Thursday, January 15, 2015

Students, Time Management, & Visual Timers! Oh My!


It's the start of a new year! Fresh beginnings, new routines, and implementing goals are on our minds here at ALEC as we wrap up our first week of the year. We have been looking for tools and systems to put in place that structure our after school time in the most productive way possible and provide appropriate educational opportunities for our students.

While students grow and adapt, we understand there will be challenges along the way. Consistency is something we have found to be quite important with our students. The more consistent we are, the more our students understand what is expected of them. Hence, when we follow a routine schedule each day, our students are ready, responsible, and respectful.


However, change is inevitable. Whether it's a multi-week break, new students, new policies, or even a change in weather; we are challenged to transform our routines in order to be flexible and resilient.

I had noticed prior to break that students weren't on the same page when it came to homework time. Some would waste the first half of the time talking or being goofy and then be rushed and anxious to finish their homework during the last half. Some just didn't want to do their homework. A few students have even been quite upset at the teachers for not "allowing" them to finish their homework once we moved on to activity time. So, self-discipline, which is a foundation for time management and concentration, is something quite important for our students to practice so they can learn to be even better students.

I started to do some research online and I found a really helpful tool that we could easily implement here at ALEC. Matt Gomez, a Kindergarten Teacher and Blogger, wrote an article describing his experience utilizing visual timers with his classes. He writes that he first began to use them for his own sake then quickly realized how it was a great tool for his students to understand time and use time in a better way. I recommend reading his story.

With the start of a new year we decided to give it a try. I used Matt's suggestion of Online-Stopwatch's classroom timers, specifically the Clock Countdown. We are using a laptop and our television (you could use a Smartboard or just a computer). All you have to do is follow the link, click on clock countdown, click on "Use the Clock Timer Full Screen", set your time (hours:minutes:seconds), click set and start. Also, there is a button in the upper right-hand corner to make it full screen and there is a "Back" button to change your time.


The first day we used this visual timer, I overheard many students mentioning how much time was left throughout homework time. The teachers also enjoyed the countdown so we could all have a quick reference on time, but the students really got the most out of the timer.

I was helping some 5th graders with their homework and one of our students began to rally his peers. He would say, "Oh there's only 10 minutes left, come on let's do this." For the rest of the week we kept implementing this new tool and each day seemed to get better and better in regards to time management and self-discipline. A tip that Matt gave, which we haven't tried yet, is to keep the timers at 15 minutes or less. So, if you have a 30 minute session, divide it into two 15 minute sessions. I could see this working well with prioritizing time more efficiently since students don't seem to hurry until the timer gets to 15 or 10 minutes.

When the countdown was around 10 seconds, all the sudden our students began to countdown. I was a bit shocked to see them so aware of the time. This was new for our students. It made our transition from homework time to activity time a lot quicker and more definitive.


We are now using the timer for homework time and our free time at the end of the day. The countdown timer really challenges our students to practice self-discipline in terms of completing tasks and time management. I only see this new tool helping more and more this new year as they get accustomed to the visual timer becoming a regular, consistent part of our routine.

- Corey

79 comments:

  1. Superb post!! Truly, loved reading it! I am going to enroll my son to a local Phoenix pre-k. I am very impressed by their curriculum. You know they use different activities regularly to teach new things to students.

    ReplyDelete
  2. when it comes about services to do homework online you can't say that it definitely good or bad and have to realize that all the decisions have good and bad effects that may harm.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Everyone has struggled with their writing at one time or another. This article outlines various ways to get help with writing and how one can improve their writing skills
    Accounting Homework Help | Finance Homework Help

    ReplyDelete
  4. students life is very tough and they don't have for assignment, i think that they must contact to professional writers for batter result. Essay Writing UK 

    ReplyDelete
  5. Everybody has battled with their written work at some time. This article diagrams different approaches to get help with composing and how one can enhance their written work aptitudes. Dissertation Proposal Writing Service

    ReplyDelete
  6. I feel a lot more people need to read this, very good info! …
    Assignment Help Perth

    ReplyDelete
  7. Everyone has fought with their composed work sooner or later. This article graphs diverse ways to deal with get help with making and how one can improve their composed function aptitudes.Do my Essay for me Online

    ReplyDelete
  8. No need to worry if you have exited from browser with many tabs opened. Here are the ways on How to Open Closed Tabs in Chrome and Firefox browser.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Confused which filter is best for you? We have gethers some most popular Canister Filters For Aquarium for you, have a look at them now.

    ReplyDelete
  10. itechrock.com is a technology website which gives you updates about Android, Windows and ios App.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Students can score high marks In Their colleges and universities assignments by hiring the best assignment assistance with writing homework from the experts of probability assignment help at the cheapest price.

    ReplyDelete

  12. Sharing information with others is good. I also want to share some good links for students all across the world. There is a team providing assignment help , which includes writing help service in different subjects. Like as Management Assignment Help , Marketing Management Assignment Help, Business Management Assignment Help

    ReplyDelete
  13. Your blog is filled with unique good articles! I was impressed how well you express your thoughts.
    Best Epub Readers

    ReplyDelete
  14. Thank you for this wonderful information looking forward for more. We are Providing the best quality assignment help. You will find out online marketing assignment help service on firstassignmenthelp. And these services are very reliable, and they can provide information about any topic related to the academics. If you need any college level Assignment Help at reliable quality with better work. Kindly visit our website firstassignmenthelp.

    ReplyDelete
  15. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  16. This is something very important to understand, I really appreciate your efforts to share such information. Here I am also sharing some information that might be useful for students looking for Assignment Help , in various subjects like, MATLAB Assignment Help , or Matlab Assignment Help Online.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Excellent information Providing by your Article, thank you for taking the time to share with us such a nice article. Amazing insight you have on this, it's nice to find a website that details so much information about different artists. Kindly visit livewebtutors website we providing best Nursing Assignment Help services in Australia.

    ReplyDelete
  18. My friend promised to buy me a cup of coffee for referring him to your site. Thank you for coffee. Kindly keep updating us on new articles. These days, the most common pump for a shallow well is a jet pump. Jet pumps get mounted above the well, either in the home or in a good house, and draw the water up from the well through suction. Visit Shallow Well Jet Pump with Pressure Tank for more.

    ReplyDelete
  19. It is therefore important for them to learn to co-exist peacefully without discrimination, whether gender-based or racial. content writing services

    ReplyDelete
  20. Second Innings Home is the first and only premium home & health care service in India. Second Innings Home proposed across the nation features a beautiful campus ideally located in a well-maintained gated community in the format of a Star Hotel with luxurious amenities. It’s convenient to enjoy the privacy and to be near the city and nearby facilities. And yet it retains a sense of community spirit and the warmth of a small community. luxury retirement homes in Hyderabad

    ReplyDelete
  21. Thank you for your outstanding article. You will always find clients coming back to us which is a result of our excellent services. Our goal is to offer unique and specialized services to our clients and in return create a long-lasting working relationship. We provide the Best Godrej South Estate and 2/3/4 BHK Flats, Apartments, Penthouse, Corporate Properties, Commercial Properties in Noida, Greater Noida West, Delhi NCR with Great Discount and Deals. Learn more about from Investmango website. visit call now :- +918076042671

    ReplyDelete
  22. Excellent information Providing by your Article, thank you for taking the time to share with us such a nice article. Amazing insight you have on this, it's nice to find a website that details so much information about different artists. Investmango goal is to offer unique and specialized services to our clients and in return create a long-lasting working relationship. We provide the Best Sun Twilight Villas and 2/3/4 BHK Flats, Apartments, Penthouse, Corporate Properties, Commercial Properties in Noida, Greater Noida West, Delhi NCR with Great Discount and Deals. Learn more about the Investmango visit our website and call now :- +918076042671

    ReplyDelete
  23. If you're also tired of reading the same content as I am, so now is the time to change that taste. I came across a website called Coursework Writing Services that can help us with this.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Essay Help Zone is offering essay help UK for the students who are looking for online expert essay writing services in the UK. They offer the most affordable prices to the customers. The complete team of professional writers provides you with complete and quality essay writing services.

    ReplyDelete
  25. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  26. In Company G's case, there are a substantial number of companies that manufacture electric kitchen appliances. assignment expert

    ReplyDelete
  27. I really enjoyed reading your post. It's very helpful and interesting. Have a look at our Typing Test Online tool, this a reliable tool both for both beginners and pros. This can help you improve your speed and accuracy when typing.

    ReplyDelete
  28. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  29. I am Irene Garcia, a Corporate Sales Specialist operating in the Latin American region. We are experts in Market Research (Mercado Latinoamericano de Vehículos Eléctricos Híbridos). We provide market reports across various industry verticals and also help with procurement and supply chain intelligence. By giving you better insights, we help you make informed business decisions.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Thanks for sharing this knowledgeable blog with us, truly a great informative site. It is very helpful for us. Visit website Here: Hire Android App Developer USA.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Now that is what I call a smooth write-up. Talk about smooth write-ups, if you want to maintain a smooth sail in your academic writing tasks as well you can get in touch with the deft Accounting Dissertation Help experts of the LiveWebTutors platform and receive flawless solutions for your daunting assignments in just a few clicks.

    ReplyDelete
  32. I am always eager to catch hold of the new posts being published on your website
    KubernetesTraining Center|
    Kubernetes Bootcamp|

    ReplyDelete
  33. Thanks for this nice content. It’s really good. Actually, I want to share some thoughts and reviews about an case study writing company in UAE and the brand name is Assignment Achievers. Here, I am working as an Academic Expert. To look at our online academic assistants who provide reference assignment including Accounting, Management, Finance, IT, Economics, Computer Science, Nursing, Marketing; all Academic subjects to University Students all over the UAE or even worldwide.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Thanks for this nice content. It’s really good. Actually, I want to share some thoughts and reviews about an CISM Exam Preparation Center|
    CISM Training Center|

    ReplyDelete
  35. This is the perfect blog for anyone who wants to know about this topic. Have you ever used Alexa or Siri to help you find information, directions, or news? If you have, then most likely you have heard a synthesized voice that is the main speaker who does not reply. When you listen to text-to-speech software, it’s easy to understand what the voice is telling you - but you’ve never missed out on a generated voice.

    ReplyDelete
  36. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  37. We are a leading academic writing company and homework help in Australia, we provide professional reports, assignment help and all kinds of assistance Coursework Help
    in preparing written documents, as easily as academics and education. We are the only company with over 200 dedicated professional data analysts, mathematicians and statisticians, employed to meet the demands of our customers Cheap Essay Writing Service.
    Assignment Writing Service

    ReplyDelete
  38. event marketing. If external events are your bread and butter and you’ve likely pivoted more than once in the past year and Fortunately also you also understand the many business impacts of customer-facing events and Whether it’s attracting net-new customers also accelerating the sales process. best gift bags and short biography about myself

    ReplyDelete
  39. Gotoassignmenthelp is team of leading professional writers for maths assignment Writing Services to students all around the world. Contact us today for Best Assignment Helper USA at very affordable price. Under GotoAssignmentHelp we provide many types of help to the students. We are the most reliable assignment helpers. We have gained our specialization after spending most of our times in making ourselves perfect. We providing 100% plagiarism free Assignment Help. At the point when you pick our Uni Assignment Help assistance, our faculty will consider the quality and your evaluation criteria.

    ReplyDelete
  40. Thanks for sharing excellent information. Your web-site is very cool. I’m impressed by the details that you have on this site. Please go and test your webcam this article is very informative about Check Webcam Online .

    ReplyDelete
  41. Gotoassignmenthelp is team of leading professional writers for Paper Help Writing Services to students all around the world. Contact us today for Best Need Assignment Help USA at very affordable price. Under GotoAssignmentHelp we provide many types of help to the students. We are the most reliable assignment helpers. We have gained our specialization after spending most of our times in making ourselves perfect. We providing 100% plagiarism free Assignment Help. At the point when you pick our Accounting assignment help assistance, our faculty will consider the quality and your evaluation criteria.

    ReplyDelete
  42. Good web site! I truly love how it is simple on my eyes and the data are well written. I am wondering how I might be notified when a new post has been made. 카지노사이트

    ReplyDelete
  43. Found your post interesting to read. I cant wait to see your post soon. Good Luck for the upcoming update.This article is really very interesting and effective.
    I would like to share the latest article with you--article about spacebar test. Here you will learn check spacebar click pr second speed. Comment your opinion after reading full article. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  44. Before sending parcel to the freight company you have to be ensure about your parcel safety and the packaging material of your parcel . There are a lot of products out there in market that uses mismatched material . This issue has been resolved by many companies now they provide this facility to their clients for packaging of the product and to be make sure that parcel is secured to dispatch.

    ReplyDelete
  45. I am always eager to catch hold of the new posts being published on your website, becausthis article is very interesting.. i got much valuable information from it... so keep posting information like it..

    Proxy Certification Exam
    IT Certification Exam

    ReplyDelete
  46. I have bookmarked your website because this site contains valuable information in it. I am really happy with articles quality and presentation. Thanks a lot for keeping great stuff. I am very much thankful for this site departmental cut off mark in ndu

    ReplyDelete
  47. E-commerce is a suitable shopping system, preferred by an increasing number of consumers. The products which are available in the online stores are being delivered to the association between the partners network for logistics. This admits more products from different manufacturers to get to their customers comfortably and directly via Pakistan cargo .

    ReplyDelete
  48. Thank you, such a lot, for sharing this excellent data. I'm glad to get your post. We tend to be the most straightforward. Visit website: RceduTalent
    B2B Marketing

    ReplyDelete
  49. I am very happy when these blog posts read because blog post was written in a good manner and write on a good topic. Thanks for sharing valuable information. Feel free to visit my website; 안전놀이터

    ReplyDelete
  50. Excellent Blog! I would like to thank for the efforts you have made in writing this post. I am hoping the same best work from you in the future as well. Feel free to visit my website; Excellent Blog! I would like to thank for the efforts you have made in writing this post. I am hoping the same best work from you in the future as well. Feel free to visit my website; 온라인카지노

    ReplyDelete
  51. Very nice blog, a debt of gratitude is in order for sharing such delightful data with us. Thank you. Check cut off mark for claretian university

    ReplyDelete
  52. Struggling to write your Nursing assignment? Do not know how to transfer your thoughts on paper? Sampleassignment.com is the best solution for you as they provide you with Nursing assignment help along with the following benefits: live expert session, guarantee high grades with plagiarism-free content, and affordable rates.

    ReplyDelete
  53. Do you find it difficult to complete your assignments due to a lack of knowledge? If yes, then now you can take accounting assignment help online from assignment writers of Sample Assignments. Sample Assignments is the best assignment writing service provider in the field. We are a team of expert writers with years of experience and a degree in your subject. Contact us and get an outstanding paper that is plagiarism free.

    ReplyDelete
  54. Students can get dissertation writing service and assignment writing help from assignmentdesk.co.uk at affordable price. Also its writers are highly educated in their academic field. So you can easily avail the dissertation writing service on different type of topics like law dissertation topic, nursing, finance, management etc.

    ReplyDelete
  55. Great advice on time management for students! As we balance our schedules, let's also prioritize our health. Meri Sehat's online medical services provide easy access to resources like Best Doctors, making it convenient to find and book appointments with top-rated healthcare professionals. Let's optimize our time and take care of our health!"

    ReplyDelete
  56. Great shared article! I was reading some of your material on this website and I think this internet site is really informative. Keep on updating useful and helpful articles. I appreciate you for sharing. villanova polytechnic hnd admission form out

    ReplyDelete
  57. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  58. Thank you for sharing this informative blog with us. Your blog is very useful for us. Assessment help in Australia encapsulates a diverse range of services tailored to assist students at various levels of their education. From high school to university, these services encompass a spectrum of subjects and disciplines, providing students with targeted guidance and resources to navigate the complexities of coursework, assignments, projects, and exams. One of the core pillars of assessment help services is the provision of expert guidance. These services often boast a team of qualified professionals, subject matter experts, and experienced academicians.

    ReplyDelete
  59. Wow, what an insightful article! The importance of time management for students cannot be overstated, and incorporating visual timers is such a brilliant idea. This blog effectively highlights how visual timers can transform the way students approach their tasks and studies. Embarking on assignment exploration? Your search culminates here, for we extend prime Nursing assignment help within your proximity. Encompassing a roster of 2000+ Ph.D. scholars, we are poised to guide you through your assignments. Should queries about your tasks or syllabus arise, do not hesitate to connect. We are steadfast in offering our guiding hand to you.

    ReplyDelete
  60. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  61. In every way, these articles are extremely beneficial and instructive. I appreciate you recommending this website. Good day! I recently came across this blog article and was compelled to comment. I understand the importance of giving our kids the finest education possible as a parent in Singapore. Parents regularly discuss the topic of Online Tuition Singapore.

    ReplyDelete

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...