Explaining the intentions behind a lesson plan can boost engagement and help students get back on track when something isn’t working.
By Mark Gardner
“Routine reflection on practice is a hallmark of effective teaching, but often this reflection is considered a solitary endeavor—or at most, a discussion among adults in a professional learning community or collaborative team. Students don’t always realize that reflection is part of a teacher’s job.“
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A writing about growing up black and a Dodger fan
Two things I knew at the age of a few
That one I was black, and two I was blue
My path was prewritten yet freshly anew
And not all would come easy I’d find as I grew
My hair would turn coarse and of bright sandy hue
My tone was such bronze, my pupils bronze too
The cap I’d adorn was but one tone and snug
Its brim was quite lengthy, its foe was the sun
I threw with my cousins and caught with them too
We ran ‘round square bases once batting balls through
Our winters were warm and our summers were more so
Our autumns were easy and spring times were joyful
Our worries were none, for all that we knew, was two things were sure, we were black and then blue
My father would travel and take me along
I’d see many things such as where I belonged
We’d make toward the sunrise with sunsets behind
We’d engage in much laughter while losing the time
I’d ask where I’d come from, he’d deeply respond
I’d learn who I was, what I was, and grow fond
My roots were in Brooklyn but not next of kin
I heard stories before me only time and again
I loved my bronze tone and learned all that it meant
But my country’d shown different and therefore it went
I’d travel my path with decks stacked afore me
Taught of injustice while ill treatment displayed all about me
I’d come to learn some things still those two I knew
That I’d never break easy, and grow faithful and true
Descend upon boats my ancestors once did
Without hope, nor foresight, just tools at their heads
But time heals some wounds and with time we’d have thrills
With time we’d grow heroes like Jackie and Wills
Becoming a man has meant more than just aging
It’s come with its prices, some argue worth paying
Persisting along, though, both prideful and strong
We carry our hope in our hearts as a song
So who dare bring us conflict when God is our victor
And whose shoulder will lend me? My brother? My sister?
Oh life you are precious, a blessing indeed
Lord help as I ask to unselfishly need
Just a game such as baseball with lessons therein
Is life and its teachings of losses and wins
Yet through all still I’m certain that these things bode true
That I will always be black, and forever be blue
Everyone’s had that morning—you know the one. You stayed up way too late to look at one more meme, watch one more story, reblog one more post. Bleary-eyed and trudging to classes the next day, you wonder why you couldn’t put down your phone and sleep. Think back to your last study session, where you had trouble ignoring updates and staying focused on your notes. Everyone’s been there at one time or another. Being distracted by our phones happens to the best of us, but there are small, easy ways to limit time spent on your phone, and make room in your schedule for fun. I mean—summertime is winding down, enjoy the rest of it before your life gets crazy hectic again with school.
Smartphones are made to dazzle and distract us with bright colors and new alerts. It’s hard to tear ourselves away from the screen, especially when it seems much more interesting than what’s in front of us. Try turning off screen notifications from the social media apps. No notifications on your lock screen means less temptation to open and browse. If you want to be strict, try deleting apps that suck your focus, and check them on your laptop at a later time. iPhones have a cool feature now, that you can set a timer for how long certain apps can be used. You can also set a downtime where all your apps will be restricted until a certain time.
How many times have you pulled your phone out to check the time and found yourself checking notifications instead? Or you turned your phone alarm off in the morning and immediately started scrolling through apps? We’re all guilty of this, and one way to combat these distractions is to use a watch or an alarm clock instead. This works with other utility apps, as well, such as using a physical planner instead of calendar/reminders apps. Find what works for you without too much hassle so using these analog versions becomes a habit. This can help you stay in the moment and off your phone.
Staring at a phone screen in the hour before you fall asleep can leave you restless and unable to fall asleep. Giving yourself a screen-free hour before bed helps your brain train itself to calm down around the same time each night. This will leave you well-rested and alert for next day lectures, study sessions, and even just being social with friends!
Studies have shown that even just seeing your smartphone impairs focus. Sometimes, the easiest way to forget about something is to hide it from yourself. Placing your phone across the room or even under a pillow or stack of papers can reduce the need to check notifications. This will help you get work done quicker, giving you more time for fun outside of class and homework.
Making a schedule for when you use your phone to browse ensures you stay on track. Make sure important people in your life know that you may not be as easy to reach as you usually are, and set specific times when you’re allowed to pick up your phone for 10-15 minutes. You can even schedule an hour to just scroll through social media. Having set times to get your memes, posts, and stories out of your system keeps you from losing time that could be spent out with friends.
Phones have a serious impact on our focus. As our brains get used to jumping from post to post, and app to app, our attention spans take a hit. Setting aside phone-free chunks of time to study and work on homework is key. Using tools that ensure you stay on track and understand what you’re studying can help re-train your focusing skills—helping you study smarter.
Limiting your phone time doesn’t have to be a chore. Small changes can make a huge difference and ensure you can still check those social apps, but still bask in the moment of life.
You might need a boost of energy to get through your papers, but caffeine is a stimulant and will make you even more anxious and stressed out. Instead of drinking coffee, try drinking tea or just stick to water!
Sometimes students will skip meals because they want to prioritize studying over everything. Skipping meals might give you some extra time to study, but it definitely doesn’t help. You need all the energy you can get to get through midterm season, so make sure you eat healthily and regularly. Saving a few minutes might sound great, but if you skip meals your body will just be hungry and distracted.
When midterm season hits the last thing you’d want to do is go to the gym, but studies have shown that physical exercise can actually make you feel a lot better. Focusing during workouts can help you clear your mind and distract you from the source of your stress. If you don’t want to do rigorous gym sessions, you can also do light cardio work, like jogging!
You’re probably stressed because you’re trying to balance a million things at once! Spend your Sunday writing down everything you need to get done for the week. Seeing everything you need to do might be really overwhelming, but scheduling and organizing your week is so important. When you map out your top priorities and critical deadlines, you can see what you need to get done first and also organize your schedule.
You might be stressed because you need to finish a million things by the end of the week, but take a step back and breathe! Take a 15-30 minute break here and there throughout your day. Read a magazine, listen to music, or just do something that makes you happy.
Stop doing all nighters and make sure you get a good night’s sleep! It might be easy to pull an all nighter, but sleep is so important. Not getting enough sleep (or proper sleep) can really affect your mood and your ability to think. If you feel like you didn’t get enough sleep, try taking an hour power nap during the day.
There might be a time when you have homework due, papers to write, midterms to study for, and a million other things on the side. We’ve all been in this situation. Life can feel pretty overwhelming, but the best thing to do is to talk to someone about it! Talking about what makes you stressed can really help you get a weight off your shoulders. Try talking to a friend or relative about how you’re feeling.
