Trick Your Brain Into Being More Productive

Be honest: how often are you focused on only one thing?

Is it more likely that you could be found texting and chatting online while trying to complete a more important task? Do you reply to emails that can wait or clean out your desk drawers rather than tackle the work you should be completing?

If the answer is yes, you’re not alone. Many of us find it difficult to focus on one thing at a time or complete tasks on our to-do list without getting distracted. But what if there was a way to ignore the urge to check our email or watch a Youtube video while working, and cross off things on our to-do list without procrastinating? Time management is an extremely important part of ‘doing more’: eliminating distractions, defeating procrastination, and completing tasks efficiently can lead to an incredibly productive and successful life (not to mention less stressful).

Unfortunately, this is easier said than done. Our brain often works against us when we’re trying to complete a big task that requires a lot of concentration and attention. Our brain seeks rewards, which completing small, insignificant tasks like responding to an email or sending a text, can give it.

So what can we do to stop ourselves from being so easily distracted and make the most of our time?

A How-To article by CNET suggests the following three steps for being more productive:

1. Use to-do lists the right way – Have one book/app that serves as your to-do list rather than a bunch of post-it notes that are easily lost/ignored. Break larger tasks down into smaller sub-tasks to keep to-do items specific.

2. Time yourself – Track how long it takes to complete a task. You are less likely to spend 2 hours on Facebook while working if the clock is ticking. This will also allow you to judge how efficiently you are using your time and get better at doing so.

3. Tune out – Having specific music (preferably classical or something without lyrics) or white noise (think those cd’s with rainforest or storm sounds) that you listen to while completing tasks can trigger your brain into recognizing when it’s time to work. It can also tune out noises that may be distracting.

For more ideas on how to be more productive/focused, check out the following posts:
Turning Procrastination into Productivity
Active Thinking 
Eating for Better Attention

What are your tricks for staying focused, eliminating distractions, being productive and managing your time effectively? Leave us a comment!

Does Media Use Harm Children’s Classroom Performance?

Does chatting online with friends, playing video games, using social media sites, and watching television outside the classroom have a negative impact on students inside the classroom?

Mashable shared findings in a recent study by Common Sense Media that suggest heavy media use by children is impeding their ability to perform well in the classroom.

The study reports that 71% of teachers say media use hurts children’s attention spans, and students themselves report that media use harms their ability to communicate face to face and has had a negative impact on their writing skills. Teachers also report that the now 7.5 hours (on average) of daily media use by children for entertainment purposes impedes their ability to complete homework timely and effectively.

However, the study reveals that media use is not all bad. The report suggests that 63% of teachers indicate that media use allows students to find information more quickly and efficiently, and that some teachers believe media use has a positive impact on children’s ability to multitask.

To read Mashable’s article, and for a link to the full study, click here.

What do you think? Is media more helpful or harmful when it comes to children’s study/school habits? Leave us a comment!

How Back to School is a Lot Like Team Tryouts

Starting a new grade is like trying out for a sports team. That’s because in order to be really ready to perform at their best, students need to prepare beforehand.

To make the team, kids know that they need to put in the time to practise their skills, to train their muscles to get into top shape, and to work with somebody else — a parent, a coach, or a friend — who will give them feedback and encouragement. Without these, the chances of making the team decrease.

Heading back to school is no different than trying out for a team. Just like hamstrings, biceps, and abs, the brain is a muscle. It needs practice and fine-tuning in order to function at the top of its game. And, just like hamstrings, biceps, and abs, the brain can get out of shape after a period of neglect. The brain needs a good workout before school starts so it can get back into shape and be ready for the year ahead. It needs to run the drills, take a few practice shots, and feel confident that it’s up for the challenge.

So before heading back to class for a new school year, warm up the brain!

Here’s how:

Start a few weeks beforehand and set aside time every day for kids to…

• Review last year’s schoolwork.
• Try a few math problems.
• Re-read an old essay or book report.
• Write a paragraph.
• Watch a science video on the Internet.

You can also get their brains back into academic habits by re-establishing school-year routines such as bedtimes and wake-up times.

Of course, the best athletes know that there is no such thing as an off-season. Anyone who really wants to stay at the top of his/her game never stops training.

That’s why there’s Oxford Learning — to keep athletes (aka students) performing at peak levels all year long.

Consider Oxford Learning as the coach: we help students excel at the sport of school, for this grade, and every grade.

Five Tips to Keep Kids Motivated Until the Final School Bell Rings

Midterms have come and gone. Spring Break is over. The days are getting warmer, and what’s left of the school year can be counted in weeks.

Students have a tendency to drift as spring arrives. After spending months indoors, the warmer temperatures and shining sun become major distractions, which make it more challenging to focus on schoolwork.

While the school year may be winding down, this is not the time to slack off!

There is still time to get better grades. There’s time to study harder. There’s time to complete an extra credit project. There’s time to develop better study skills. And most importantly, there’s still time to make a BIG difference on the final report card.

If grades need improving, the time to get started is right now! Slacking off now can be downright dangerous to grades. Students who have worked very hard the entire year can actually lose their academic footing if they let their focus slip from school. That’s why it’s important to remain motivated. After all, there are still end-of-year projects, group work, and final exams on the horizon. The truth is that this is the perfect time to renew a sense of school dedication. Because even though the school year is coming to a close, a lot can be accomplished in the time left.

So stop daydreaming about summer! There’s work to be done!

Here’s how to stay motivated (and even pull up grades) in the time left:

1. Dust Off That Agenda. Agendas have kept students organized throughout the school year and now’s not the time to leave them forgotten in lockers or at the bottom of a school bag. Need to renew the drive to succeed? Flip through the agenda for a reminder of everything that has been achieved so far this year.

2. Work Towards a Goal. It’s easy to coast for the rest of the year, but rather than slacking, set a goal and work towards it. Whether it is by fine-tuning study skills or pulling up a math grade, having a goal to work towards makes staying motivated easy.

3. Take On Extra Credit Projects. Students that need a leg up (whether to pull up grades or to secure a university admission) can really benefit from extra credit projects. Talk to teachers about bonus projects or assignments. Teachers look favourably on students who make an effort, and this is especially important when it comes to creating final report cards.

4. Make Better Grades Your Mantra. To get better grades you have to do the work. To do the work, you have to be motivated, which is challenging this time of year. Create daily reminders of what the goal is—write “I want better grades” in the agenda, put it on post its by the bed, and say it out loud while walking the dog. The more it’s said and heard, the more it will be believed and achieved.

5. Get Extra Help. End-of-year projects and exams can stress even the most organized students. Enlist the help of a professional tutor to help manage current workload and learn helpful tips to make studying for finals stress-free. Oxford Learning has many great programs that help students make the rest of this year as successful as possible. Call today and make the rest of this year count!

Make the rest of this year count. The clock may be ticking on the school year, but there is still time to make this grade the best grade ever!

Nine School Resolutions for a Better New Year

Academic resolutions help students tune up their school habits and start the New Year–and the new semester– off on the right foot by putting an end to the habits that can cause stress and  interfere with the learning process. A new semester is just around the corner,  so it’s the perfect time to polish up routines and start this year out kicking!

1. Rise and Shine. All students can use a little extra time in the morning. By setting alarm clocks 10 minutes earlier, students can reduce the morning rush and alleviate stress.
2. Tune Out. TV and computers are the biggest student distractions, especially when it comes to homework. Students needn’t give up the computer or become TV-free, however. By simply eliminating one half-hour of screen time, students have more time to focus on schoolwork.
3. Prepare at night. Students can check items off their to-do list by preparing for school the night before. Choose clothing, re-pack book bags, and prepare lunches at night to reduce the morning rush.
4. Get organized. Resolve to use an agenda. Agendas help students stay on track so that homework and assignments are not forgotten.
5. Stick to a schedule. Hang wall calendars in a visible spot and be sure to write down all school assignments, extra curricular activities, and social engagements.
6. Hit the sheets. A better night’s sleep ensures that students are less sluggish more mentally alert during the school day.
7. Hit the books. Extra curricular reading is one of the best-known ways for students to build vocabulary and develop strong language skills.
8. Eat right. Healthy eating habits keep the brain active all day long. Avoid sugary treats and too-heavy meals, which can cause an attention crash.
9. Get outside. Take in some fresh air, vitamin D, and get the blood pumping with some exercise. Exercise has been shown to increases circulation to the brain.

This Grade It’s Straight A’s!

Creating an Academic Action Plan Helps Families Start the New School Year Off On the Right Foot

With every new school year comes the opportunity to make academic changes and improve grades. It’s an opportunity to get rid of bad habits and pick up improved thinking, learning, and studying skills. It’s an opportunity to make this school the best school year ever!

But in order to seize hold of the opportunity that the new school year brings, parents and children need to have a plan for success in place; they need to set academic goals.

When setting goals for a new school year, follow the CAM rule: Goals should be

• Clearly stated
• Achievable
• Measurable

For instance, if a student’s goal for this year is to get better grades in math, it is more realistic to aim to increase math scores by five points per test, and set a goal of doing an extra 15 minutes of math homework a night, than it is to set a goal of getting 95% on the first test.

By setting a clear goal of improving 5 points per test, there is a greater likelihood of success. A realistic goal is an achievable goal.

But starting the school year off on the right foot isn’t only about resolving to get better grades. At-home habits that support in-school learning are equally as important to overall school success. There are plenty ways for families to make at-home resolutions that lead to a better grades.

Use a family calendar. Manage school, family, and extracurricular activities with a daily reminder courtesy of a wall calendar.

Get informed. Be informed of important school dates (big projects, standardized tests) well in advance to avoid last-minute scrambles.

Handle homework. Develop a homework strategy. Set a schedule, stick to a timeframe, and take frequent breaks to keep stress levels low. If necessary, parents should work on something along their children.

Hone study skills. The best study skill is to start early. By being aware of test dates and projects, parents can ensure that their kids are not leaving work until the last minute, which leads to stress for everyone.

Stick to a routine. Set bedtimes and wake up times help establish good morning routines. Kids of all ages need adequate sleep as part of their overall school routine, and parents can help ensure that they are getting the rest that they need to stay sharp in class.

By developing an Academic Action Plan–whether it’s about improving grades or working on at-home habits–parents can help ensure that their kids are on the right path for better grades this school year. And, with support from the experts at Oxford Learning, making this year the year that straight A’s happen is a goal that’s within every family’s reach!

What’s your family’s Academic Action Plan for this year? Brainstorm your ideas and download this sheet to write out academic and at-home goals and track progress!

Can You Blame Biology For Your Teen’s Bad Grades?

What’s the secret to helping your teen get better grades?

And, what’s the secret to getting him or her to be less sullen and moody?

The answer might surprise you. It’s the same answer to both questions: more sleep!

According to the Sleep Foundation, teens need between 8 ½ and 9 ¼ hours of sleep per night. They also, however, have biological difficulty falling asleep before 11 pm.

If teens need about 9 hours of sleep, and hit the sheets around 11 pm, that means that they should be waking up bright-eyed and ready to go around 8 am.

By the time that they have breakfast, and get ready for school, then leave for school, they should be right on time for their 10 am class, ready to learn!

Teen Biology + Early School Start Times = Lack Of Sleep And Poor Grades

Here’s the problem: most high school’s first classes begin between 8-9 am (some even earlier.)

This results in sleepy students. (Studies report that up to 20% of teens fall asleep in class on a regular basis.) And, as any parent of a teen can tell you, it also results in a severe case of the grumps.

It can also be linked to increase in teenage car accidents!

And not surprisingly, it results in poor grades.

One researcher says that sleep deprivation in teens is “three strikes against learning,” because 1) students aren’t alert enough to learn properly in class, 2) they aren’t mentally storing the information that they are learning correctly, and 3) they are not getting the sleep that they need in order to process learned information and transfer it to long-term memories.

That’s why some approximate 80 school districts across the USA are implementing later start times for highschoolers. The results of the later school start times are impressive:

• Less grumpiness
• Improvement in general health and nutrition
• Less falling asleep in class—about 20% less
• Less reported feelings of depression
• Less absenteeism
• Improved grades

What time does your teen’s high school start? Do you think it’s too early? We’d love to hear your thoughts!

Read more:
Sleep Habits and Academic Performance
How Biology is Responsible for Teen’s Sleep
Stop Texting and Go To Sleep!

The Mistake of Ditching Class

Although everybody makes mistakes, there are some that can affect our future. As a teen, I make a handful of mistakes every day. I understand that this may seem cliché, but I try to always think through what I’m about to do before I act.

It’s important to think about how any decision may affect you in the future, near or far. Before you think about cutting class, however unnecessary the class may seem, think about how skipping one class can easily become a habit, and what the results might be. Maybe it’s losing a credit or even dropping out, leaving you with nothing. Just ditching a single class could dramatically alter your future, whatever it may be. Next time you are about to cut class, or just not study for a quiz, think about how this situation right now could end up hurting you later on.

About me: I go to South Secondary School in London, ON and I have two younger siblings. I have always been a movie guy. But movies aren’t the only thing I enjoy. In the summer I love to bike with my friends down to the Thames River and ride along the trails. The sights and the entire ride are always beautiful. Anyway, hopefully you’ll enjoy my posts! Remember to leave feedback and comments at the bottom! – Dylan.

To Do This Holiday Season: Learn

Getting Help in High School

In high school, you’re pretty much your own person. Which is a good thing, but this new freedom comes many more responsibilities. One of them happens to be getting help.

When it comes to having troubles in school, there are some instances where your parents can help. But in cases when your parents or peers can’t offer support or guidance, it isn’t the end of the road. You’re not on your own.

Schools always have support systems, such as help groups, and it is very important that you take advantage of them!

But recognizing that you need help and doing something about it is up to you. Nobody is going to do this for you. You have to be the one to ask for help. This is a big responsibility.

In most cases, extra help such as support groups will take place during your personal time i.e. your lunch break, or after school. More than likely, you will have second thoughts about “wasting your time taking to them,” but it is very important that you think about your future in such cases.

After all, this is high school and the decisions are up to you. If you decide to skip these help groups it will reflect on your final grade and (depending on the course) future grades.

So, whenever you come across such a feeling and decide to skip a session, just think that in five years it won’t matter that you went to this ‘stupid’ help group, only that you’re glad that you did, and decided not to waste your time by not asking for help.

About me: I go to South Secondary School in London, ON and I have two younger siblings. I have always been a movie guy. But movies aren’t the only thing I enjoy. In the summer I love to bike with my friends down to the Thames River and ride along the trails. The sights and the entire ride are always beautiful. Anyway, hopefully you’ll enjoy my  posts! Remember to leave feedback and comments at the bottom! – Dylan.