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Getting Started on Big Assignments

Tags

Study Skills & Tools Social-Emotional Learning Elementary School Strategy

Skills

Flexible Thinking Self-regulation Organization Attention

Getting Started on Big Assignments

If your student struggles to get started on big assignments

Teach It!

  1. Objective: Students who have a hard time getting started with work will learn to take a step back, break down the assignment and choose one manageable part of the assignment to begin with.
  2. Show empathy: When a student is unsure of how to begin an assignment, first let the student share and then validate the feeling of being "stuck" and how common it is. Provide examples of how you get stuck and procrastinate, and what you do to get yourself started.
  3. Reflect on past successes: Discuss what helped the student get started and complete past assignments. Ask leading questions: Did you work in a certain place? Did you organize materials beforehand? What part did you start with? Did you start at the beginning or pick the part that seemed easiest or most interesting? Help the student narrow down what works best and write it down.
  4. Make a plan: Work with the student to write a plan for tackling the assignment in steps. In what order? When will you take a break? Breaking down assignments into short, manageable chunks makes a big task feel less overwhelming. Once the plan is complete, have the student check things off as he finishes each. This will provide a sense of accomplishment and help him go on.
  5. Reflect: After the assignment is complete, discuss what worked and what didn't. Based on that, create a short "get started" checklist to use next time. It could include: a) re-read the instructions and circle the part I will start with b) start at the part that is easiest for me c) promise myself my favorite snack when I complete the first small part
  6. Ongoing reinforcement: Remind the student to reference his checklist at times when he is feeling overwhelmed or unsure of how to begin a task. In most cases, having a specific plan of what to do will lessen the anxiety that might otherwise bubble up with a big new task.

Why It Works (the Science Of Learning)!

For students who have a hard time initiating tasks, the stress of feeling "stuck" can make getting started even harder. If students build an awareness about what works for them and applies that in challenging moments, they will have more confidence to jump in and just get started on even a small piece of the assignment. Once a student gets started they are far more likely to be able to keep going.