Are your kids constantly forgetting what school assignments are due and when? Do you have to keep a calendar of everyone’s projects and due dates just to keep them on task?
Been there. And it’s not fun. So, I decided to make my kids responsible for their own learning with individual student planners. And when I did, our lives got better instantly.
Interestingly, even after we decided to put our kids in public school for a while, I noticed that my oldest daughter was furnished with a free student planner by the school. So even professional educators understand the value of a student planner!
If you haven’t started using one yet, here are a few reasons why (I think) kids NEED a student planner.
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Why Kids Need a Student Planner
1. Planners help kids develop responsibility.
Using an individual student planner automatically makes your child accountable for his or her work. In my daughter’s class, her teacher writes down the homework assignment on the board and the kids copy it down in their planners. Since they get to read and write it for themselves, they can’t say “I forgot to look at the board.” or “I didn’t know I had homework today!” This is why kids need a student planner. Whether your kids are in public school or home school, using a planner in this way makes kids take responsibility for their own grades.
2. They make your life as a parent easier.
Naturally, if your kids are keeping up with their own assignments, you won’t have to any longer. Woo hoo! Student planners give you something concrete to use as a reminder for your children. You don’t have to try to remember what they need to do. It’s already written down for them.
3. Planners help prepare kids for higher grades.
Learning how to use a student planner in elementary school is a huge skill that kids will need as they move on to middle school and high school. If your children are even considering college, they’ll be especially glad they learned how to organize their assignments and plan them out at an early age. I’m finishing up college myself and my student planner has literally been my safety net from day one.
By the way, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to help your kids get organized. Try this roundup of free printable planners we shared at Look! We’re Learning! last summer!
Do you use a student planner with your kids? Have you found it to be helpful? Tell us about your experience in the comments!
