Putting Student Planners to Good Use

Does your school hand out planners at the beginning of the year? Are students formally taught how to use them? Do you expect students to write assignments, reminders, and important tasks in their planner — and do you check it with any regularity?

This is a judgement‑free zone, but IF your school provides planners (agendas/calendars), consider making their use a habit by being the teacher who insists on using them. If your school does not provide planners, consider teaching students how to use an electronic calendar.

The goal is not only to help students stay accountable now, but to build a skill that lasts a lifetime. Start small: require students to create a daily to‑do list for your class, then progress into full planner use. Provide guidelines and hold students accountable. Some students will resist at first, but once they get the hang of it, they begin to see the value and need little prompting. A few will refuse entirely — these students are often academically at‑risk. For them, intervene and try to identify the core issue.

Lack of time should never be an excuse; teachers can always provide one to two minutes at the end of class for students to update their planner.

The document below includes two parts: Student Instructions and an Action Word list that can be cut off and taped into the planner for easy reference. There are many ways to hold students accountable, spot checks are just one example. Feeling brave? Require students to use their planner for every class, not just yours.
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Good luck!