Why do we have the student planners? As we continue to work with our scholars and give them responsibility for their personal learning, it is important to have students put their assignments in their planners. When is the next test? What is my homework? What are after school activities I want to attend.
Ways for you can support planner usage:
1). Explicitly telling students “Write this in your planner” and waiting for all students to do it… It’s helpful to write this into your lesson plans as a way to help you remember to say this.
2). Building routines wherein students use their planner-Start each week by having students write in the schedule for your class for the week or start each class period by having students write the objective or burning question of the lesson in their planner.
3). Model planner usage by having a weekly planner on the wall- Students will benefit by being able to see exactly what you expect them to write down in their planner.
4). “Backwards Map” major assignments together as a class- Any time your students have a major project or major test coming up, have them write down the due date in their planner.
5). Having periodic “planner checks” and giving students a grade for their planner usage- Consider using the planner for quick‐writes and bell‐ringer activities. This can be considered for a grade in your class. What about having students do their “exit tickets” in their planner and show it to you on the way out.
6). Support struggling students by having their parents or another adult view the planner and sign they have reviewed it. Having parents sign the student’s planner is a great way to create home accountability for assignments. A phone call first can alert parents.
7). Start the year with a planner “scavenger hunt”—Use the resources included in the planners that students never know about and take a few minutes to show them the things available in their planner.
8). Find fun ways to incorporate the planner into your class-Have the class write down everyone’s birthday in their planners. Add obscure holidays such as “National Share a Smile Day”.
Thanks in advance for making the planner part of your classroom learning process.