Random Observation/Comment #544: I miss nap time. Grown ups need to take nap time more seriously.
Why this list?
In the process of “growing up” and “finding your way”, a lot of the great habits that primary school teaches you tends to go unnoticed (and in some cases completely unlearned). Unfortunately, you don’t have a guidance counselor or home room teacher after you leave the nest. There aren’t set times where you sit down and work on something important to your growth. Instead? You cram everything into one notebook, read the news for conversation fodder, watch Netflix way too much, and drink constantly. When left to our own vices, do we all stray from productivity?
How to write this list:
Take a trip through memory lane and remember how simple life was without bills and instant gratification in your pocket. What were your goals? What did you do? How did the structure help? For example, I used to color-code my binders and create separate sections in a very organized way. Now? One notebook with chicken scratch short hand. It took some time to make the connection of these good habits to reality, but once you do, everything runs slightly more smoothly.
- Content organization – 3 ring binders with color coded separations of subjects
- Fairly structured categories of subjects that we should learn to be well-rounded
- Legible handwriting with handwriting practice
- A focus on at most 7 subjects per 3 months
- Spring and Winter recesses with summers off (time to unwind)
- Planned learning objectives by end of 3 months
- Scheduled time per day to work on core courses
- Scheduled time to work out with peers (yay gym class)
- Scheduled time to get some fresh air and just run around to let that energy out
- Scheduled time with experts in the field (at least they’ve taught this class more than once)
- Scheduled learning environment with peers
- Scheduled homework reinforcement to test knowledge of given material
- After school activities that gather like-minded people
- A balanced diet across the week (I currently eat breakfast every meal and want to eat tacos all the time)
- Opportunities for leadership roles
- Realistic enforcement of rules and guidelines without terrible consequences
- Timeboxed projects with presentations to parents at the end so they can be proud of your work and stay involved with your growth
- Networking opportunity with those who have taken similar subjects
- Opportunities/Forced to socialize with peers in a cafeteria (e.g. no eating at your desk with your work!)
- Freedom to set up your own curriculum of classes and get the “best schedule” (this was more from high school when I had 3 periods off in a row during lunch) – why don’t people do this more now?
- Nap time (from kindergarten and 12th grade)
- Book reports and reading challenges (I remember reading more frequently to get those 50 books in one year)
- Analysis of current events
- Mandatory music, art, and language classes
- Constant movement and travel between classes – I think some people in a 9 to 5 sit in front of monitors for too long
- Healthy amount of group assignments
- A looming consequence of actions and surveillance of behavior – Always being graded (yay gold stars!)
- Encouragement to ask questions and raise hands before speaking
- Playfulness even with most seriousness
- No meetings
~See Lemons Miss School Organization