Getting Organized for High School Life

Hello 9s,

Homework due Sept.19: 
Complete the calendar detailing ‘Jerome’s assignment’ plans. We broke the assignment into tasks and you are to place them on the calendar provided. You will recieve a homework mark/check for your efforts. Be logical and realistic in your planning according to how you think you’d actually organize for such a project.

Today, we began discussing ways to give order to the work and play you hope to build into your life this school year.  We discussed ways to be more calm, organized and thereby, hopefully, more successful in your endeavours. The topics covered included the following:

• The 2 binder system (one for your day 1 classes and the other for your day 2 classes) This is not a mandatory system, but many find it helpful.
• Binder dividers. Label them and use them to keep your work in your various classes separate from one another. This will help you access items more readily for class or for studying.
• Dating and labelling our sheets with your name a block.
• Posting your class schedule both at home and at school for reference.

We next practiced a little with using our student agenda books.

• Please bring these with you to all classes. 
• Check them before you leave for the day to ensure you pack your binder with all necessary items before you head home.
• Have a set time each evening when you review what is due/written in your agenda. Setting a habit around this will save you headaches later. PLEASE check the agenda earlier in the evening to avoid late nights and disappointments.
• Some of us (myself included) may do well to set additional alarms on our phones as reminders of either new habits (like homework time) or important due dates. 

We reviewed a few aspects of agenda use:

• Using abbreviations to save space.
• Using both the daily and month at a glance calendars.
• Using symbols/coloured pencils/hilighters to indicate important dates.
• How to break a larger project into smaller more manageable parts to be completed over a series of days. (This is what you are doing for homework.)

I am enjoying working together with you all. Have a terrific day tomorrow!

Ms. S