Monday, January 11 is National Clean Off Your Desk Day. This is actually very timely considering the launch of #functionalfriday on a few days ago on my social media pages when I did a deep dive on making the virtual learning/work-from-home space as functional possible. If you missed it, check it out on Instagram here or Facebook here.
Being organized with a clean work space is so important for productivity in every way. It also promotes healthy habits to remove dust, germs, crumbs, etc. When items are easily found, it saves time. When the workspace is neat, you are able to focus more on your task instead of getting distracted. “The bigger the mess, the bigger the stress!” Take some time this Monday for you and your students to clean off your desks and create a more conducive work environment! Better yet, make this a weekly cleaning ritual!
This weeks #TutorTipTuesday is about focusing on the magic e syllable type. Last week, I revealed the tremendous impact for kids knowing their first two syllable types: open and closed which lends itself to long vs. short vowel sounds. The next step up is understanding the “magical” change the letter “e” makes to a word since it is an immediate switch of vowel sounds. This is so important for literacy because of the change from short to long vowel sounds. Check out my Instagram this Tuesday for some tips on teaching this to your students or children.
Wednesday, January 13 is National Make Your Dreams Come True Day. This day is dedicated to everyone who has been procrastinating on their work. Whether that work is towards a big goal or a small goal, this is the day to take the steps you have been avoiding. Look back at some of my previous posts on Instagram here to get some really helpful tips on reverse planning for your goals. This method of planning breaks down goals into small and easily accomplished tasks. No one enjoys feeling overwhelmed, so why not try a new way to make your goals seem less daunting and encouraging progress? Take full advantage of this day and get started, and hey, your desk is already clean and ready to go, so step 1 complete!
For this week's #functionalfriday life skill, let’s talk about the bathroom. More specifically, proper bathroom hygiene! If someone is never instructed on how to do something, there is a possibility they will never learn it, so, teaching proper cleaning and hygiene practices to young people is infinitely important.
Here are some basics:
Hand washing: wash your hands in warm water with soap for at least 20 seconds. Don’t forget between your fingers and under your nails!
Towels: it is typical to reuse shower and hand towels. However, wash them after every 2-3 uses for shower towels and every 2-3 days for hand towels. Also, make sure you hang your shower towels to dry completely between uses.
Laundry basket: dirty laundry gets put in the basket, not the floor!
Teeth brushing: brush your teeth for two minutes in circular motions with toothpaste...and don’t forget your tongue! Also use mouthwash and floss as needed.
Bathroom cleaning: you should be cleaning your bathroom about once a week. There are so many bacteria that live there since it is a damp place. This includes the sink, counters, toilet, shower/tub of course, but also any rugs and the shower curtain!
Because there are so many “basics,” it would be very beneficial to have a visual checklist of some kind, such as the one found here or customize it on your own!
Credit: https://maintainingmotherhood.com/clean-bathroom-checklist-kids/
Check out my Instagram this week for more tips, and a special Sunny Saturday where I am going to talk about some goals and aspirations that I had and the journey I went through to get here! I want to hear about your aspirations as well so make sure you check it out!
Have a great week!