Blog
The Exam Prep Cycle
The Challenge of Exams Exams are often a source of anxiety and pressure for students, but the challenge isn’t always rooted in a lack of
Rethinking Class Preparation
Rethinking Class Preparation As students progress through school, their approach to class time evolves significantly. Imagine a boat navigating a river, with two distinct banks
Conquering College
Conquering College The leap from high school to college is one of the most transformative—and challenging—experiences in a young adult’s life. It’s a time that
Communication & Self-Advocacy
Communication & Self-Advocacy Effective communication with teachers is a critical skill for students, especially in the modern age. Teacher communication is a pivotal component of
Why We Take Notes
Why We Take Notes Let’s talk about note-taking. This will not be a drawn out post about the Cornell method or venn diagramming. Instead, we’re
An Effective First Week of School
Students often struggle with assignments during the first week or two. To be clear, this isn’t because there are too many assignments; rather, it’s often
Why Cramming Doesn’t Work
As students head back to school in the next few weeks, there’s a sense of optimism. Back to school season is a time of fresh
How Can My Student Improve in Writing
Parents often ask us what their students should be working on over the summer. Summer break is an excellent time to fill in content gaps
Understanding and Avoiding Helicopter Parenting
Nobody likes a helicopter parent, right? Most of us have heard the term used at some point, probably in a critical way, but what exactly
Executive Function & School Cell Phone Policies
Executive functioning skills are crucial for students’ academic success and personal growth. These skills fall into four main categories: organization, time management, learning skills, and
Keeping Summer Math Packets Effective
This blog post is about a controversial subject. Well, it’s a controversial subject for students, at least. As summer approaches, students eagerly anticipate a break
Introduction and Overview of Executive Function
Executive Function (EF) refers to a set of cognitive processes that help individuals manage themselves and their resources to achieve goals. These processes include working
Helping Students Achieve Peak Performance
Final exams are similar to Olympic events. Just as an athlete trains relentlessly for four years for an event that may last mere seconds, students
Between Exams & Summer Vacation
As the final exams conclude, a common scene unfolds among students: stacks of notes are discarded, textbooks close for the last time, and school-built routines
Preparing for Cumulative Exams
For better or worse, cumulative exams are a constant of academic life. Although they seem like mere elongated versions of traditional assessments, in reality, these
Three Key Principles of Student Productivity
This is usually the month when final exam preparation finally becomes tangible. For months, students and teachers discuss cumulative exams in the abstract; this is
Learning More Effectively with Secondary Sources
The classroom is where learning traditionally happens, but it’s not the only place. Yet not all students resonate with the pace or style of this
Procrastination
Introduction to SAOTG’s In-Depth Procrastination Guide Procrastination and its progeny are significant barriers to student success. This guide arms parents, teachers, and support professionals with
Embracing Constraints
When we think about learning or really any effortful activity, it’s easy to assume that more freedom, time, and resources would naturally lead to better
Some Productive Thoughts on Generative AI in Education
A year has passed since we last examined the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in education. As we said then, generative AI presents both opportunities
SAOTG School Supplies Items
Binder System Items: Avery Heavy-Duty D-ring Binder (2” – White) Avery Heavy-Duty D-ring Binders offer a durable organization solution for your documents with its one-touch
Attention Residue
We often tell teachers and coaches to find ways to be the most interesting thing in the room. In other words, teaching requires capturing and
Executive Function & Self-Regulation
More than Academics Students have a lot on their plate. They navigate a complex terrain, not just academically but also in their social and emotional
Teaching Students to Teach Themselves
At some point in every student’s academic career, self-reliance becomes a necessity rather than a virtue. Whether it’s the subject matter or the teaching style,