Getting Unstuck – DIY Homework

Filling Gaps: Overcoming a Poorly Taught Class

January 30, 2019

Active Learning, Gaps, Getting Unstuck, Group Studying, Independent Learning, self-advocacy, Self-Care, Strategic Advantage, Study Groups, Study Skills, Studying, Teachers, Tests

Teaching is a very challenging profession, but we need to realize that some classes do not work for some students. The cause of these gaps can be stylistic, lack of access to resources, unclear lectures, or a combination of many interconnected issues. The solution is to figure out how to learn the material in the class independently. This is often hard for students because of the expectation in middle and high school is that learning will be directed by an…

Filling Gaps: Asking for Help

January 28, 2019

jessicafinnigan

Active Learning, Gaps, Getting Unstuck, Teams

One of the best ways to fill gaps is to use your team. Most teachers are trying their best, but sometimes classes are poorly organized. Learning is a group activity. Like 0

Filling Gaps: Learning Levels

January 21, 2019

jessicafinnigan

Active Learning, Gaps, Getting Unstuck, Learning Levels, Strategic Advantage

Sometimes students miss points on an exam because they do not understand what level of learning the teacher is expecting. Often students assume that teachers want a regurgitation of facts when they actually want a higher level of thinking. This video explains how understanding the correct level of learning can students study with less stress. Like 0

Study Stepping Stones: The Frustration of Busy Work

December 3, 2018

jessicafinnigan

Active Learning, Gaps, Getting Unstuck, Learning Cycle

Class structure and homework types can create different types of gaps in knowledge and these gaps can impact test scores. For more information check out my previous post. When I was discussing this idea with students we identified another important type of work to understand busy work. Watch the video below to see why busy work can feel so frustrating. Like 0

Writing Tips: Editing with Text to Speech Apps

November 21, 2018

jessicafinnigan

Active Learning, Getting Unstuck, Technology, Writing

Writing well can be very time-consuming. Part of the writing process is learning how to edit our own text. Editing our own work can be difficult what we are trying to say does not get communicated to the reader. One of the most effective ways to edit our writing is to have another person read it out loud, but this is not always possible. Watch the video to find out about a fast technological solution that will help you edit…

Build Your Team

March 12, 2018

jessicafinnigan

Getting Unstuck, Habits, Motivation, Procrastination, Productivity, Teams, Technology

Many students believe that they must push through school entirely on their own. While students need to do their own independent work they should build a team that can help them navigate the social and academic aspects of High School. Every student’s team will be different and may change over time as their needs shift and their independence grows. Because teams are so personalized, it is vital to help students identify who is already apart of their team, and who they…