Blog entry by Adalberto Kintore
Recognizing this, Jane sought help from her school counselor, who introduced her to the Eisenhower matrix. This matrix focuses on categorizing tasks based on their urgency and importance. Jane started sorting her activities as per the matrix. She labelled homework and exam preparation as urgent and important, regular schoolwork as important but not urgent, and some extracurricular activities as not important but urgent. This method allowed her to prioritize and allocate time wisely.
The use of technology in developing strong study habits cannot be underestimated. Successful students are observed to leverage educational platforms and online resources to supplement their learning. In the digital age, students can access global libraries, online tutors, and interactive study platforms, which enrich their understanding and stretch their knowledge horizons.
Do you remember the first time Harry Potter discovered he was a wizard or when Charlotte wove her first web for Wilbur in "Charlotte's Web"? These moments have taken a front seat in shaping the imaginative writing assignments being given to 5th graders across the country as a means of cultivating creativity.
In the rapidly evolving education landscape, the integration of technology in our classrooms is key to catalyzing the learning process. A prime example of this integration is the use of online grammar checkers in teaching English, specifically in aiding middle school children to enhance their essay-writing skills.
Children between the ages of 5-13 years can access tailored lessons that fit their reading level and progress. The curriculum is carefully designed to boost fluency, understanding, and a love of reading in young learners. The program includes learning activities that are both engaging and stimulating, keeping children intrigued and facilitating their learning process.
In the same six-month period, English teachers noticed a remarkable improvement in students' essay writing quality. Not only did their grammar improve, but also sentence structure, spelling, punctuation, and writing style became refined. The average grades for English papers before incorporating Grammarly were around B-, but six months later, the school noticed a consistent shift towards B+ average grades.
In addition to using the Eisenhower matrix, Jane established a daily homework routine. Instead of leaving everything for after dinner, she began completing smaller assignments immediately after school and the larger ones later in the evening. Breaks were incorporated every 45 minutes to maintain focus and productivity.
These strategies transformed Jane from an overwhelmed student into a high-performing, well-organized individual within a span of six months. She started turning in all assignments on time, her class participation improved, and her stress levels notably decreased. Not only did Jane's grades improve, but she also regained the ability to enjoy school and contribute to her extracurricular activities with renewed enthusiasm.
Jane is a high-performing student who consistently ranks among the top in her class. Apart from her regular schoolwork, she is also heavily involved in extracurricular activities like dance, debate team, and the student council. Simultaneously balancing her rigorous academic workload and extracurricular commitments became a challenge for Jane, leading to noticeable stress and a decline in her grades.
Healthy lifestyles and regular physical exercise were evident among the successful students observed. Physical activity pumps blood and oxygen to the brain, keeping it alert and improving concentration and memory power. Ensuring a balanced diet and enough sleep also contributes to better cognitive functions.
As this innovative writing practice shows promising results, it's likely that more schools will start implementing similar methods. Importantly, these writing strategies based on popular books can also be practiced at home. Parents can engage children in creating alternative plotlines or role-playing as their favorite characters from beloved books, these activities being both fun and educational.
The school in focus for this case study is Bright Future Middle School in Boston, Massachusetts. Around 70% of its students struggled with correct usage of grammar in their essays. Committed to raising the bar, the school decided to incorporate an online grammar checking tool called "Grammarly" into its teaching methods in the year 2019.
Schools have always aimed to inspire creativity while boosting the technical aspects of writing. With prompts rooted in popular books, these two objectives seem to merge seamlessly. Students not only put grammar principles into practice but also learn how to articulate their ideas creatively, facilitating the overall development of their writing skills.
Also, Jane optimized her school hours by paying full attention to lessons and completing smaller assignments during free periods. She started cleverly using lunch breaks and bus rides home from school to catch up on reading assignments or revising for homeschooling k through 12 online tests.