I don’t want to rush the summer by any means, but it’s getting closer to back-to-school time whether we (or our kids) like it or not. Getting our kids as prepared as possible is the best thing we can do for them. If you have kids in Middle School, Junior High or High School, using a planner can help them succeed this school year.
Finding the Right Planner
Just like your own planner is special and unique, your child needs to find a planner that they will use and that they can make their own. If this is their first planner, I don’t recommend buying them something very expensive, but there are lots of very nice planners out there in the $10-20 range that will work perfectly for school.
There are planners designed specifically for students, and if that’s what your child likes one of them can work fine, but don’t feel like you have to lock your child into a traditional “student planner.” Staples, Target and lots of other stores have some great choices—not to mention all of the places you can look online.
What to Include
The most obvious thing to include is, of course, homework. Recording all assignments is the best way to keep track of them. If your kids are anything like mine (or like me!), if it isn’t written down it may as well not have been assigned.
But planners aren’t simply “To Do” lists, as we know very well. Instead of just writing down homework, plan out a schedule with your child that includes homework time and any extra-curricular activities they take part in.
Include dates that assignments are due and tests are scheduled, but also include important family dates (vacations, family parties, etc.) and important social dates (parties, concerts, friends’ birthdays).
For your high school students, important things to record are the BIG tests – ACT, PSAT, SAT. Include sign-up dates and when payments are due.
If it’s Junior year, be sure to include any application dates for the colleges they plan to apply to so that they don’t miss out on getting to go to the school they want because they missed the deadline.
How to Plan
Planning ahead doesn’t just mean recording the due dates for assignments and projects. Advance planning is important so that your student isn’t waiting until the last minute to do the work. As parents, and former students ourselves, we all know how well that works out.
Plan from the due date back to today’s date. If their project is due in three weeks, estimate how long it will take them to write and revise it – let’s say one week – flip back one week from the due date in their planner and write in “Begin writing x assignment.” Then figure out how much time they need to do any necessary research. If it’s another week, flip back another week and write in “Begin researching x assignment.” Be sure to include time to meet with their group if it’s a group project.
Once that is done, they know exactly when things need to be done. If they don’t need to start yet, they have given themselves permission to “procrastinate” in a way that won’t mean they’re scrambling at the end. Or they could start earlier and get done well before the due date.
The Finished Product
Once you have bought and set up the planner, let them decorate it any way they want. While girls may be more likely to be interested in the stickers and sparkles that we all love so much, boys will like the freedom to doodle, add their own kinds of stickers or write band or team names in all over the place. Let them know it’s ok to personalize it in any way they want and make it their own. They may be more likely to keep using it!
Planner Junkie/August, 2016 13
Planning for the Fall