Students with ADHD and executive functioning challenges struggle to consistently write down their assignments.  Their complaints about the student planners sold at school are a dime a dozen.  The most common complaint I hear is, “There’s too much distracting stuff on each page! I start to write down my homework, then I see an interesting study skills fact at the bottom of the page, and I forget to write down the assignment.” Another common concern is, “There’s not enough room to write down the details of my assignments!”  As a result of all these excuses complaints, I developed this No-Frills No-Excuses Student Planner.  This PDF document is for one month, so if you like it, you’ll need to print out a copy for each month of the school year.  If your school allows you to use a laptop, ipad, or other electronic tools*, you can actually type your assignments onto this PDF form and save them.   Here are some suggestions for using a student planner:

• Make sure your planner is easy to get in and out of your book bag or satchel.  If it is too difficult to get out, it will be too difficult to use it.
• Avoid planners with locks or zippers : things like this can become a hassle and then you won’t use it.
• Make the planner a part of your daily routine. Always carry it with you and remember to check it every morning and every night.
• Fill in your assignment due dates as soon as you learn of them. Write assignments in your planner at a specific time: either at the beginning or end of the class.
• Use different colors to record homework, project due dates, test dates, and other important information.
• To avoid conflicts and crises, you should record anything that takes time away from completing your assignments; dates, practice times, ballgames, parties, family birthdays or a family trip to the lake house.
• Use colored 3-M tabs or flags to indicate the end of each six weeks, each semester, or the due date of a big project.
• I recently read a blog post suggesting you name your planner. Why? You’re less likely to ignore something with a name!

Happy Planning!  Download Student Planner

* If your school allows you to use technology, ask if you can take a picture of the assignment written on the board or ask if one person can take a picture and post it to their wall on facebook.  Also consider forming a facebook group with your classmates.

(c) 2011, Monte W. Davenport, Ph.D.