Getting it Together

Jen Hammonds & Kristin WegnerMiddle School CounselorsAmerican School of Doha

Enduring Understandings

Middle school students are still learning to know themselves as learners, how to manage their time, get organized, and study effectively

Middle school students will benefit from a problem-solving approach

Learning and applying skills in these areas is an ongoing process that requires the student and parent to work WITH one another

Essential Questions

How does my middle school teen learn best?

Where does my middle school teen struggle?

What strategies can we find together to improve?

How will I support my teen as he/she puts strategies in place?

How will I help my teen to evaluate that the strategies are effective?

How will I support my teen maintaining the implementation of these strategies?

Playing it out…

Checking it out…

Guide your teen to identify areas where they are successful

Guide your teen to identify areas where they struggle

Discuss the “pay-offs” of working on the struggles

Give time for your teen to reflect and to share with you

Ask your teen to choose what area to focus on first (prioritizing)

Affirm working together to problem-solve

Table Talk …

Taking action…

Discuss actions that will be taken to “get it together”

Let your teen decide target dates to complete actions

Determine together how progress will be measured (i.e., evidence)

Discuss and decide upon check-in dates for monitoring progress (i.e., daily, weekly, monthly)

Explore internal and external rewards for achieving a goal

MS Planner…

Keeping it together…

Provide time for you and your teen to evaluate how his/her action plan is working

Daily touch-ups

Weekly check-ins

Monthly pit-stops

Semester start-ups

Yearly sit-downs

Table talk…

Resources… Organizing from the Inside Out for

Teens by Julie Morgenstern and Jessi Morgenstern-Colon

The Organized Student by Donna Goldberg

The Learning Toolbox at http://www.coe.jmu.edu/learningtoolbox

Calm Control Blog at http://www.calmcontrol.com/

Organising Solutions at http://organisingsolutions.com

http://www.radicalparenting.com/2010/07/16/programs-for-teens/

Resources…

Helping Adolescents with ADHD & Learning Disabilities: Ready-to-Use Tips, Techniques, and Checklists for School Success by Judith Greenbaum, Ph.D. and Geraldine Markel, Ph.D.

Improving Your Child’s School Organizational skills from the Center for Effective Parenting http://www.parenting-ed.org/html/html/Organization%20Handout.htm

Get Organized Without Losing It by Janet Fox (written for kids)

Resources…

Teaching Study Skills: A guide for parents from the National Association of School Psychologists http://www.teachersandfamilies.com/open/parent/homework1.cfm

7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens and 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens Personal Workbook by Sean Covey

Teacher’s Secrets of Helping Your Teen Get Organized in School http://www.publicschoolreview.com/articles/79

Resources…

How to Teach Organizational Skills to a Teenager http://www.ehow.com/how_6183254_teach-organizational-skills-teenager.html

Inside the Teenage Brain http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/teenbrain/interviews/giedd.html

Spectrum Education offers resources on organization and study skills http://spectrumeducation.com/portal/index.php

Lumosity is for brain training to make studying more effective http://www.lumosity.com/landing_pages/42