HELPING YOU, HELP YOURSELF! Organization

Pros for being organized Cons for being organized Reminds you of assignment due dates - Time consuming - Let’s talk about it!

Note Taking! Why is it important? Helps you to remember important points You can reference notes later for review Enforces the learning process by helping you understand information Helps to keep you engaged during a lesson

Examples of Organization Strategies and Techniques What strategies or techniques do you already use to stay organized? Describe. What strategies or techniques have you seen others use? Explain how these might be effective. In the following pictures, determine the organizational strategy or technique being used and discuss how it might be effective

Colour Coding Headings Organizational Strategies

Diagrams Mind Map or Flow Chart Organizational Strategies

To Do List Check list Organizational Strategies

Calendar Agenda Organizational Strategies

Cell Phone Apps Reminders Organizational Strategies

Binder Tabs Table of Contents Organizational Strategies

Your first task… At each table is a disorganized binder. Your task is to: 1. Look through the binder. 2. Determine category headings for your binder tabs (i.e. English jot-notes, quizzes, handouts, articles, etc). 3. Organize papers into each of your categories 4. Compare with other groups and discuss

Discussion What were your different categories? How else could you have organized the binders? Which organizational system might work best for you? What did you learn through this activity?

Old School New School “To- Do” Lists Organize a study schedule, important due dates Prioritize and categorize obligations and reminders Calendar Schedule due dates, study times, etc. according to date Cell Phones Organizational Applications Daily Agendas Reminders Calendars Etc. Calendars Reminders Etc. Old School VS New School: Which method will be triumphant????

The Challenge! Step 1 – Team Leaders Who has a smart phone with an organizational Application? We need 3 people who do, to be team leaders and use their phone. Who has a hotmail or gmail account with organizational tools? We need 1 team leader We need 1 or more team leaders who are comfortable using a “to do “ list We need 1 or more team leaders who are comfortable using a calendar organizer

Challenge! Get into teams Organize yourselves into small groups of 4-6 people once there are team leaders You will get a case study. You will be responsible for using your organizational method (cell phones, , to do lists or calendars) to create an organized, prioritized schedule with reminders, study/prep time and due dates. Compare your finished product and decide a winner for the best organized group!

What you need to do Establish priorities (what are the most important tasks and what are the least) Schedule study time and homework time Set goals (chunk work into small steps for big projects) Create reminders for due dates, tests, etc. Don’t forget to balance personal obligations too (sports, driving lessons, part time jobs, clubs or teams, etc.)

Case Study Mr. Au needs some help getting his busy life organized! In the next month he has the following appointments, deadlines, responsibilities and commitments. In your groups use your specific method to get him organized. Make sure to include everything on this list!

Mr. Au’s busy life! Dentist Appointment June 2 nd 4pm Kick boxing class every Thursday evening 6pm 3 hours of marking per week 2 hours of lesson planning per week Report cards due June 25th Final exams due June 15th Department head budget due June 6 th 3pm Fathers day family picnic Afternoon of shopping at home depot to buy gardening supplies A full day of planting a vegetable garden ½ hour per day of garden maintenance Staff meeting June 9th at 3:30 pm Dinner with friends June 20 th 7pm Lunch department meeting – June 11 th at 11:30 am Case conference for students – June 19 th at 3pm Concert tickets– June 21 st at 8pm 5 hours of exam prep (creating the final exam) 6 hours of report card writing and data entry

Share and Compare Each group will have a few minutes to share the schedule they have made for Mr. Au. Which schedule seems to be the most effective and why? What are the advantages and disadvantages for each method? Which method might work the best for you? Why?

Follow-up points What’s important is that you find or create a system that works for you If you are losing notes and handouts or missing due dates, your current system is not working – time for a change!

Organize yourselves! Now is the time for you to apply what we have learned today You may use this time to organize your binder, note book, agenda, etc. You may use this time to complete a blank calendar for yourself to prepare for summatives and exams You may use this time to create a to do list and prioritize your work