How to Get Things Done for Educators

  • Oversimplify routines. The less energy a student and their family spends on finding things, the more energy they can put into the learning.
  • Plan and intentionally teach the organization and time management skills students will need. You will get to know your student group best; however, chunking assignments, early check-ins for course corrections, and giving approximate ranges of time spent on sections of a project are commonly helpful strategies.
  • In student collaborative work, students tend to do the best job when they pick their own groups, within boundaries. The “rules” might include that no one gets left out, there's a specific group size, and groups initially create their own rules for work engagement to then be reviewed by the teacher. Have some sample work engagement rules for students to draw from.
  • A mix of synchronous work time and/or check-ins and work time outside of the online class are frequently combined for online learning. Students may need help structuring time spent outside of class, or synchronous work time may need to be adjusted depending on student independence.
Learn techniques Iowa students used to avoid distractions and get things done during online learning

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