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Organisation and Time Management

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Time Management Worksheet. Time management tips. How To Master Your Time. The secret to time management is simple: Jedi time tricks. Imagine you were a Jedi master called Bob (your parents, whilst skilled in the ways of the force weren’t the best at choosing names). The love of your life – Princess Lucia – is trapped in a burning building as you hurry to save her. You might think of Lucia as the embodiment of your dreams, your aspirations – she is your most important thing. Unfortunately, before you can reach her an army of stormtroopers open fire. The incoming stream of lasers demand your attention – if you fail to dodge them, you’re dead.

You might think of them as an urgent distraction from saving your princess. We all know how a hero resolves this dilemma. And so it is with your life. The secret to mastering your time is to systematically focus on importance and suppress urgency. Look at what you spend your day doing. Say no. Schedule your priorities.

One final lesson from the Jedi: they’re heroes. Teenagers and homework - Family Lives. "Getting them to settle down to homework seems to be a bit of an uphill struggle. And as for the maths and science - I couldn’t even help them out! " Homework can sometimes feel as daunting for parents as it is for children. Parents can worry when their children put homework off until the last minute or even avoid doing it all together, which can lead to conflicts at home. On the other hand, parents might also be daunted by the thought of not understanding their children’s homework if called upon to lend a hand.

We asked some parents how they cope with the pressures created by homework, and here’s what they told us: Coping with homework Give children a chance to talk about their school work - when you ask them about your day, check in to see what they've been learning. Help your children take responsibility for organising and doing their homework. Creating the right environment for homework Some children prefer to do homework straight after school whereas others prefer to relax a bit first. Homework - Family Lives. With all the pressure of school work, puberty, social life and other commitments playing their part, it's understandable that your child might sometimes feel a little overwhelmed by their homework. There are many ways to help ease some of this by supporting and guiding them - they might not tell you they want help, but by showing your support your child will pick up on your positive attitude and this can help encourage them to do the same when it comes to their education.

The benefits of helping your child are endless. First and foremost you will find that you end up spending more quality time with them by listening and talking, and you will also be able to gauge a sense of what their strengths and weaknesses are. How much homework should my child be getting? The government has set the following guidelines for secondary school children: Years 7 and 8: 45 to 90 minutes per dayYear 9: 1 to 2 hours per dayYears 10 and 11: 1.5 to 2.5 hours per day Top tips for secondary school homework. Getting a good school routine - Family Lives. The move to high school can come as a shock to both parents and children. You may feel your child isn’t ready to take the responsibility for what is probably a longer journey to school, perhaps using public transport. They will usually have a large amount of books and equipment to carry around and may find it difficult to organise themselves.

As the school will be expecting your child to take greater responsibility, you should try to continue this at home as much as possible, but that can be easier said than done. At this age children start to want more privacy when they’re getting ready. Parent tips: ‘We have a family diary where everything is written down and a pin board at the bottom of the stairs with reminders. Katie ‘I ask each evening if they have homework and check school homework diaries regularly. Alison ‘I get the kids to help me prepare their lunch for next day the night before and check before they go to bed that they’ve brought down to the hall everything they need.