Student Planners as a Study Skill
Tips for Effectively Using Assignment Notebooks with Students
Sep 27, 2008
Good study skills do not come naturally to all students. An assignment notebook or student planner is a simple tool to learn to use, but students still need some guidance and strategies to use them effectively. The following tips are designed to help students develop the habit of keeping track of what they need to do as homework.
Planners In the Classroom
Learning to use an assignment notebook starts in the classroom. Students as early as third or fourth grade are ready to write down what needs to be done at home. Instead of writing it on a piece of paper or relying on worksheets being sent in a folder, have students use a dedicated assignment notebook. The notebook can be a simple one from an office supply store or a special one purchased by the school or district. In either case, the page should contain the date and day of the week to help reinforce calendar concepts and vocabulary for younger students.
If all students are using the same style, and it contains additional materials, find ways to integrate these into class. Maps can be used for social studies, geography or history lessons. Math tables can be pointed out and then used in class when appropriate.
Have a dedicated time during class for students to write down their homework assignments. If it is a long term assignment, break it down into small pieces for multiple nights and make sure students know on which day the small pieces, as well as the completed assignment, is due. Assignments can be written on the board for students to copy or have students put the assignment in their own words. Encourage students to use the planner at home and check off when they complete each assignment.
Assignment Notebooks At Home
Use of the planner should not end once students leave the classroom. Involving parents helps to reinforce the classroom activity of writing down the assignment. Ask parents to check their child's notebook for that evening's assignments and to check afterwards that the assignment is completed. After checking, parents should initial the planner next to the assignment so there is a record of parental involvement and another reason for students to work with the planner.
Requiring students to write down assignments, check off assignments when completed and have parents initial that they have checked that the assignment is finished teaches them how to use a student planner on a basic level. Once students are comfortable with the routine with an assignment notebook they are more likely to continue the practice on their own as well as complete more homework independently.
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