Kevin Davy
kevinc@isb.ac.th
Students are set in their classes for the semester and teachers are assessing their learning in various subjects. If you are contacted by a teacher who indicates that your student is struggling in that subject area, don’t hesitate to make an appointment to find out what the difficulty is and how you can best support your student to improve their understanding and results.
Now that the school year is in full swing, your children should have a good idea of what the expectations and challenges will be for them for the 2019-20 school year. Time management is probably the biggest challenge for our on-the-go students, and there are lots of suggestions for managing time wisely. See if some of these can work for your student.
Does it seem like there’s never enough time in the day to get everything done? Feel like you’re always running late? Here are some tips for taking control of your time and organizing your life.
- Make a “To Do” List Every Day. Put things that are most important at the top and do them first. If it’s easier, use a planner to track all of your tasks. And don’t forget to reward yourself for your accomplishments.
- Use Spare Minutes Wisely. Get some reading done on the bus ride home from school, for example, and you’ll kill two birds with one stone.
- Find the Right Time. You’ll work more efficiently if you figure out when you do your best work. For example, if your brain handles math better in the afternoon, don’t wait to do it until late at night.
- Review Your Notes Every Day. You’ll reinforce what you’ve learned, so you need less time to study. You’ll also be ready if your teacher calls on you or gives a pop quiz.
- Get a Good Night’s Sleep. Running on empty makes the day seem longer and your tasks seem more difficult.
- Communicate Your Schedule to Others. If phone calls are proving to be a distraction, tell your friends that you take social calls from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. It may sound silly, but it helps.
- Become a Taskmaster. Figure out how much free time you have each week. Give yourself a time budget and plan your activities accordingly.
- Don’t Waste Time Agonizing. Have you ever wasted an entire evening by worrying about something that you’re supposed to be doing? Was it worth it? Instead of agonizing and procrastinating, just do it.
- Keep Things in Perspective. Setting goals that are unrealistic sets you up for failure. While it’s good to set high goals for yourself, be sure not to overdo it. Set goals that are difficult yet reachable.