7 Habits Successful Students Share

We love boosting  grades. However, we know there's more to success than the letters on a report card.

Often, a student's attitude toward schoolwork matters more than his or her skills. Students who develop personal responsibility, motivation and teamwork are better prepared to achieve.

That's why we're excited to announce our 2019 Summer Program theme:  7 Habits of Highly Effective Students.

This reading and writing curriculum - based on Sean Covey's bestselling book 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens - will help students identify the behaviors that support long-term success. Through discussion and reflection, students will consider how their personal values, goals and strengths can inspire them in and out of the classroom.

Here's a closer look at the habits we will focus on each week. By the end of summer, we hope our students feel empowered both academically and personally!

Week 1: Be Proactive

Students begin by considering the importance of habits. Can our daily habits really influence our future selves? They then define their paradigms and principles. How do they view the world? What matters most to them? Do they take responsibility for their wins and their losses? Lastly, they will discuss the importance of keeping promises -- to others and to themselves.

Week 2: Begin with the End in Mind

Long-term goals help students discover the purpose behind their schoolwork and activities. Students will craft a personal mission statement and learn how to set weekly, monthly, and yearly goals. They will then examine how they divide their time -- are they choosing activities that put them closer to their mission?

Week 3: Put First Things First

Lengthy to-do lists make it tough to decide what to tackle first. Students will learn to separate their to-dos into four categories: urgent and important, not urgent but important, urgent and unimportant, and neither urgent nor important. By organizing their tasks, students can cut down on procrastination and minimize time spent on activities that aren't truly important to them.

​Week 4: Think Win/Win

From dance class to college admissions, students' lives feel more competitive than ever. This habit debunks the idea that life is a "zero sum game" in which a win for one person means a loss for another. Students will learn the many benefits of supporting other people's success. Similarly, they will learn how to speak up and advocate for themselves when needed.

Week 5: Seek First to Understand, Then Be Understood

This habit can enhance students' relationships with friends, family, teachers and coaches. In times of conflict, our first instinct is usually to explain our own perspectives. By first trying  to understand how others are feeling, students can solve interpersonal problems from the inside out.

Week 6: Synergize

Our differences are a source of strength! In this unit, students will learn to harness the diversity around them and draw from different perspectives. How can a fresh pair of eyes take your project, idea or goal to the next level?

Week 7: Sharpen the Saw

If we don't take care of our minds, bodies and spirits, our goals start to drain us instead of inspire us. Students will identify which activities drain energy and which renew it. Then, they will create their own definitions of a balanced life.

Curriculum

Throughout the summer, students will work through the 7 Habits workbook, which gives space to journal and plan as we examine each habit.

Reading classes will focus on historical figures who paved their own roads to success. Grades K-6 will practice comprehension strategies with historical fiction and nonfiction articles and short stories; grades 7-12 will read longer biographies.

Students will also strengthen their informative and creative writing skills. Elementary students will focus on personal narratives and informative essays, middle school students will focus on persuasive essays and story structure, and high school students will focus on literary analysis and research papers.

Join Us This Summer!

At iLearn Academy, we want to help our students develop all the tools for success. Sometimes, that means building strong math skills. Other times, it means setting personal goals that motivate students for years to come.

Join us this summer for a meaningful, enriching curriculum and top-notch tutoring that helps students start the school year strong. Call 847-834-0791 for more information about summer programs and classes.