How to use a planner

How to use a planner

"The assignment is due when?
Tomorrow?"
We've all been there at some point.
Somehow, that assignment due date
just slipped right up on us
without our noticing.
?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

That is why organiational s!ills
are so important to school per"ormance.
Who can a""ord to score a big "at "#"
on a paper, just because we got lay
and didn't pay attention to the due date?

$oor organiation s!ills
can reduce your "inal scores
by a whole letter grade.
That's why you should learn
to use a day planner the right way!

%sing a planner is a li"e time s!ill!
&nowing how to use a planner
is one o" the best s!ills
you can learn as a student.
'ost students do not !now
how to organie their time.
(earning how to use a daily planner
is the only way to do this e""ectively!

$()**+,S ),+ +SS+*T-)(!
'ost teachers agree
that planners are essential.
Students who use them
usually earn )s and .s.
Students who don't /
o"ten miss deadlines
and lose points on tests,
classroom assignments, 0 projects.

+1+* ()-2 .)3& $+4$(+ *++2 '+'
'any students
5 especially those with )262 5
don't li!e using a planner.
They thin! it's a hassle and restricting.
"-'m a laid7bac! person, so planners
don't wor! "or me," they say.
- tell them, "+ven laid7bac! people
need to !eep trac! o" assignments,
deadlines, and appointments.
- have never met a student
who wants to lose trac! o" things."

W68 -S -T S4 36)((+*9-*9 T4 %S+?
8ou need to use your planner
several times a day,
but every time you need it,
it's di""icult to access.
.y the time you "ind it, open it,
and "lip to the correct page,
your teachers have moved on
...and you get lost.

T-$S :
3644S-*9 0 %S-*9
) $()**+,!

%se the right planner
;ind one that "its inside a special poc!et
or pouch in your boo! bag.
)void ones with loc!s, ippers,
leather covers or bul!y planners
The ideal planner will be thin,
with a spiral binding
and a wee!ly page layout.

*ame your planner
8es, give it a name. Why?
8ou're less li!ely to neglect something
with a name and a strong identity.
When you name an object
you give it more o" a presence in your li"e.
3all it something goo"y
or something sentimental<
it doesn't matter.
8ou don't have to tell anybody
i" you don't want to!

Two Small Steps
&eep the planner accessible!
Students should !eep their planner
in the "ront poc!et o" their boo! bag
or binder that they carry to their classes.
It should take no more than
two small actions
to retrieve their planner.

,+1-+W "T,)*S-T-4* $4-*TS"
*ow that you can access
your planner =uic!ly,
you should anticipate when to use it.
3ommon transition points include>
Sunday evening ?see below@,
due dates as they are announced,
at the loc!er as you are pac!ing up
at the end o" the day,
at home to trac! the assignments,
and be"ore7bedtime "inal chec!,
ensuring that all o" their assignments,
boo!s, and supplies are in their boo! bag.

'a!e it part o" your daily li"e
3arry it with you at all times and
remember to chec! it
every morning and every night.

;ill in your assignment
due dates as soon as received
9et in the habit o" writing in your planner
while you're still in the classroom.
2on't put it o""!
)lso e.g. your mom lets you !now you
have a dentist appointment on Thursday
Write it in immediately!!!

%se bac!ward planning
When you write a due date
in your planner,
go bac! a day or a wee!
and give yoursel" a reminder
that the due date is approaching.
?there is a separate presentation "or this@

Write =uic!ly
%se "teAting" language,
so that you can !eep up
with the rest o" the class.

*ever rely on memory!
Students o"ten say
that their assignments are so simple
that they can remember them
without writing them down.
The problem is that they do "orget,
or they use valuable mental bandwidth
trying to remember.

.ulldog clip
%S+ ) .-*2+, 3(-$
T4 '),& 84%, 3%,,+*T $)9+.
) binder clip becomes
a "handle" "or one7"lip access.

$en!
&++$ ) $+* -* T6+ S$-,)( .-*2-*9
to avoid the "pen hunt"
that o"ten brings use o" a planner
to a screeching halt.

%se a color7coding system
&eep some coloured stic!ers on hand
and use those "or reminders
that a due date or other important event
is approaching.
;or instance, use a yellow caution stic!er
to serve as a warning two days
be"ore your assignment paper is due.

$ut everything in your planner
8ou must remember that anything that
ta!es up time, eg sports match,
will !eep you "rom wor!ing
on an assignment or homewor!.
-" you don't write these in your planner
as time7"illers, you may not realie
how limited your homewor! time really is.
This leads to cramming and all7nighters.
you need to see what time is le"t over
in your wee! to study and do homewor!.

%se "lags
8ou can buy stic!y7note "lags
and use them as tabs to indicate
the end o" a term or the due date
o" a large project.
This is a great visual tool
that serves as a constant reminder
o" an close due date.

2on't throw away old pages!
8ou will always have
important in"ormation in your planner
that you'll need to see again
at a later date.
4ld phone numbers,
reading assignments<
you'll want to remember
those things later on.

64W 84%, $),+*TS
3)* 6+($

Sunday night meetings
) meeting at the beginning o" a wee!
?on Sunday evening@
wor!s miracles in improving
the use o" a planner.
+veryone in the "amily
grabs their planners or calendars
to discuss the wee! ahead.
$arents can tell about their schedule
everything "rom deadlines at wor!
to carpool plans.

Sunday night meetings
This sets the stage "or children
to respond with their plans.
This is a great way "or the "amily
to coordinate and avoid
last7minute con"licts.
'ost important, it drives home
the importance o" "thin!ing "orward."

T6-*9S T4 -*3(%2+
-* 84%, $()**+,

,egular bloc!s o" homewor! time

)ssignment due dates

Test 0 eAam dates

2octors appointments etc.

2ances, parties, dates, celebrations

;amily gatherings

8outh B 3hurch activities

4utings B eAcursions

6olidays

%niversity B 3ollege apply due dates

%niversity B 3ollege visitation days

-t's a good idea
to include college dates
even i" you're a "reshman
and you're not applying
or visiting colleges yet.
8ou will become "amiliar with how
rapidly test dates,
application deadlines,
and college visitation dates
come and go.

W++& T4 1-+W
-S T6+ .+ST T8$+
4; ST%2+*T $()**+,!



)ction $lan

Print out the sample planner page

Assign colours to your subject

(use our colour code if you want to)

Fill in ALL your time-fillers for the wee

!emember to write in appointments as well

"hat#s the beginning of using your planner$

%rite in reminder date for assignments

Attach bull dog clip to to current wee page

&uy a pen that fits into the spiral binding

Cuestions to answer

%hat is the best type of student planner'

%hat is a time-filler'

(ow do ) do bacward planning'

%hen do ) write in assignment dates'

%hat things are written into my planner'

%hat is the idea behind naming your planner'

%hat name did you gi*e your planner'

"rue+False, "hrow away old papers' %hy'

%hy is it a good idea to include college dates'

-ust you carry your planner with you'