eventually become your habits. It will feel normal and comfortable, and not doing it will feel strange and uncomfortable.
----------------
Parental Anxiety and Children's Learning
Own Your Anxiety as a Factor in Your Child's Learning
"helicopter mom"
Recognize the Role of Your Anxiety as a Major Role in Your Student's Challenges
Provide a container, a safe place to land. Not enabling. Learn to listen. Just hear what your student has to say. let them fail. but let them know when you are there. don't do it for them. coach them. guide them. mentor them. think of training wheels. as soon as the student can do something for themselves, take the wheels off. let them fail a few times. If they fall too much, put the wheels back on. Ask, are you ready for me to take the wheels off?
recognize that it is normal and natural for students to fail and struggle. This is how learning happens! Perfection is not the goal. Learning to become resourceful and develop grit in the midst of a challenge that is not immediately resolved. help them become detectives in uncovering the mystery of what will be most helpful to them. each learning is unique. there is no one template that will work for all students. the student needs to use trial and error to identify what will work. they also need help sorting through that process, because if they struggle with organization, then project management, such as learning how they learn, is not going to be easy for them. They need help being made aware of what they tried, what the result was, what seems to work, what doesn't seem to work. they are not willfully ignoring these connections. they need help having these connections get made. Use patience in explaining the connections. if the student won't hear it from you, get outside support.
---------------------
The Double Whammy of Learning Differences
I have ADHD.
We know something is wrong but it's invisible. We try but we are finding our way blind. We try to locate systems and tools and approaches that will help us, but because our minds are scattered, we have a tough time systematically sorting through our own observations about the causes of our struggles, as well as options for addressing them.
the importance of an outside perspective, another pair of eyes. a reality check. A helpful guide, mentor, coach. This is what you appear to be dealing with. This might help - would you like to try this? Give it a try. Does that help?
---------------------
Becoming a Detective
trial and error. there is no template for what will work with each student. each student's brain is different. try what works for them, if doesn't work, try something else. keep track of what works and what doesn't.
students with learning differences will likely not be able to track this because their organizational struggles make it hard for them to formulate connections. when this is the case, help them by making the connections for them. ask them what were the results of actions they took, and what conclusions can they draw about how well a particular approach worked. if they have difficulty making this conneciton, help them make it. based on what you both observe, bring in the strucutre that is most supportive to them.
options - time management, self advocacy, organizing study materials, test preparation, using resources, etc.
------------------
When to Get Outside Support
when a student won't listen to you
what does good support look like
sources of support - mentor, guide, coach, peer tutoring, local colleges
(rewrite these words - they need help having these connections get made. Use patience in explaining the connections. if the student won't hear it from you, )
-----------------------
Remove the barriers and let them shine.
Students who struggle with organization are unfairly penalized for organizational struggles. Their performance does not accurately reflect their academic and intellectual potential. Remove the barriers and let them shine.
My observations - most students I work with have everything they need intellectually and academically to succeed. Their struggles are mainly with organization. understanding how to write and outline.
------------------
To Comma, or Not to Comma? Comma Do's and Don'ts
-----------------
Creating Family Agreements
My child won't do what I say. They won't listen to me. Do I bribe them with candy. (Yeah, that's really helpful.)
---------------
Parents Set the Standard
parents model behavior for children. how do you wind down? do you set healthy boundaries for yourself, or are you holding different standards for your children that you aren't able to model?
develop health rituals to wind down before sleep, limiting screen time.
balance - food, sleep, self care, taking care of things before they snowball.
share your process with your learner. Explain what you are doing. they will absorb it. more importantly, they will internalize the effects of the behavior you model through your own choices.
Laying down the Rules
paraphrase this - "The WiFi and your phone will be inaccessible after 9pm on school nights. I didn’t look up any information. I just know how many hours of sleep they need to be functional and electronics were seriously interfering with that at one point."
----------------
- how to fall asleep using a book (this is a whole topic)
instead of a screen
active rather than passive
self soothing
yoga, stretching, head or foot rub
Can you create family rituals around winding down in the evening?
paraphrase this - "The WiFi and your phone will be inaccessible after 9pm on school nights. I didn’t look up any information. I just know how many hours of sleep they need to be functional and electronics were seriously interfering with that at one point." provide them with enjoyable alternatives to scrrens -create family rituals around library time (see blog on that)
--------------
How important is sleep to you? (this is a whole topic)
-sleep study
-correlation between sleep and learning challenges
- how to fall asleep using a book (this is a whole topic)
parents model behavior for children. how do you wind down? do you set healthy boundaries for yourself, or are you holding different standards for your children that you aren't able to model? (this is a whole topic)
paraphrase this - "The WiFi and your phone will be inaccessible after 9pm on school nights. I didn’t look up any information. I just know how many hours of sleep they need to be functional and electronics were seriously interfering with that at one point."
-----------------
Tips to Help Students Follow Healthy Screen Time (change title)
- Know the Facts - (link to my other blog post - is Technology Dangerous?)
-Safety issues
-What time do you need to wake up? How much sleep doing you need? How long does it take to fall asleep?
Use a book to fall asleep, instead of a screen. active rather than passive. (this could be a whole blog topic)
paraphrase this - "The WiFi and your phone will be inaccessible after 9pm on school nights. I didn’t look up any information. I just know how many hours of sleep they need to be functional and electronics were seriously interfering with that at one point."
from Pat LaDouceur - "parents need to start young and collect all devices at night and store them in the *parents bedroom*. This is unfortunately based on personal experience. Even an excellent student like my daughter, apparently can't say No in the middle of the night when a friend frequently texts her in crisis. I never knew. But the serious tech people -- Steve Jobs, Bill Gates -- they did know. Check out this article for example: https://www.businessinsider.com/screen-time-limits-bill-gates-steve-jobs-red-flag-2017-10?fbclid=IwAR3NagArzIHsflzXtPtD887poclCu7VLIi30x3x6sEIAsOTIuOsbXFxTw3E
For 18+ students, you can control what happens in your own house (eg when the wifi gets turned off) and what you give them, but generally control is limited at that point."
- Research the Options:
Disney Circle for younger children.
An app called Freedom for older kids.
app from wifi provider which allows users to turn wifi on and off per device.
- Create Family Agreements
how to initiate conversations with your child (link to my other blog post - Creating Family Agreements)
paraphrase this - "The WiFi and your phone will be inaccessible after 9pm on school nights. I didn’t look up any information. I just know how many hours of sleep they need to be functional and electronics were seriously interfering with that at one point."
If you are a child:
- Create Family Agreements
how to initiate conversations with your child
--------------
Testing and Accommodations
fear of being labeled
schools must provide certain levels of support.
--------------
Is Technology Dangerous?
info about screentime, wifi, exposure, EMF's
moderate guidelines
---------------
Tips to Develop Working Memory:
Repetition, using multiple senses to encode, N-back games, creating mnemonics, attaching new concepts to concepts that are already known, rehearsing sequences for the purpose of intentionally linking the association.
--------------
How Many Toys??
(Marie Kondo)
Less Is More
We feel guilty because we are so busy so we think we are doing our children a favor by giving them more - more sugar, screens, plastic toys. The fact is that these things are overstimulating.
Put out fewer things. Five crayons instead of 55. When one breaks, don't replace it for a while. Living with consequences is extremely instructive.
-------------
Glitter: Yes or No? Pros and Cons
environmental concerns.
overstimulating.
manageability.
shiny - natural objects.
-----------
Get rid of sugar, wheat, flour, corn, soy, dairy. Find protein, vegetables, fats. Avoid fruit.
Get a sleep study. Natural ways to improve sleep.
-------------
Family outings - museums, concerts, walks in nature. Walk down the street in a new neighborhood or town. Explore shops and buy nothing. Celebrate with a simple meal. Have the exploration be the focus, rather than necessarily purchasing anything.
-------------------
Plastic toys. Natural toys, a basket of pinecones, a container of cotton balls, burlap scraps, felt, shells. Once in a while, put out a bowl of water with small stones.
Instead of putting a screen in front of them, a basket of books with several choices.
-------------
It's own blog.
Once per week, take your family to the library. Have them return the previous week's items, and choose several new books. This can develop into a wonderful family tradition.
------------
How Anxiety Contributes to Academic Struggles.
He is intellectually capable of solid study, but uses procrastination to cope. By pushing fears under a proverbial rug, making them snowball, he may experience something like relief. Generating obstacles can make stress seem predictable, and therefore less scary. Habitually perpetuating self defeating scenarios is a form of self soothing. Shedding this pattern will bring your student a lot more energy to focus on goals.
I don't like pain. When I'm going to the doctor's office and a needle is involved, I may want to distract myself by putting finger nails into my own hand. I don't like pain, but at least I have control over this pain, and if I dig deeply enough, I can make it seem like the other pain I don't have control over is more manageable.
--------------------
Why Do I Need to Meet With My Teacher?
You don't feel the need to meet one on one with your teachers at the moment, but please keep several things in mind:
--------------
How Can Practice Tests Boost Your Grades?
Practice tests will be an essential component of his test taking success, going forward, because they alone accurately reveal what is retained, and ready to be reproduced in an assessment context.
Editing
the next steps, in order, are:
--------------
(Add Matthew Saccaro notes)
---------------
We can also look at our academic project spreadsheet which contains deadlines for all your classes, and plan backwards from these deadlines. You can break each deadline into smaller, self created deadlines that cumulatively lead up to the successful completion a major project or test. You can then identify and schedule blocks of time when you can take the actions that will lead up to the completion of these academic projects.
---------------
Tips and Resources tab instead of Resources?
Learning Tips
with hyperlinks leading to tips on one page
Eve Chosak, Academic Coach and Tutor
Uncovering Motivation and Accountability:
Verbalizing/Identifying your values and priorities
Uncovering Inner Motivation/Leveraging External Reinforcement
Time Management
Organization
Study Strategies
Resources and Tools
Self Advocacy/Communication with Instructors
Partnering with Disability Resources
Life Balance and Self Care
Career Planning/Building Opportunities
----------------
Accountability Has the Word "Count" In It
Not enough to just have goals.
What do you appreciate, what do you count on in your life? If you are a student, t this stage, many of those things are driven by the adults in your life. As you progress toward adulthood, more and more of the things you count on in your life will be driven by you. What does this mean?
What do you count on? What are your goals? What would you like to have, and be able to count on? What can you do to make that happen? Can you break it down into smaller steps? What is the very first step? For example, let's say that you would like to travel. This could be: Opening up a web browser tab and typing in a search phrase, such as "teen travel." Just let yourself get inspired. See what is out there. Or, your goal may be less glamorous, such as acing your finals. A first step could be setting up a meeting with your instructor to get preparation tips, or looking at the syllabus to locate any preparation steps which have been provided, such as study guides, due dates for study guides, scheduling in study sessions, etc. Find out one new piece of information. You may find that this one simple thing propels you forward to take one more positive action the next day. Each day, take one positive action toward your goal. One small step. Inch toward it.
------------------
Just One Thing
How to develop new habits.
Take just one small positive action. This will propel you forward toward your goals. Do this regularly, and you will see the actions accumulate and eventually become your habits. It will feel normal and comfortable, and not doing it will feel strange and uncomfortable.
----------------
Parental Anxiety and Children's Learning
Own Your Anxiety as a Factor in Your Child's Learning
"helicopter mom"
Recognize the Role of Your Anxiety as a Major Role in Your Student's Challenges
Provide a container, a safe place to land. Not enabling. Learn to listen. Just hear what your student has to say. let them fail. but let them know when you are there. don't do it for them. coach them. guide them. mentor them. think of training wheels. as soon as the student can do something for themselves, take the wheels off. let them fail a few times. If they fall too much, put the wheels back on. Ask, are you ready for me to take the wheels off?
recognize that it is normal and natural for students to fail and struggle. This is how learning happens! Perfection is not the goal. Learning to become resourceful and develop grit in the midst of a challenge that is not immediately resolved. help them become detectives in uncovering the mystery of what will be most helpful to them. each learning is unique. there is no one template that will work for all students. the student needs to use trial and error to identify what will work. they also need help sorting through that process, because if they struggle with organization, then project management, such as learning how they learn, is not going to be easy for them. They need help being made aware of what they tried, what the result was, what seems to work, what doesn't seem to work. they are not willfully ignoring these connections. they need help having these connections get made. Use patience in explaining the connections. if the student won't hear it from you, get outside support.
---------------------
The Double Whammy of Learning Differences
I have ADHD.
We know something is wrong but it's invisible. We try but we are finding our way blind. We try to locate systems and tools and approaches that will help us, but because our minds are scattered, we have a tough time systematically sorting through our own observations about the causes of our struggles, as well as options for addressing them.
the importance of an outside perspective, another pair of eyes. a reality check. A helpful guide, mentor, coach. This is what you appear to be dealing with. This might help - would you like to try this? Give it a try. Does that help?
---------------------
Becoming a Detective
trial and error. there is no template for what will work with each student. each student's brain is different. try what works for them, if doesn't work, try something else. keep track of what works and what doesn't.
students with learning differences will likely not be able to track this because their organizational struggles make it hard for them to formulate connections. when this is the case, help them by making the connections for them. ask them what were the results of actions they took, and what conclusions can they draw about how well a particular approach worked. if they have difficulty making this conneciton, help them make it. based on what you both observe, bring in the strucutre that is most supportive to them.
options - time management, self advocacy, organizing study materials, test preparation, using resources, etc.
------------------
When to Get Outside Support
when a student won't listen to you
what does good support look like
sources of support - mentor, guide, coach, peer tutoring, local colleges
(rewrite these words - they need help having these connections get made. Use patience in explaining the connections. if the student won't hear it from you, )
-----------------------
Remove the barriers and let them shine.
Students who struggle with organization are unfairly penalized for organizational struggles. Their performance does not accurately reflect their academic and intellectual potential. Remove the barriers and let them shine.
My observations - most students I work with have everything they need intellectually and academically to succeed. Their struggles are mainly with organization. understanding how to write and outline.
------------------
To Comma, or Not to Comma? Comma Do's and Don'ts
-----------------
Creating Family Agreements
My child won't do what I say. They won't listen to me. Do I bribe them with candy. (Yeah, that's really helpful.)
---------------
Parents Set the Standard
parents model behavior for children. how do you wind down? do you set healthy boundaries for yourself, or are you holding different standards for your children that you aren't able to model?
develop health rituals to wind down before sleep, limiting screen time.
balance - food, sleep, self care, taking care of things before they snowball.
share your process with your learner. Explain what you are doing. they will absorb it. more importantly, they will internalize the effects of the behavior you model through your own choices.
Laying down the Rules
paraphrase this - "The WiFi and your phone will be inaccessible after 9pm on school nights. I didn’t look up any information. I just know how many hours of sleep they need to be functional and electronics were seriously interfering with that at one point."
----------------
- how to fall asleep using a book (this is a whole topic)
instead of a screen
active rather than passive
self soothing
yoga, stretching, head or foot rub
Can you create family rituals around winding down in the evening?
paraphrase this - "The WiFi and your phone will be inaccessible after 9pm on school nights. I didn’t look up any information. I just know how many hours of sleep they need to be functional and electronics were seriously interfering with that at one point." provide them with enjoyable alternatives to scrrens -create family rituals around library time (see blog on that)
--------------
How important is sleep to you? (this is a whole topic)
-sleep study
-correlation between sleep and learning challenges
- how to fall asleep using a book (this is a whole topic)
parents model behavior for children. how do you wind down? do you set healthy boundaries for yourself, or are you holding different standards for your children that you aren't able to model? (this is a whole topic)
paraphrase this - "The WiFi and your phone will be inaccessible after 9pm on school nights. I didn’t look up any information. I just know how many hours of sleep they need to be functional and electronics were seriously interfering with that at one point."
-----------------
Tips to Help Students Follow Healthy Screen Time (change title)
- Know the Facts - (link to my other blog post - is Technology Dangerous?)
-Safety issues
-What time do you need to wake up? How much sleep doing you need? How long does it take to fall asleep?
Use a book to fall asleep, instead of a screen. active rather than passive. (this could be a whole blog topic)
paraphrase this - "The WiFi and your phone will be inaccessible after 9pm on school nights. I didn’t look up any information. I just know how many hours of sleep they need to be functional and electronics were seriously interfering with that at one point."
from Pat LaDouceur - "parents need to start young and collect all devices at night and store them in the *parents bedroom*. This is unfortunately based on personal experience. Even an excellent student like my daughter, apparently can't say No in the middle of the night when a friend frequently texts her in crisis. I never knew. But the serious tech people -- Steve Jobs, Bill Gates -- they did know. Check out this article for example: https://www.businessinsider.com/screen-time-limits-bill-gates-steve-jobs-red-flag-2017-10?fbclid=IwAR3NagArzIHsflzXtPtD887poclCu7VLIi30x3x6sEIAsOTIuOsbXFxTw3E
For 18+ students, you can control what happens in your own house (eg when the wifi gets turned off) and what you give them, but generally control is limited at that point."
- Research the Options:
Disney Circle for younger children.
An app called Freedom for older kids.
app from wifi provider which allows users to turn wifi on and off per device.
- Create Family Agreements
how to initiate conversations with your child (link to my other blog post - Creating Family Agreements)
paraphrase this - "The WiFi and your phone will be inaccessible after 9pm on school nights. I didn’t look up any information. I just know how many hours of sleep they need to be functional and electronics were seriously interfering with that at one point."
If you are a child:
- Create Family Agreements
how to initiate conversations with your child
--------------
Testing and Accommodations
fear of being labeled
schools must provide certain levels of support.
--------------
Is Technology Dangerous?
info about screentime, wifi, exposure, EMF's
moderate guidelines
---------------
Tips to Develop Working Memory:
Repetition, using multiple senses to encode, N-back games, creating mnemonics, attaching new concepts to concepts that are already known, rehearsing sequences for the purpose of intentionally linking the association.
--------------
How Many Toys??
(Marie Kondo)
Less Is More
We feel guilty because we are so busy so we think we are doing our children a favor by giving them more - more sugar, screens, plastic toys. The fact is that these things are overstimulating.
Put out fewer things. Five crayons instead of 55. When one breaks, don't replace it for a while. Living with consequences is extremely instructive.
-------------
Glitter: Yes or No? Pros and Cons
environmental concerns.
overstimulating.
manageability.
shiny - natural objects.
-----------
Get rid of sugar, wheat, flour, corn, soy, dairy. Find protein, vegetables, fats. Avoid fruit.
Get a sleep study. Natural ways to improve sleep.
-------------
Family outings - museums, concerts, walks in nature. Walk down the street in a new neighborhood or town. Explore shops and buy nothing. Celebrate with a simple meal. Have the exploration be the focus, rather than necessarily purchasing anything.
-------------------
Plastic toys. Natural toys, a basket of pinecones, a container of cotton balls, burlap scraps, felt, shells. Once in a while, put out a bowl of water with small stones.
Instead of putting a screen in front of them, a basket of books with several choices.
-------------
It's own blog.
Once per week, take your family to the library. Have them return the previous week's items, and choose several new books. This can develop into a wonderful family tradition.
------------
How Anxiety Contributes to Academic Struggles.
He is intellectually capable of solid study, but uses procrastination to cope. By pushing fears under a proverbial rug, making them snowball, he may experience something like relief. Generating obstacles can make stress seem predictable, and therefore less scary. Habitually perpetuating self defeating scenarios is a form of self soothing. Shedding this pattern will bring your student a lot more energy to focus on goals.
I don't like pain. When I'm going to the doctor's office and a needle is involved, I may want to distract myself by putting finger nails into my own hand. I don't like pain, but at least I have control over this pain, and if I dig deeply enough, I can make it seem like the other pain I don't have control over is more manageable.
--------------------
Why Do I Need to Meet With My Teacher?
You don't feel the need to meet one on one with your teachers at the moment, but please keep several things in mind:
- If you are missing assignments, the portals don't show that. Because you can't tell if anything is missing, I recommend that every few weeks, you check in with each teacher to ask if anything is missing. You can email your teachers.
- While HR does hand back tests after they are graded, you aren't able to view your cumulative GPA in each class, so it is difficult to know how you are doing. If you want more clarity, your teachers can provide feedback.
- Meeting with your teachers can unearth things you might not otherwise get an opportunity to discuss. You can talk about the subject matter as you understand it, and check with the teacher to ask if you have the information correct, or if you have some gaps in your understanding. You can discuss past and upcoming projects. You can go over tests in detail - both past and future tests. You can ask general questions about what you are learning. You can also say that you just want to check in and find out how you are doing in the class, and if is there anything else they would like to see you do. You might be surprised by their answer! You won't know unless you ask them.
- Aside from the above reasons, I do recommend that you initiate at least a couple of one on one meetings with each teacher each semester, because it helps build a better relationship, and that ultimately leads to higher grades.
- office hours. if they don't work - email them to set up a time. The best time to meet with teachers is during lunch, or a free period. You would have to check with them during class to find out when they are also free.
--------------
How Can Practice Tests Boost Your Grades?
Practice tests will be an essential component of his test taking success, going forward, because they alone accurately reveal what is retained, and ready to be reproduced in an assessment context.
Editing
the next steps, in order, are:
- Finish pulling quotes for each body paragraph.
- Create topic sentences for each body paragraph. Based on the quotes you find, you may need to change your original ideas about the focus of each body paragraph, as well as the focus of the thesis.
- Refine the thesis statement to accurately contain the ideas in each topic sentence.
- Go back and tweak the topic sentences to accurately mirror the thesis statement. Do not skip this step!
- Look at the teacher's instructions, and fill in everything you will need for each of your five paragraphs. This might take a while, but it is extremely important, in order to go from getting a B on a writing assignment, to getting an A!
- Complete the analysis for each quote. Be extremely detailed and thorough. Keep relating everything to your thesis statement, and what the author is communicating, relating, showing, revealing, through his use of archetype.
- Create transition sentences and all other needed elements for each of the three body paragraphs.
- Go back and re-read your body paragraphs and make sure the ideas flow easily from one to the next. Show the paragraphs to a friend, parent, or teacher for additional feedback on your writing.
- Write your conclusion and introduction.
- Get feedback on your intro and conclusion paragraphs, as well as how the whole paper flows.
- Clean up your whole document, including filling in any gaps in the outline. Check that the format is consistent with the teacher's requirements.
--------------
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Start the School Year Stronger with a Team Approach
Starting a new school year isn't easy. Get things started on the right foot by involving each professional who impacts your child's learning success.
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