Strategies

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?

Breathe in while I count to four.

Hold my breath while I count to four.

Breathe out while I count to four.

Ask my teacher for a reset.
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Go to the bathroom.
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Wash my hands.

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.

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?”

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.

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?"

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?

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.

What did I get right?

Where did I make a mistake?

Update my work.

Write advice for myself next time.

Review the options
.

Decide which provides just the right level of challenge.

Identify resources or strategies that can help me.

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.
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Ask: "What is a small goal that you can own?"
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How could they record the goal (write it, circle it, speak it)?
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What advice could I give about a small first step?

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.

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?"

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.

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."

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?

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.

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Write your own!