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R stands for Responsible.
Why is it important to be Responsible?
When you are responsible, you and everyone else around you are become benefited. When you do your part, it makes it easier for everyone else to do  theirs.
How can you be a Responsible Otter?
Online:
Check and respond to messages daily
Know where to find resources in Schoology
Own your actions
Follow through on work completion
Turn in work on time
On Campus:
Pick up fter yourself in the classrooms and cafeteria
Be on time
Take charge of your learning
Come to campus for required testing
I think you can:
Ask questions when you need help
How have I been a Responsible Otter in the past?
I have asked questions when I am stuck or need help. This way, I can allow my instructor to help me and do their part while doing my part by seeking assistance when I need it.
How can I be a Responsible Otter in the future?
I can make sure that I am aware of all of my own requirements and do my work on time and well.

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E stands for Engaged.
Why is it important to be Engaged?
It is important to understand your material and what you are responsible for. To do those things, you have to be engaged.
How can you be an Engaged Otter?
Online:
Read the updates in your classes
Use the materials to understand the content and prepare for assignments, tests, and quizzes
Log in  for attendance daily
On Campus:
Stay on task during class
Make good choices about your behavior
Participate in field trips or social events
Be present
I think you can:
Try your best and put in your all everyday
How have I been an Engaged Otter in the past?
I read all of the Updates in my class and check my email everyday. I also try my best and commit to school, putting it before other activities.
How can I be an Engaged Otter in the future?
I can continue to check my email and the Updates page, as well as prioritize school.

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Engagement in classrooms is critical for student success. According to research, there is a large correlation between "student involvement and participation in the schooling process" and students completing school. Maximum engagement in high school classrooms has "been a significant predictor of continuing motivation and commitment as well as overall performance in college."

Staying Focused

Though engagement is important, keeping students focused is becoming more of a challenge than ever. It's been said that that the older students get, the more disengaged they become. In the modern age, distractions are becoming more common. Social and digital media are succeeding in distracting students from their studies, which leads to further disengagement.

To ensure academic success for students, educators must promote meaningful learning experiences in the classroom to keep students engaged and motivated in their studies.

How to Keep Students Engaged

The George Lucas Educational Foundation has identified six tips to keep students engaged in the classroom for improved academic success:

Make It Meaningful:

ensure learning activities that feel worthwhile for students.

Foster A Sense of Competence:

provide feedback to students so they feel as though they are "getting it".

Provide Autonomy Support:

allow students to feel somewhat in control of their academic progress.

Embrace Collaborative Learning:

encourage students to work together in groups to reinforce learning.

Establish Positive Teacher-Student Relationships:

establish and maintain personal relationships with students.

Promote Mastery Orientations:

encourage students to learn subjects for the sake of mastering them with a purpose instead of simply performing (i.e., getting good grades).

Technology:

Additionally, modern technology has played a role in motivating increased student engagement and self-esteem in the classroom. Working with devices as they are used in the real world has resulted in a sense of power and accomplishment for students in the classroom. To learn more about how BenQ technology helps support student engagement, click here.

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Classroom Engagement: Why is it Important?

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Engagement in classrooms is critical for student success. According to research, there is a large correlation between "student involvement and participation in the schooling process" and students completing school. Maximum engagement in high school classrooms has "been a significant predictor of continuing motivation and commitment as well as overall performance in college."

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T stands for Trustworthy.
Why is it important to be trustworthy?
When you are trustworthy, it can help your bond with your instructor and peers. It also will help you in later life, like when you are needed to be trustworthy in a job environment, a school environment, and in a friendship environment.
How can you  be a Trustworthy Otter?
Online:
Follow the Jeffco Code of  Conduct
Use your own words and thoughts
Take pride in your work
On Campus:
Follow the Jeffco Code of Conduct
Be a friend and be kind
Set a positive example for others
I think you can:
Read all syllabuses and material that you are supposed to
Be honest and don't cheat
Do not plagiarize
How have I been a Trustworthy Otter in the past?
I add citations to the assignments that I use other sources for and am honesty about what material I have read in the course.
How can I be a Trustworthy Otter in the future?
I can continue to cite all of my sources, be honest, and  do your own work.
This website has some interesting questions to ask ourselves about trust. The rest of the article is   more how to build a bond between students and teachers, but I am more interested in the questions.

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This past May, I shared a list of books that enrich different core character education values. My next few posts will suggest activities to intentionally teach those virtues and traits. Let's begin with trustworthiness.

When teaching the value of trustworthiness, consider starting with Aesop's fable "The Boy Who Cried Wolf." Most children have heard of this story, so start by asking one of them to retell it.

Here's a brief synopsis: For his own entertainment, a young shepherd boy screams that a wolf is attacking his flock of sheep. The people in the village are very alarmed and come running to his aid. But they find that there is no wolf, and the sheep are not in danger. After the shepherd boy pulls this stunt several times, the villagers realize that he is lying. One day, a wolf actually does attack the sheep. But this time when the boy cries out for help, the villagers recall that he is not trustworthy, and they ignore him.

Following a reading or telling of the story, discuss the importance of telling the truth in building trust. Use questions like these: What happens if someone lies once? How many times does someone have to lie before they are not trustworthy? Why didn't the people believe the boy when there really was a wolf? Has this sort of thing ever happened to you or someone you know? How can you make sure people believe you? Will it be easy for the boy to change his reputation? Will it be possible? How?

Use Discussion Dilemmas
Discussion Dilemmas can be very effective for helping children wrestle with character choices. When talking about trustworthiness, try these questions:

1. Is cheating the same thing as lying? If not, which is worse?

2. How common do you think cheating is? Why do people cheat?

3. If a cashier gives you too much change and you knowingly keep it, is that stealing?

4. How does cheating, lying, or stealing affect trust? How do they affect friendships?

5. What should be the consequences of cheating? Of stealing? Of lying?

6. What might happen if a news reporter exaggerates or makes up details of a story? Is that lying?

7. Is there ever a time when it's okay to cheat or steal? If so, give an example.

8. What might you do if you catch a friend cheating or stealing?

9. Is it ever okay to tell a "little white lie" (for example, to spare someone's feelings)? Why or why not?

10. Why is it important to keep your promises?

11. What happens when a friend doesn't keep his or her promise to you?

12. How important is it that someone keeps your secrets?

13. What type of secret wouldn't or couldn't you keep?

These reflection questions also make interesting journaling prompts or class circle conversation starters. When you've finished discussing these questions, make up some of your own and encourage your students to do the same.

Build a Solid Wall of Trust
Whether or not they realize it, our students are building their reputations-or what I call their Wall of Trust-with every choice they make. Here's an activity using cardboard bricks (or tissue boxes!) that can visually show students how important that construction work is.

Give students a brick and ask them a question like, "What do people like about you?" or "What makes you a good friend?" or "In what ways are you trustworthy?" Have students add their brick to the wall as they give their answer aloud. Their answers will vary from "I'm kind" to "I keep my promises," "You can count on me," or "I tell the truth." With each answer, lay the bricks, overlapping them at the seams so they're not stacked directly on top of one another, to make a pyramid-style wall.

After the wall has been constructed, talk with students about how it represents their solid friendships. Wouldn't you want to be friends with someone whose Wall of Trust is this tall and this strong? Next give students a dilemma like the following: "What happens to your Wall of Trust if you promise to hang out with your friend but you forget and don't show up?" Let them answer before you strategically and slowly knock a block out of the middle of the wall. Tell students, "When you mess up, you gotta fix it up," and ask them what you'd have to do to fix that hole in their Wall of Trust.

Ask students to consider another imaginary situation: "Suppose you need a partner for a class project. The same friend who forgot to show up to play last time wants to be your partner. Do you trust this person to show up to work on the project? If so, what happens if she or he forgets again?"

This time, knock down the top half of the wall to show what happens to our Wall of Trust when we've let someone down too many times. Ask how difficult it is to trust someone whose wall is broken down in this way and what that person would have to do to strengthen it again. Make sure that participants know that trustworthiness is always about owning and fixing mistakes so that people can count on and trust them.

Make Friendship Kits
Trustworthiness is a crucial ingredient for a healthy friendship. An activity I've used to make friendship a bit more tangible is putting together a Friendship Kit.

Gather the items listed below and put them in a clear zip-top bag. Before showing students the Friendship Kit, ask them what they might put into a Friendship Kit and why. After they share a few ideas, show them the kit-but don't tell them what you think each item represents. Rather, pull out the items one by one and ask how that item might represent friendship. For example, "Why do you think there's a button in the kit?" Make it clear that there are no right or wrong answers so students feel free to brainstorm whatever comes to mind. Prepare for some amazing reflections. One boy once told me that "just like a button completes a shirt and holds it together, a friend completes you." Boom! What do all of these items have to do with trust in a friendship?

If you have a budget, you can purchase these items in bulk and let the students make Friendship Kits for themselves. When I did this, it cost about ten cents per kit.

Currently in her 33rd year as an educator, Barbara Gruener, a school counselor and character coach at Bales Intermediate School in Friendswood, Texas, has had the pleasure of working with kids from every grade level. Author of the blog The Corner on Character and the book What's Under Your Cape? SUPERHEROES of the Character Kind, Barbara enjoys positively influencing change through her inspirational keynotes and interactive workshops. When she's not working, you can bet Barbara is knitting, baking, writing, reading, walking, gardening, napping, or spending time with her husband and their three children.

We welcome your comments and suggestions. Share your comments, stories, and ideas below, or All comments will be approved before posting, and are subject to our comment and privacy policies.

© 2016 by Free Spirit Publishing. All rights reserved.

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Teaching Kids the Importance of Trustworthiness

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By Barbara Gruener Part of our Counselor's Corner series. Click to read other posts in the Counselor's Corner. This past May, I shared a list of books that enrich different core character education values. My next few posts will suggest activities to intentionally teach those virtues and traits. Let's begin with trustworthiness.

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T stands for Teamwork.
Why is it important to participating in Teamwork?
It is so important to be a active team player using Teamwork. If you work together as a team with your peers, you can make sure that no one is left behind. Don't just worry about yourself- be a team player and help someone out!
How can you be a Otter that uses Teamwork?
Online:
Ask your teacher for help when you need it
Respond to messages from school staff
Read the "Things You Otter Know" weekly
On Campus:
Work together and share ideas
Help your classmates stay on task
Work with your teacher
I think you can:
Help out new students
How have I been an Otter that uses teamwork?
Last year, my peer asked me if we could work together on one assignment. She was struggling with a Science Assignment, and I was struggling with the same assignment. She and I met at the library and checked out books about the topic and worked together on the assignment. We both succeeded and got a good grade, along with understanding the topic better!
How I can be an Otter that uses teamwork in the future?
I can help my peers out and help new students understand Schoology better. I can also work together with a friend and share my ideas with them.
This website shares why teamwork is important in the workplace, but just replace that word with school.

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Being a master of one or a jack-of-all-trades in today's world does not bring about success if you are unable to work as part of a team. The importance of teamwork cannot be stressed enough!

However, it's hard to get a group of individuals to collaborate together smoothly. Don't you agree?

Look:

A leader that can't work with a team, is a failure!

Leaders that develop great teams around them have two things that they do well:

they have a lot of emotional intelligence and

are able to provide a clear vision for the team.

Well, you are probably wondering what the team members need to have:

The team members themselves also need to possess high emotional intelligence so that they interact with each other with the least amount of friction.

The importance of teamwork is essential in today's multidisciplinary world. In the past, during the industrial era when most jobs were represented by people on a manufacturing line doing one thing all day - teamwork wasn't as important as it is today.
Related Content: Teamwork - Step by Step Guide for Effective Team Building
In today's knowledge economy, most of our jobs involve interacting with others that are not even in the same line of profession. The need for effective teamwork is critical for any business.

The ability to simultaneously perform as an individual and together with your colleagues or employees in effective teamwork is key to attaining growth and success.

In every aspect of a business, the diverse skills of teams are needed for reaching success. Make use of every opportunity you have to engage in teamwork so you develop effective communication skills. From ice breaker questions to deeper talks, getting to know your team will help you reach your goals.

Steve Jobs changed the whole pattern of living with his innovative and creative mind. However, without his team of hard-working professionals and their abilities, his innovations would not have reached the hands of so many people around the world.

In effect, teamwork is important and essential in order to accomplish the overall objectives and goals of an organization.

Still not convinced of the importance of teamwork, or you need to know more about the benefits of teamwork?
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The following 5 reasons summarize the importance of teamwork and why it matters to you:

Teamwork motivates unity in the workplace

A teamwork environment promotes an atmosphere that fosters friendship and loyalty. These close-knit relationships motivate employees in parallel and align them to work harder, cooperate and be supportive of one another.

Individuals possess diverse talents, weaknesses, communication skills, strengths, and habits. Therefore, when a teamwork environment is not encouraged this can pose many challenges towards achieving the overall goals and objectives. This creates an environment where employees become focused on promoting their own achievements and competing against their fellow colleagues. Ultimately, this can lead to an unhealthy and inefficient working environment. When teamwork works, the whole team would be motivated and working toward the same goal in harmony. To enhance teamwork and foster effective communication within teams, platforms like Superprof offer valuable resources for improving communication skills. Learn more about how Superprof can contribute to communication excellence in their blog post on "Payments and Charges on Superprof" .

When teamwork is working the whole team would be motivated and working toward the same goal in harmony.

- Listen to our teamwork fundamentals audio course:

Teamwork offers differing perspectives and feedback

Good teamwork structures provide your organization with a diversity of thought, creativity, perspectives, opportunities, and problem-solving approaches. A proper team environment allows individuals to brainstorm collectively, which in turn increases their success to problem solve and arrive at solutions more efficiently and effectively.

Effective teams also allow the initiative to innovate, in turn creating a competitive edge to accomplish goals and objectives. Sharing differing opinions and experiences strengthens accountability and can help make effective decisions faster, than when done alone.

Team effort increases output by having quick feedback and multiple sets of skills come into play to support your work. You can do the stages of designing, planning, and implementation much more efficiently when a team is functioning well.

Teamwork provides improved efficiency and productivity

When incorporating teamwork strategies, you become more efficient and productive. This is because it allows the workload to be shared, reducing the pressure on individuals, and ensuring tasks are completed within a set time frame. It also allows goals to be more attainable, enhances the optimization of performance, improves job satisfaction, and increases work pace.

Ultimately, when a group of individuals works together, compared to one person working alone, they promote a more efficient work output and are able to complete tasks faster due to many minds intertwined on the same goals and objectives of the business. Take a look at the unlimited graphic design service DotYeti, where they work hand-in-hand together to provide high-quality graphic designs in an efficient manner.

Teamwork provides great learning opportunities

Working in a team enables us to learn from one another's mistakes. You are able to avoid future errors, gain insight from differing perspectives, and learn new concepts from more experienced colleagues.

In addition, individuals can expand their skill sets, discover fresh ideas from newer colleagues and therefore ascertain more effective approaches and solutions towards the tasks at hand. This active engagement generates future articulation, encouragement and innovative capacity to problem-solve and generate ideas more effectively and efficiently.

Teamwork promotes workplace synergy

Mutual support shared goals, cooperation and encouragement provide workplace synergy. With this, team members are able to feel a greater sense of accomplishment, are collectively responsible for outcomes achieved and feed individuals with the incentive to perform at higher levels.

When team members are aware of their own responsibilities and roles, as well as the significance of their output being relied upon by the rest of their team, team members will be driven to share the same vision, values, and goals. The result creates a workplace environment based on fellowship, trust, support, respect, and cooperation.

Without the ability to effectively work in a team environment, you could delay the success of developing, formulating and implementing new and innovative ideas. The ability to problem solve is reduced, as well as the attainment of meeting goals and objectives, in turn, limiting the efficiency and effectiveness of growing a successful company is hindered.

I'm sure that by now you are totally convinced about the importance of teamwork, but if you would like to see more benefits, here's a video from our teamwork course that gives you yet another perspective.

The synergy of individuals is a powerful and strong instrument; don't be fooled by the idea that working alone brings glory. Working alone may help your ego sometimes, however, will not necessarily make you a regular winner!

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5 Important Reasons Why Teamwork Matters - Potential.com

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Discover the Importance of teamwork which results in; Unity, Differing Perspectives, Efficiency and productivity, Learning Opportunities and Work Synergy.

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O stands for Organized.
Why is it important to be organized?
Its important to be organized because it is not only easier for you to do your work but also easier for your teacher so that they can easily grade and view your assignments.

How can you be an Organized Otter?
Online:
Create your schedule. Be consistent yet flexible
Keep a calendar for due dates
Use folders in Google Drive
On Campus:
Be prepared for class
Take notes
Know your schedule for rotations
I think you can:
Understand your work before you start the week
How have I been an Organized Otter in the past ?
In the morning, I always organize my backpack so that all of my notebooks and folders are in place. This way, I can easily be ready for the day without having to take time out of my school time to organize my stuff.
How can I be an Organized Otter in the future?
In the future, I can make a schedule at the beginning of the week for myself so that I turn in all of my assignments on time. This way, I can pace myself and prevent procrastination.

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Download Article

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It can be really frustrating to feel like you're always forgetting your homework or losing your pencils, but you might not realize how much it's affecting your school performance. Fortunately, those problems can usually be fixed by a little organization. When you keep your work area, schedule, and even class notes organized, you'll almost certainly find that it's easier to keep up with your schoolwork, and you might even see an improvement in your grades!

Add New Question

How do you stay organized in high school?

Ashley Pritchard is an Academic and School Counselor at Delaware Valley Regional High School in Frenchtown, New Jersey. Ashley has over 3 years of high school, college, and career counseling experience. She has an MA in School Counseling with a specialization in Mental Health from Caldwell University and is certified as an Independent Education Consultant through the University of California, Irvine.

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

Check your planner every day, and write down any homework, tests, or other important dates as soon as you learn about them. It can also help to keep a 3-ring binder with sections for each class you have.

How do you organize school notes?

Ashley Pritchard is an Academic and School Counselor at Delaware Valley Regional High School in Frenchtown, New Jersey. Ashley has over 3 years of high school, college, and career counseling experience. She has an MA in School Counseling with a specialization in Mental Health from Caldwell University and is certified as an Independent Education Consultant through the University of California, Irvine.

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

I suggest using a 3-ring binder and dividing your notes into sections for each class. If your teacher mentions that something will be on the test, be especially sure to write it down or highlight it.

How can I stay organized without a planner?

Ashley Pritchard is an Academic and School Counselor at Delaware Valley Regional High School in Frenchtown, New Jersey. Ashley has over 3 years of high school, college, and career counseling experience. She has an MA in School Counseling with a specialization in Mental Health from Caldwell University and is certified as an Independent Education Consultant through the University of California, Irvine.

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Don't expect to become organized overnight! It takes time, so be patient with yourself and have confidence that it'll work out soon.

You should clean out your backpack at least once a week or after school every day to get rid of trash or rubbish that you don't need in there.

Pencil case

Binders

Pencils

Pens

Notebooks

Paper

Highlighters

Planner

Sticky notes

Organization tools (storage bins, pencil holders, etc.)

↑ Ashley Pritchard, MA. Academic & School Counselor. Expert Interview. 4 November 2019.

↑ Ashley Pritchard, MA. Academic & School Counselor. Expert Interview. 4 November 2019.

This article was co-authored by Ashley Pritchard, MA and by wikiHow staff writer, Amy Bobinger. Ashley Pritchard is an Academic and School Counselor at Delaware Valley Regional High School in Frenchtown, New Jersey. Ashley has over 3 years of high school, college, and career counseling experience. She has an MA in School Counseling with a specialization in Mental Health from Caldwell University and is certified as an Independent Education Consultant through the University of California, Irvine. This article has been viewed 668,827 times.

Updated: February 18, 2023

To be organized in school, start by setting up a different color binder for each class, like red for English and blue for math, and labeling dividers to keep notes, assignments, and tests in separate sections. Additionally, use a planner to write down things like homework assignments and club meeting dates, and check it every day to stay on track. You should also try to keep your backpack and locker clean and organized. For example, use caddies in your locker to keep things neat, or keep your pencil case in an outside backpack pocket for easy access. For more tips, like how to use the Cornell method to organize your class notes, read on!

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 668,827 times.

"I think what helped me the most was the topic on the locker information, especially the idea to do a weekly clean! Also, what to put in your backpack, since I tend to personally put junk/random stuff in my bag! Lots of great ideas. I love your website!" ..." more

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4 Ways to Be Organized in School - wikiHow

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It can be really frustrating to feel like you're always forgetting your homework or losing your pencils, but you might not realize how much it's affecting your school performance. Fortunately, those problems can usually be fixed by a...

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OTTER stands for Organized, Teamwork, Trustworthy, Engaged, and Responsible. Lets see how we can be those things!

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Welcome to my Padlet! This Padlet is all about how to be an OTTER otter! Each letter in the word OTTER stands for something, so there will be a slide for each! For each letter, I will tell you what it stands for, why it is important, how you can be it according to the given OTTER grid,  a checkmark if I have been a OTTER otter, how I  be an OTTER otter in the future, how I have been an OTTER otter in the past, and a website on how to be an OTTER otter.
The portion of the assignment where I am to put myself in is the portion of me telling about how I  have been each of these traits.
Please follow along to arrows so you don't get lost and make sure to scroll all the way down! Good luck!