Learning how to manage time effectively is an important skill for our GCC students to master.  The current situation presents  an opportunity to develop these skills in all of our students, Senior and Junior, which are promoted as part of Junior Cycle.  By creating a structure to your day early, these habits, will help us to manage teaching and learning, study, physical and mental wellbeing.

Our committed  teachers are communicating, supporting and engaging in teaching and learning across MIcrosft Office 365 and Microsoft Teams.  Your son has been given access to these platforms through his email account.  You can set up his account, in the unlikely event he has not already done so, by following the instructions at this link.  We have no further updates around the State Examinations than what is in the public domain.  You can keep up to date at the State Examinations website where you may also access past papers and marking schemes to aid revision.

 

Many students struggle with finding the time to complete all their assignments when they have no plan, leading to overwhelming feelings of stress and frustration and diminishing their wellbeing.

To help, we’ve developed a list of time management strategies for students of all ages to help students (and their parents) through this challenging time in education and in the world around us.

WHY IS TIME MANAGEMENT IMPORTANT FOR STUDENTS?

Good time management skills help students prioritise tasks so they are able to complete school work and assignments on time. Students are able to plan ahead, set aside the time they need for projects and assignments, and make better use of that time.

Becoming better at managing time allows students to become more organised, more confident, and learn more effectively. It can also help students avoid the dreaded procrastination problem, which can be a slippery slope to stress, frustration, and poor grades.

Effective time management skills are especially important for Senior Cycle students. Senior Cycle students have to deal with more subjects, assignments and examination preparation. Good time management skills can help keep them on track and reduce stress as they take on more personal responsibility for their learning.

So how can you learn to manage time more effectively?

Check out these time management tips and learn how you can start being more productive.

10 EFFECTIVE TIME MANAGEMENT TIPS FOR OUR STUDENTS

1.  Create a Master Schedule	6.  Make a Project Plan
2.  Use an Agenda	7.  Work on one thing at a time
3.  Elimiate distractions	8.  Study in short bursts
4.  Set Goals for each study session	9.  Start early in the day
5.  Start working on assignments early	10.  Get 8 – 10 hours sleep

1. Create a Master Schedule

Make a master schedule you can use to block off time to work on your assignments. This will help you prioritse projects and provide a structure to help keep you on track. Use a different colour for each subject so you can follow the schedule quickly and easily. Make sure to devote time to ALL subjects.  Leaving Cert students do not forget to set some time aside for oral and aural work.

Download your own master schedule here which mimics the structure of our school timetable:

 

2.  Use an Agenda

Look ahead to all upcoming assignments and record the due dates in an agenda. Remember your teachers are still in contact through MIcrosoft Teams and Office 365 assigning work, marking it, offering feedback  and delivering classes. Use the agenda to schedule in TV, physical activity and computer time too—this will help you avoid falling into a trap of wasted hours in front of a screen instead of working on assignments.

3.  Eliminate Distractions

Between mobile phones, social media, and friends, there are a lot of activities that can distract you from school work. When it’s time to get down to work, turn off your mobile phone and sign out of social media accounts. Any time on the master schedule that is dedicated to working on school work should be phone and television-free!

4.  Set Goals For Each Study Session

Set specific goals for each day, like how many pages of a book report to write or how many maths questions to complete or how many questions from past papers you will complete. Your agenda and master schedule will help with planning your daily goals so assignments can be completed on time.

5.  Start Working On Assignments Early

Good time management skills mean not leaving assignments until the day before they are due. Sit down each evening to review upcoming assignments and tests and add them to your master schedule and agenda. Schedule time to start working on them well before they are due so you are not stressed and scrambling to meet the due dates.

6.  Make a Project Plan

Creating a project plan can also help avoid last-minute panic. An overwhelming amount of work is a common cause of procrastination, which can lead to poor time management. Break down assignments into smaller chunks, each with its own separate due dates. This will encourage you to plan ahead and start working on assignments earlier.

7.  Work on One Thing At A Time

It might seem like more is being accomplished with multitasking, but splitting attention between more than one task isn’t an effective way to learn. You should work on one task at a time, giving it your full attention. Focusing on one task will help you complete it more efficiently and effectively.

8.  Study In Shorter Bursts

Use the Master Schedule to support your breaks. Taking short breaks is a good way to give your brain a chance to recharge so you can come back more focused.  Go out for a walk, hit a ball do some household chores.

9.  Start Early In The Day

Waiting to start until later in the evening means you have less less time (and energy), leading to delayed bedtimes, unfinished assignments, and more stress for everyone.

10.  Get 8-10 Hours Of Sleep

Getting enough sleep is important to help you recharge your mind and have the energy needed to stay on track the next day. Use your master schedule to mark a cut-off time for work each day. Following this routine and limit screen time and this will help make sure you have time to unwind at the end of each day and get the sleep you need.

FInal Message

Remember, in all of this, you and your family’s wellbeing is most important and we could use the Junior Cycle Indicators of Wellbeing to guide us all in this regard.  We can ask ourselves how we are performing under each of the headings and take action where possible.  The HSE and Department of Education should be our first point of contact for advice around COVID – 19.We will continue to update our website and twitter accounts with information as we get it.

Until then take care of each other and your loved ones.