As a teacher, you’ll know just how important it is to get organised, ahead of the school term, and each week so that you can be as productive as possible whilst you’re in the classroom. The same applies for your students, and the better organised they are, the less disruptive they’ll be in lessons, trying to find the equipment they’ve forgotten, and the more they’ll get out of their learning during school time. Below we’ve listed out our top five tips for helping your secondary school students get organised.
Have a monthly spring clean
Whilst your time spent in the classroom is very precious, if you’re a form teacher encouraging your students to clean out their bags, drawers or lockers once a month will help them to discard any rubbish they’re holding on to. They’re highly likely to come across one or two important documents that need action, or pieces of work they thought they had lost, and by decluttering regularly they’ll be in a much better position to stay on top of their day to day activities.
Give them a planner
Much like we adults rely on diaries or weekly planners, and endless to-do lists, your students are old enough to write down everything they have coming up on a weekly basis. This should begin with lessons, then deadlines for coursework or tests that are approaching, which they can highlight so they know in plenty of time to be organised. Encourage your students to fill in social activities too – this will make the process feel more fun and also remind them that on top of socialising there’s very important work to be done, so they will know ahead of time to balance their activities.
Set goals
Many people find goal setting a great way to keep them motivated to see a task through. It also helps with organisation as different things can be prioritised to ensure the task is completed in full and on time. Encourage your students to do the same, setting themselves goals in their lessons, coursework, tests and extra-curricular activities and review them on a monthly basis.
For more teaching hacks, read the rest of our blogs. If you’re looking into moving abroad to teach in the UK, then contact Impact Teachers today to see how we can help. With over a decade of experience supporting teachers to move into teaching in the UK, we’re well placed to help your dream become a reality.