Organizational & Study Skills (Tool 2)

Rehearsed and predictable practices that provide structure to support efficient and effective learning.

Jump to: Support structures | Attendance & engagement

Routines

Traditional practices with a tweak

Supporting teens with organization and independence

A list of activities teens can use to build study and organizational skills

  • Break projects down: Chunk project into manageable pieces
  • Develop reasonable plans: Identify all steps and related timelines, use tools like calendars
  • Self monitor: Set timer, check attention and understanding and adjust as necessary
  • Minimize distractions: Refrain from multitasking and address factors that impact focus
  • Use memory supports: Write things down or use a mnemonic device
  • Reflect and refine: Think about your experience to promote continuous improvement

    Data to inform

    Dimensions of executive functions and self-regulation

    • The ability to hold information in mind and use it
      • Work memory
        • Executive functions
    • The capacity to switch gears to changing demands, priorities or perspectives
      • Mental flexibility
        • Executive functions
    • The ability to pause and think before acting
      • Self-control
        • Executive functions

    Core life skills development

    1. Planning: Develop and implement plans
    2. Focus: Concentrate on priorities
    3. Self-control: Control the response to emotions/stress
    4. Awareness: Notice people and the environment
    5. Flexibility: Adapt to changing situations

    Use the tools below to reflect and plan

    Check your strengths and write notes related to your existing practices and future plans. As you record your thoughts remember to be explicit, consistent, and adaptable. After you’ve reflected, use the chart in the above PDF or keep track of your responses in another way to share ideas with your colleagues.

    • Celebrate your current successes
    • Record ideas you’d like to explore further
    • Identify support and resources you will need

    Resources

    “The gift of failure: How the best parents can learn to let go so their children can succeed” by Jessica Lay

    Remote and hybrid learning environments provide students the opportunity to enhance autonomy and competence skills. Providing praise from a distance can build student confidence and self-esteem. The author of this text shares with the reader practical scenarios for encouraging student independence.

    Act now: Strategies and tools

    Best practice | Encourage independence: Encouraging student independence is a valuable goal, especially in a remote or hybrid learning environment. As many learners are experiencing remote and hybrid learning with different levels of support at home, it is pertinent to student success that learners know what they need to be doing and where to source the tools needed to be successful. Students need resources to support organizational and study skills at home. For those students who are learning with a network of support, it is important families and caregivers also know where to source assignments and instructional content so they can be a partner in learning.

    Utilizing a templated classroom agenda provides consistency for students and families supporting learning at home. Implementing a classroom agenda each day also encourages student independence. Classroom agendas can be electronic or printed. They can be posted in a virtual classroom or emailed to families. When families know what to expect, they can support students’ implementation of effective home organizational structures.

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    Support structures

    Traditional best practices with a tweak

    The four principles of deliberate practice a structure families can reinforce.

    • Work on weaknesses: Encourage children to focus on the things that are hard for them. Practice will help them improve.
    • Give full concentration: Encourage children to avoid distractions that make it difficult to stay on task.
    • Get feedback: Encourage children to seek feedback and ask teachers, coaches and others for support.
    • Reflect and refine: Encourage children to keep working on their weaknesses and stay on task until they master their specific goal.

    Note the strategy above can be applied to academics, athletics, the arts and other student priorities.

    Data to inform

    Districts provided resources parents find extremely helpful

    • Personal technology: 53%
    • Personal guidance for how to best support your child: 47%
    • Regular access to your child’s teacher(s): 44%
    • Option for remote one-on-one time with a teacher: 44%
    • Printed versions of class materials: 43%

    Remote learning support structures that foster relationship building

    Do not depend on parents to help students get “unstuck”

    • Empathy
      • Virtual office hours for support
      • Virtual check-in family conferences
    • Positive regard
      • Use of voice technology tools to provide student feedback
    • Student-centered
      • Student conferences to support identification of strengths/goals

    Use the tools below to reflect and plan

    Check your strengths and write notes related to your existing practices and future plans. As you record your thoughts remember to be explicit, consistent, and adaptable. After you’ve reflected, use the chart in the above PDF or keep track of your responses in another way to share ideas with your colleagues.

    • Celebrate your current successes
    • Record ideas you’d like to explore further
    • Identify support and resources you will need

    Resources

    “Messaging matters: How school leaders can inspire teachers, motivate students and teach communities” by William D. Parker

    When rehearsed and predictable practices are employed by educators in a remote or hybrid learning environment, the home-school partnership can be strengthened because parents know what to expect and can plan. Needed support structures to promote student success are possible. This text
    outlines messaging tactics to try when communicating home so families recognize that educators are accessible and ready to be an active member of the student support structure.

    Act now: Strategies and tools

    Best practice | Accessible educators: Relationship tension can develop between educators and those supporting student learning from home when families struggle to get the support they need. Ensuring families know how to maneuver through the requirements of remote learning is a quick win when affirming the home-to-school partnership. Providing families with the knowledge they need regarding expectations allows routines to be established in the home to support student success.

    Consider posting answers to frequently asked questions in an easy to locate place. Keep the location of the posting consistent. Responses could be posted in a virtual classroom, on a school website, or even emailed out to families. Be transparent with families and provide them the information needed to plan for the support structures required in a remote or hybrid learning setting to ensure their student is successful. A frequently asked questions document can be created for students and a second document of frequently asked questions can be created for families too.

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    Attendance & engagement

    Traditional practices with a tweak

    Tiered practices for remote or hybrid learning | Example practices from Attendance Works

    Tier 1

    • Clear and consistent communication about schedules and expectations
    • Predictable daily/weekly routines
    • Community building
    • Personalized outreach to families about absences
    • Recognition of good and improved attendance
    • Monitoring of attendance data to activate supports and identify trends

    Tier 2

    • Using absenteeism data to activate targeted supports
    • Virtual family meeting when absences add up
    • Individual attendance plan developed with families and students
    • Additional tech support and training for families and supports
    • Tailored supports
    • Participation in expanded learning

    Tier 3

    • Intensive outreach to locate student and family and assess situation
    • Coordinated case management with multiple systems including child welfare, mental health, health, housing/homelessness and juvenile justice (as a last resort)

    Data to inform

    Connecticut 19-20 and 20-21 attendance rate

    • All
      • 2019-20: 95%
      • September and October 2020-21: 93%
    • English learners
      • 2019-20: 94%
      • September and October 2020-21: 88%
    • Free/reduced lunch
      • 2019-20: 93%
      • September and October 2020-21: 89%
    • High needs
      • 2019-20: 94%
      • September and October 2020-21: 90%
    • Students with disabilities
      • 2019-20: 93%
      • September and October 2020-21: 89%
    • Experiencing homelessness
      • 2019-20: 89%
      • September and October 2020-21: 81%
    • Black or African American
      • 2019-20: 94%
      • September and October 2020-21: 89%
    • Hispanic/Latino
      • 2019-20: 94%
      • September and October 2020-21: 89%
    • White
      • 2019-20: 95%
      • September and October 2020-21: 96%

      Use the tools below to reflect and plan

      Check your strengths and write notes related to your existing practices and future plans. As you record your thoughts remember to be explicit, consistent, and adaptable. After you’ve reflected, use the chart in the above PDF or keep track of your responses in another way to share ideas with your colleagues.

      • Celebrate your current successes
      • Record ideas you’d like to explore further
      • Identify support and resources you will need

      Resources

      “Dealing with difficult parents” by Todd Whitaker and Douglas J. Fiore

      Dealing with difficult parents can be stressful for educators. In a remote or hybrid learning environment finding communication methods to engage parents and develop a positive partnership is critical. In this text, effective ways to not only deal with difficult parents, but to turn around the situation so
      interactions become productive are shared. Research shows when a strong home-to-school partnership exists student attendance is better and engagement in learning increases.

      Act now: Strategies and tools

      Best practice | Tactical touchpoints: Families face more obstacles than ever before that may prevent them from being involved in their student’s education in a productive way. Single family households, parents at work, illness, and the loss of loved ones during the pandemic are all issues that present challenges for families to partner in a remote or hybrid learning environment.

      Not all families have a positive perspective of schools. Negative experiences when they were in school themselves have colored their view of schools today. Even some families who view schools in a positive light, have lost faith in the educational process during the pandemic.

      Educators can work to rebuild the relationship with families as partners in remote and hybrid learning environments through the use of engaging instructional strategies. While a virtual classroom can feel isolating for students and families, through innovative and creative practices, educators can bring the “hook” back to learning.

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