Using+a+Planner

Initial Planner Setup Instantly open your planner to the current page with a binder clip. You are much more likely to use your planner if you do not have to flip through dozens of pages every time you need to write something down. Paper clips do not work well because they slip off very easily.)  Write the phone numbers of responsible classmates from each of your classes in the back of your planner, in case you  ever have questions about homework. Do not use email or instant messaging for this purpose. Email is not reliable because you have to wait for friends to check it and instant messaging provides a strong temptation to get sucked into the computer. Save email/instant messaging for after your homework is complete, when you can enjoy it without worrying about homework.   Sunday Night  Spend ten minutes on Sundays preparing for the week.   Pull out your planner and write down your   goals for the week, sports practices, project due  dates, test dates, work schedules, etc. Highlight test  or project due dates and then consider, “What do I  have the night before?” If you have a basketball  game the night before a big test, then you need to  plan on spending extra time studying two nights before the test. Do you ever feel like your parents nag you too much? Would you like them to stop? Involve them when you plan your week. Ask your parents what their schedules are for the week and if they have anything planned for you, such as a doctor appointment or birthday dinner for your greataunt. Let them know what you have going on, as well. Parents “nag” because they want to be sure you are getting your homework done, that you are getting good grades, etc. They want what is best for you! If you take the initiative to tell your parents what is going on and communicate your plans for completing homework, you will be letting your parents know that you have things under control. When parents know you have things under control, they almost always stop nagging. Students with Two Homes If your parents/guardians live in two different homes, the Sunday Night Conference is a critical strategy for you to use with both parents. Take a few minutes to speak with each parent. If possible, have both parents on the phone line with you. Talk to them about your schedule for the week and make sure they both know about any practices you have after school, big tests, or projects that you have coming up. Doublecheck when you will visit the other parent and who will be picking you up from soccer practice, etc. This conference is the single best thing you can do for yourself when you call two places ‘home.’ During Class I have had countless parents and students tell me that taking a few minutes to plan their week together at the beginning of the week has been the greatest strategy they have ever tried. It really does work! End of School Day, Before Going Home Sometime before you go home from school (perhaps in the final moments of your last class or on the bus), take a few seconds to  plan when you will work on homework that evening. Review your planner notes and write down how much time you will need for each assignment so you can appropriately plan how much time you will need. Check your planner before you go home to be sure you have all of the books you need. This will take no more than five seconds if  you have the current page marked with a binder clip and your planner easily accessible in your arms or book bag. At Home, After School Stick to your schedule! Share it with your parents so that they know you are being responsible and will be less likely to “bug” you about your homework. If something comes up, or you simply get off track, get back on track by thinking about your priorities and take care of your “rock” priorities first. Stay on schedule by not accepting phone calls, instant messages, or checking email during homework time; this will only delay your progress. Ask family members to take phone messages (or let the machine do that for you), turn off cell phones, and turn down the volume on your computer so that you do not “hear” every email or IM that may be popping into your computer. Turning everything off may not sound very fun, but it will help you get your homework done much quicker. Do yourself the favor of avoiding the distractions, getting homework done on time, and then enjoying phone calls, email, and IM later in the evening. (It’s all about priorities!) Before Bedtime Avoid rushed mornings by taking a minute before you go to bed to check your planner one last time: Did you get all forms signed? Is all of your homework in your bag? Do you have your lunch money? Is there anything else you needed to take care of? Get everything you need ready, in your bag, and placed by the door before you go to bed. This simple habit will reduce morning craziness and will dramatically increase your feeling of preparedness in school the next day. Keeping a Good Balance Use your planner for organizing more than just schoolwork; record scheduled appointments, notes about family events, and goals for other areas of your life in your planner, too. Time Saving Tip Use a timer to help you stay focused while working on homework. Set the timer for the amount of time you think a homework assignment should take, and then work to “beat the clock.” Of course, the point is not to rush your work, but to stay focused and avoid distractions. S     E C T I O N         2: S         E T G O A L S           29 Review Copy For Example… A sample planner page is on page 31. The items in bold show what this student planned at the beginning of the week. Notice that one of her weekly goals was to shoot hoops and run three days this week. So, she plugged those items into her planner on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. She also has a TV program on Monday night that she does not want to miss, so she wrote that down, too. She also recorded some time for her to review her notes everyday. She is even reviewing her notes on Friday afternoon, but she is giving herself a break from all other homework Friday night. On Monday, she recorded her homework in each class, as it was assigned, and in 8 th  hour she spent two minutes figuring out when she would get her homework done that night. Her schedule may get thrown off a bit, but if it does, she still has a structure to follow to help her stay focused and achieve her other goal of having at least two homeworkfree hours every night. Chances are good that if she follows her plan, she will have a few more hours of homeworkfree time, too!