How to best use a planner in college?

Hi Raeanna,

1. Lay out expectations early in the school year. Before handing out the first homework
   assignment, go over the ground rules. A written explanation of the homework expectations
   increases chances that assignments will be completed successfully.


2. Create assignments with a purpose. Any homework is not better than no homework at all.
   “The quality of an assignment makes a huge difference in whether it gets done,” says Patricia
   Cygan, a high school social studies teacher from Washington. “Busywork is no good.”


3. Make sure students understand the purpose. “I talk together with the kids about why an
   assignment is important,” Ms. Blegen explains. “From the beginning, kids must know what you
   are after.”


4. Make assignments focused and clear. Focused assignments are easier for students to
   understand and complete. Homework that tries to introduce or reinforce too many ideas is less
   likely to contribute to learning. This is particularly true for students whose abstract thinking
   hasn't developed to the point where they can integrate many concepts successfully.


5. Create assignments that challenge students to think and to integrate. Homework can give
   students an opportunity to apply a concept beyond the controlled conditions of the classroom. It
   can also help students pull together and connect information from different places, sources, and
   subjects.


6. Vary assignments. Students get bored if all assignments are similar. Try mixing approaches
   and styles. Since it's almost impossible for all assignments to interest all students, this approach
   increases the chances that all students will have some homework that they enjoy.
   Short-term assignments can help students review and practice material that has already been
   covered in class. Math students may need to review decimals, for example, while students of
   foreign languages may be required to go over verb conjugations. Long-term projects give
   students a chance to vary the pace of their work, delve into subjects that interest them, integrate
   large amounts of information, and learn to manage their time and meet deadlines.


7. Give homework that makes learning personal. “The assignments that work best have to do
   with the students—the assignments are personal to them,” explains Phyllis Orlicek, a high school
   English teacher from Arkansas. These assignments often allow students to draw upon their
   family, cultural, and community experiences and learn to appreciate better both their own and
   their classmates' backgrounds.

This is generally some of the good practices. Wishing you all the best in your future endeavors.