November 18, 2021 Parent workshop presented by:

Sabrina Winstead & Gina Tucker, School counselors

Kimberly Stanley, Data Manager

swinstead@thencla.org

gtucker@thencla.org

kstanley@thencla.org

Physical Organization

1. Find a system that works best for your child. There isn’t necessarily a one-size-fits-all solution.

2. Ideas: One centralized binder, multiple binders for each subject, Trapper Keeper with zipper, Color coded composition books/notebooks.

Organizing a Backpack

1. Spaces should be organized

2. Ideas: Morning classes in one section, Afternoon classes in another section

3. Pencil pouch: loose supplies should be contained; consider leaving pencil pouch in locker at school to avoid carrying it back and forth

4. Determine what can stay in locker and what needs to come home daily

Lockers and Beyond

1. 1. Locker ideas: locker shelf, magazine holders to organize items needed at each locker break

   2. Google Drive: Google Drive can quickly get full and disorderly as students are saving lots of documents each day

a. Help students create folders for each subject to easily find their work

b. Teach them how to move documents into the folders they’ve created

c. NAME your documents!!

1. 3. Passwords: Find a way to keep track of usernames and passwords needed for school

a. Paper document taped inside a binder or agender

b. Google sheets

c. Consolidate all usernames and passwords into one location

1. 4. Workspace at home

a. Quiet and clean

b. Absolutely no technology distractions

Example of how students should organize their Google Drive into subject folders

Weekly Organizing

1. 1. Help your student figure out a game plan to stay organized

   2. Even 10 minutes a week can be helpful in keeping everything tidy! Set a timer!

Homework Routine

1. 1. Getting in the habit of studying even on “no homework” days

a. Review class notes, work on a project, organize themselves

b. “Homework” can be anything that helps a student feel more prepared, less anxious, and a more effective student

1. 2. Create a routine that works for your family/student

a. Snack first?

b. Go outside and get some sunshine? Release some energy?

c. Where in the house is the best place to study?

Using an Agenda: SO IMPORTANT!

1. 1. Getting in the habit of writing everything down is key to middle school success!

   2. Students should write down homework at the end of every period. Teachers give the last 2-3 minutes for students to take this time to write homework down.

   3. Highlighters can be helpful to color code.

   4. Will start to become a regular practice in class daily to have time to write down the homework. Students need to have an agenda to write their homework in.

   5. Student agendas are on sale in the Elementary Front Office for $5.

1. Getting Unstuck

   1. It’s normal for students to get stuck on a homework problem or assignment.

   2. Develop a checklist of ways they can problem solve on their own before asking for help:

a. Look for examples in notes.

b. Websites teachers have referenced as a resource

c. Take a break and come back in 5 minutes.

d. Reach out to a friend.

e. Ask parents or an older sibling.

f. Send the teacher a polite and descriptive email. It’s okay to ask for help! Our teachers want to help students. They would rather your student ask than fall behind.

Managing Long-Term Assignments

1. 1. Help students learn these skills. They don’t usually come innate; requires adult guidance.

a. Understand what is required.

b. Make a detailed checklist of every step of the project.

c. Decide who you need to involve/ what supplies are needed

d. Make time estimates.

e. Using a calendar/agenda, create mini self-imposed deadlines to hold yourself accountable

Self-Advocacy

1. 1. It’s easy to get lost. We all need to speak up for ourselves sometimes! Help your student by:

a. Guiding them to learn how to appropriately email a teacher on their own

b. Rehearse a face-to-face conversation that your student needs to have with a teacher

c. Teach your student how to sign up for tutoring on their own and then write it down in their planner

Technology

1. 1. Keep phones out of homework time

   2. Phones out of bedrooms during sleeping hours

   3. Store ALL electronics in a parent bedroom or designated safe space

   4. Turn off home WiFi during sleeping hours

   5. Check your child’s phone--see what they are texting, emailing, taking pictures of

Parent Involvement

1. 1. Stay involved with your student’s progress

   2. Communicate and help your child communicate with teachers

   3. Check student homework through Canvas

   4. Check student grades through PowerSchool

Tutoring

1. 1. Tutoring offered in every Core Middle school class

   2. Afterschool times are available for sign-up on individual teacher Canvas homepages

   3. Saturday sessions available by invitation only

   4. Students should come prepared with questions/needs

   5. https://sites.google.com/thencla.org/student-services/middle-school/tutoring?authuser=0

Canvas

1. 1. Parent Observer account is useful to see student assignments and submissions as well as teacher announcements and emails.

   2. http://ncla-applications.blogspot.com/p/canvas.html

PowerSchool

1. 1. Parent account is most useful to check up-to-date grades

   2. http://ncla-applications.blogspot.com/p/powerschool.html