Tip Tuesday

Okay, so I'm trying to do a couple "theme" days as a way to organize my blog because I literally just blog about everything! Which I feel is okay. :)

If you've read my blog before you saw that I started doing "High Five Friday" which I LOVE, but I felt like I needed another one, so I'm going to start doing "Tip Tuesday". Not sure if these tips will have a theme, but today it is great for a busy schedule, like myself, and especially for a busy student!

The more classes I started piling on, the busier and more hectic my schedule got. I was going crazy and my small agenda just wasn't cutting it anymore! So, as I was browsing through our local teacher store, Latta's, I came across the lesson plan books. I kind of have shiny object syndrome when it comes to anything brightly colored and pretty, so I was looking at them and realized that I could use this type of layout to become even MORE organized! (Nerd Alert!)

Mine has been worn and torn, but still! I just loved it! 

Okay so the way I organize my "agenda" is a different topic for each of the 7 columns.

On the side with 4 columns I put each of my classes at the top... if you're like me and take more than 4 classes during a semester I double up on each block, but it keeps all your assignments separate.

For the side that only has three columns I separate my day by three categories, School/Clinicals, Work/Lesson (Daycare), and then my Afternoon. My afternoon includes everything from working out to tutoring to dinner plans.

This is kind of an overview of how I set up my weekly agenda. I tried to pick out one that you could read and wasn't so sloppy! I am currently working, taking 20 hours at school, doing 2 clinicals, tutoring, working out everyday, and trying to have a social life and I've manage to stay on top of it all! 

Hope you all find this helpful! Happy Tuesday! 

Separation by Ability

I remember countless times in primary school being bored out of my mind waiting for other students to finish their work. I was bored, uninterested, and quite frankly, wasting my time. So, I had a strong feeling that students should be grouped by ability, not just a mix of mumbo jumbo.

In working towards my elementary education degree, my view has changed somewhat. In my recent clinical class of second graders I saw the higher level students fly through work and sit and be bored. But what I have learned is that you can do many lessons through group work that can allow both under level and above level students to grow.

By placing a mixed ability of learners in a group, the above level learners can teach. Through research, if someone can teach a topic, they have fully learned it. Also, the lower level learners are learning through their peers. It is not only an easier environment for the lower level students to learn in, but also can in ways being easier for them to understand because it is being explained through the eyes of a child, rather than an adult who may just simply know the topic BECAUSE.

So, my opinion is that separating students by ability can be avoided if we encourage group work and collaboration. What's your opinion?