How to Help Students with Time Management
By Huntington Learning Center
Successful students know how to organize themselves and manage their time effectively. If you have some students who seem to spin their wheels when it comes time to work or who frequently hand in late assignments, it might be time for a time management tune-up.
Here are a few tips for how to help your students improve their time management skills:
- Make use of the planner. Hopefully your students are accustomed to using their planners, but if not, work on fostering that habit. Make it a daily practice at the start and end of class to have students record homework assignments and anything they have due that week or beyond.
- Have students block out schedules. A day planner is very useful, but it’s also helpful for students to have a visual reminder of everything they have to do one week at a time. Encourage your students to use the hourly section of their weekly planner to record any sports practices or other commitments. Remind them that it’s a good habit to put everything on the calendar so they can quickly identify the best times for studying and relaxing.
- Teach the art of prioritization. Your students have a lot on their plates. Teach them how to quickly divide homework into several groups: items due the next day, items due that week, and items coming up soon. Next, have them sort due-next-day work from hardest to easiest, which will help them visualize their priorities, decide on an order, and create to-do lists.
Time management is essential for your students’ success. Help them nurture this skill in order to minimize their stress and avoid procrastination in school and all areas of their lives.
