School Planner for Students: How to Use One and Stay Organized

You receive an alert for a missing assignment for your child. Or your son or daughter shares with you the reason they failed a test was because they forgot. If only they had a system to remind them of these assignments and tests, and less reliance on their memory. 

Middle school creates the need for a system, such as a planner, because students are faced with multiple teachers, a variety of homework systems, tests, long term projects, etc. Showing students the value of a planner as part of the daily routine will make middle schoolers successful.  

What Should Go in a Planner 

A planner allows students to put more than just their homework inside.  Consider including the following:  

As your student includes these important items with details in their planner, there is an added element of organization and time management that surfaces. For example, instead of writing “Science Project due Friday,” students would benefit more from breaking the project into smaller steps and spreading it over several days. This helps them plan the project more effectively while also encouraging them to work on it little by little and not the night before it’s due. 

Strategies for Using the Planner Most Effectively 

During class or before leaving the classroom, students should write down all the details for an assignment. Encourage your student to look at their planner before starting homework. Having all the information will assist them with due dates and details to complete the assignment, which helps them manage their homework time.  

Parents, each night, go over your student’s planner with them to discuss what is due tomorrow, what is due later, what still needs to be completed, and is there an adjustment needed to any assignments and where they are listed in the planner. As assignments are completed, cross them off or highlight them. 

On Sunday or Monday, preview the week’s agenda for all assignments, tests, and projects. Also discuss any appointments, activities, and practices that may affect the timing of assignments. Ask your student, “Can you work ahead?”  

Teaching students in middle school the benefit of a planner creates organizational skills, practices planning and prioritizing and estimating how long each assignment/project will take. Encourage students to use a planner type, digital or paper, that works best for them. It’s more important that they are using it to plan which benefits them into high school and beyond.