Strategies

Are you getting stuck in your learning? Use a strategy!

Resource Map

Knowledge: Review Background

If I need a reminder

Find the important resources related to this topic - a model, checklist, or rubric.

On a sticky note, draw a small map of the most important resources.

Ask: “Does my work match the model? What would I change?”

Why?
Identifying resources ahead of time can help me find them when I need them most.

Understand Better Together

Knowledge: Review Background

If I am trying to understand something

Find someone to talk with.


Vocabulary: ask and share definitions and use of specific words.

Summarize: share the main point of a paragraph or page in my own words.

Why?
Sharing ideas with another person can help me learn things I don't already know and help clarify my own thinking.

New Idea List

Knowledge: Review Background

If I am trying to understand a new idea

Make a list of ideas and words I don’t understand.


Find a resource or someone who can help me understand those ideas.

Think of a question like:
"What is _____ related to?"
"What is an example of _____?"
"Can I use ______ in a sentence?"

Why?
Getting clear on what I don't understand is the first step to understanding.

Fly on the Wall

Manage Emotion

I am replaying a negative event over in my head

Imagine I’m a fly looking at the classroom.

Observe what's going on around me. What am I doing? What are my classmates doing? What is my teacher doing?

How does it feel different seeing it this way?

Why?
Separating myself from a situation even in my imagination can help you calm down and see things in a new way.

Deep Breathing

Manage Emotion

If I am feeling high energy and it is interfering

Breathe in while I count to four.

Hold my breath while I count to four.

Breathe out while I count to four.

Why?
Deep breathing can help lower my heart rate and reset.

Wash My Hands

Manage Emotion

If I am feeling high energy and it is interfering

Ask my teacher for a reset.

Go to the bathroom.

Wash my hands.

Why?
Washing my hands with water can reset my nervous system.

Talk It Out

Manage Emotion

If my emotion is interfering with my goals

Partner 1:

“I am feeling _________, because ______.”
"I am trying to focus on ______."
"Do you have any ideas about how to manage my emotion and refocus?"

Partner 2:
Offer possible strategies.

Why?
Sometimes, speaking my emotions out loud to someone else can help me shift my thinking.

Celebrate My Progress

Motivation: Build Confidence

If I am feeling down about my learning

Find something new I have done in my work.

Remember a time when I couldn't do that. Maybe even 2 years ago.

Celebrate! Remind myself: "I did that. I can learn even more!" Share it with a classmate, teacher, parent, or caregiver.

Why?
When I learn something new, celebrating helps me see the progress I have made and can motivate me.

Choose the Challenge

Motivation: Build Confidence

If I am feeling frustrated with my work

Review the options
.

Decide which provides just the right level of challenge.

Identify resources or strategies that can help me.

Why?
My brain grows when I challenge myself.

Well That Was a Mistake!

Motivation: Celebrate my Progress

If I am frustrated with my work

What did I get right?

Where did I make a mistake?

Update my work.

Write advice for myself next time.

Why?
Mistakes are okay because they help me learn! They are evidence that I am trying new things. Label my mistakes and ask, "What can I learn from this?"

Relevance Detective

Motivation: Find a Connection

If I want to find a connection to the learning goal

I can ask a classmate how they feel about the learning goal.

I could say: “What connection do you feel to this topic? Why?”

Does their connection help me better understand the why behind the current learning goal?

Why?
Listening to what someone else cares about can help me expand how I think about my own learning.

Take My Own Advice

Motivation: Find a Connection

If my connection to the goal is not clear

Imagine I am giving advice to a classmate. I can remind them that it’s alright not to feel excited and connect to every goal.

Ask: "What is a small goal that you can own?"

How could they record the goal (write it, circle it, speak it)?

What advice could I give about a small first step?

Why?
Imagining that I am advising someone else can help me gain perspective.

Make a Plan

What to Do: Make a Plan

If talking it out would help me

Partner 1:
Visualize my end goal.
Share my first step and last step.
List the resources I might need.

Partner 2:

Share ideas if my partner feels stuck.

Why?
Starting with the end goal helps clarify the steps along the way. Saying my plan out loud and having another perspective helps me stick to it.

In The Past, I…

What to Do: Make a Plan

If I need help getting started

Partner 1:
When have you done something like this?
What is getting in the way this time?
What did you do before that maybe you could try now?

Partner 2:
I have tried _____ in this kind of situation.

Why?
Comparing a new situation to something I have seen before can give me a strategy to get started.

What's In My Way?

What to Do: Make a Plan

If I want to plan for what might get in my way

Visualize completing my assignment. What will it look like when I am done? How will it feel?

What's the biggest obstacle?

Set an intention for the biggest obstacle:
"If I ______, I will _____."
For example, "If I can't organize my ideas, I will get feedback from a classmate."

Why?
Imagining the barriers I might face and coming up with a plan ahead of time helps me keep going.

Get Feedback

What to Do: Stay on Track

If I need another perspective

Find a classmate to give me feedback.


Think of feedback question. For example:
"What am I missing?"
"Is my work clear?"
"What would make it more interesting?"

Listen carefully to the feedback and don't forget to ask, "Any more ideas?"

Why?
Feedback helps me see my work from a new perspective and can get me excited again.

Weighing Goals

What to Do: Stay on Track

If my other goals are distracting me

Identify today’s learning goal.

What other goals, desires, or ideas are competing for my attention?

Add them to the balance.

What would add more weight to the learning goal side or remove weight from the other goals?

Why?
Acknowleding other goals can help me focus on the goal in front of me right now.

Keep My Focus

What to Do: Stay on Track

If I am getting distracted

Remove distractions from my environment ahead of time.


If I get distracted, I will ____ to refocus.
   Use a fidget
   Take a movement break

Find a way to capture what the speaker is saying by drawing it or imaging what it looks like.

Why?
There will always be distractions. I can find the ways that work best for me to stay focused.

Create Your Own

________

If… ____________________________

Write your own!

Why?
Think about why this strategy works for you.

Talk It Out

Manage Emotion

If my emotion is interfering with my goals

Partner 1:

“I am feeling _________, because ______.”
"I am trying to focus on ______."
"Do you have any ideas about how to manage my emotion and refocus?"

Partner 2:
Offer possible strategies.

Why?
Sometimes, speaking my emotions out loud to someone else can help me shift my thinking.

Wash My Hands

Manage Emotion

If I am feeling high energy and it is interfering

Ask my teacher for a reset.

Go to the bathroom.

Wash my hands.

Why?
Washing my hands with water can reset my nervous system.

Deep Breathing

Manage Emotion

If I am feeling high energy and it is interfering

Breathe in while I count to four.

Hold my breath while I count to four.

Breathe out while I count to four.

Why?
Deep breathing can help lower my heart rate and reset.

Fly on the Wall

Manage Emotion

I am replaying a negative event over in my head

Imagine I’m a fly looking at the classroom.

Observe what's going on around me. What am I doing? What are my classmates doing? What is my teacher doing?

How does it feel different seeing it this way?

Why?
Separating myself from a situation even in my imagination can help you calm down and see things in a new way.

Relevance Detective

Motivation: Find a Connection

If I want to find a connection to the learning goal

I can ask a classmate how they feel about the learning goal.

I could say: “What connection do you feel to this topic? Why?”

Does their connection help me better understand the why behind the current learning goal?

Why?
Listening to what someone else cares about can help me expand how I think about my own learning.

Take My Own Advice

Motivation: Find a Connection

If my connection to the goal is not clear

Imagine I am giving advice to a classmate. I can remind them that it’s alright not to feel excited and connect to every goal.

Ask: "What is a small goal that you can own?"

How could they record the goal (write it, circle it, speak it)?

What advice could I give about a small first step?

Why?
Imagining that I am advising someone else can help me gain perspective.

Celebrate My Progress

Motivation: Build Confidence

If I am feeling down about my learning

Find something new I have done in my work.

Remember a time when I couldn't do that. Maybe even 2 years ago.

Celebrate! Remind myself: "I did that. I can learn even more!" Share it with a classmate, teacher, parent, or caregiver.

Why?
When I learn something new, celebrating helps me see the progress I have made and can motivate me.

Choose the Challenge

Motivation: Build Confidence

If I am feeling frustrated with my work

Review the options
.

Decide which provides just the right level of challenge.

Identify resources or strategies that can help me.

Why?
My brain grows when I challenge myself.

Resource Map

Knowledge: Review Background

If I need a reminder

Find the important resources related to this topic - a model, checklist, or rubric.

On a sticky note, draw a small map of the most important resources.

Ask: “Does my work match the model? What would I change?”

Why?
Identifying resources ahead of time can help me find them when I need them most.

Understand Better Together

Knowledge: Review Background

If I am trying to understand something

Find someone to talk with.


Vocabulary: ask and share definitions and use of specific words.

Summarize: share the main point of a paragraph or page in my own words.

Why?
Sharing ideas with another person can help me learn things I don't already know and help clarify my own thinking.

New Idea List

Knowledge: Review Background

If I am trying to understand a new idea

Make a list of ideas and words I don’t understand.


Find a resource or someone who can help me understand those ideas.

Think of a question like:
"What is _____ related to?"
"What is an example of _____?"
"Can I use ______ in a sentence?"

Why?
Getting clear on what I don't understand is the first step to understanding.

Make a Plan

What to Do: Make a Plan

If talking it out would help me

Partner 1:
Visualize my end goal.
Share my first step and last step.
List the resources I might need.

Partner 2:

Share ideas if my partner feels stuck.

Why?
Starting with the end goal helps clarify the steps along the way. Saying my plan out loud and having another perspective helps me stick to it.

In The Past, I…

What to Do: Make a Plan

If I need help getting started

Partner 1:
When have you done something like this?
What is getting in the way this time?
What did you do before that maybe you could try now?

Partner 2:
I have tried _____ in this kind of situation.

Why?
Comparing a new situation to something I have seen before can give me a strategy to get started.

What's In My Way?

What to Do: Make a Plan

If I want to plan for what might get in my way

Visualize completing my assignment. What will it look like when I am done? How will it feel?

What's the biggest obstacle?

Set an intention for the biggest obstacle:
"If I ______, I will _____."
For example, "If I can't organize my ideas, I will get feedback from a classmate."

Why?
Imagining the barriers I might face and coming up with a plan ahead of time helps me keep going.

Get Feedback

What to Do: Stay on Track

If I need another perspective

Find a classmate to give me feedback.


Think of feedback question. For example:
"What am I missing?"
"Is my work clear?"
"What would make it more interesting?"

Listen carefully to the feedback and don't forget to ask, "Any more ideas?"

Why?
Feedback helps me see my work from a new perspective and can get me excited again.

Weighing Goals

What to Do: Stay on Track

If my other goals are distracting me

Identify today’s learning goal.

What other goals, desires, or ideas are competing for my attention?

Add them to the balance.

What would add more weight to the learning goal side or remove weight from the other goals?

Why?
Acknowleding other goals can help me focus on the goal in front of me right now.

Keep My Focus

What to Do: Stay on Track

If I am getting distracted

Remove distractions from my environment ahead of time.


If I get distracted, I will ____ to refocus.
   Use a fidget
   Take a movement break

Find a way to capture what the speaker is saying by drawing it or imaging what it looks like.

Why?
There will always be distractions. I can find the ways that work best for me to stay focused.

Create Your Own

________

If… ____________________________

Write your own!

Why?
Think about why this strategy works for you.