Student Planners: Improving SEL and Executive Functioning Skills

Many parents have daily planners to keep all the activities in their lives organized. Getting a planner for your child may not have been something you've thought of. It can help them improve social-emotional learning and develop life skills.

Students can learn executive functioning skills that teach them self-management tools. Student planners help kids learn organizational and planning skills. These tools will help them not only in school but long-term as well.

Read on for more information on how a student or school planner can help your child or student flourish.

What Is Social-Emotional Learning?

Social-emotional learning is the process of developing self-control, self-awareness, and interpersonal skills. Strong skills in this area will help students better deal with everyday problems. They will thrive professionally, academically, and socially.

Using SEL as a foundation teaches children how to solve problems efficiently. They will master tools for self-discipline, emotion management, and impulse control. It creates positive and long-term effects on children and adults.

When implemented in schools and education, SEL promotes excellence and educational equity. Students will feel empowered when they are taught strong skills for SEL.

• Improvements in emotional and social skills, relationships, grades, and attitudes
• Overall long-term improvements in students' attitudes, skills, grades, and prosocial behavior
• A decline in behavior problems, anxiety, and substance use

What Are Executive Functioning Skills?

Executive functioning skills are self-management tools that help students achieve their goals. Students need to be able to:

• Focus their attention
• Manage their emotions
• Reflect and revise their tactics as things change

Having a solid foundation of social-emotional learning will set students up for success. There are certain primary skills included in executive functioning skills instruction. Learning these skills is important for students to become more independent:

• Organization: Arrange thoughts or materials in an orderly way and keep track of belongings.
• Time Management: Organize schedules and complete tasks on time while moving seamlessly from task to task.
• Planning: Think ahead, create plans, and prioritize tasks to complete projects.
• Working Memory: Store information for later use, aiding classroom success.
• Self-Control: Restrain emotional or physical outbursts and remain calm.
• Adaptable Thinking: Adjust to new situations and solve problems effectively.
• Self-Monitoring: Reflect on progress and make improvements as needed.

How Can a Student Planner Help?

Learning time management skills is one of the tactics of executive functioning skills. It also:

• Reduces student stress
• Eliminates ineffective habits for studying and homework
• Prevents learning disabled students from experiencing feelings of overwhelm and stress
• Increases productivity

Teach students how to break their assignments into smaller sub-tasks. They'll be able to create a schedule that is manageable for them and whatever it is they need to accomplish. Students will also be able to track their achievements as they cross off items they complete in their planner.

This will help build their momentum and self-confidence as they hit their goals throughout the week. They will work harder to keep hitting each of their milestones.

Implementing Student Learning Tips

Using a planner yourself will set a good example for your child. They will see you using a planner to plan out family events, daily choices, and other activities.

Pick out a unique planner that is customized with a photo on the front. They will be excited to have something that is unique to them and doesn't look like the average notebook or planner you can get at the store. Making them part of the process of picking out a planner will drive their engagement.

They can also use their planner as a study guide. Students can use blank note pages to write down aspects of an upcoming test they're struggling with. Students can add that to their planner and focus on different things each day in preparation for a big test.

A planner is something students can easily slip into the side pocket of their backpack. Make it part of their morning routine. Go over your own planners at the kitchen table as a family.

Encourage your child to make some notes in the notebook section and talk about them at the end of the day. Discuss how the notes helped them and what other things raised that weren't written down.

Developing the habit of using the planner is essential to learning executive functioning skills. Learning time management and planning with student planners will set your child up for success.

Choosing the Best Student Planners

Social-emotional learning is vital for giving students the tools to thrive in school. Executive functioning skills will give them the tools to make them well-rounded people. Student planners can help with time management schools and improve their self-confidence.

Customize school planners at Life Photo with personal photos. It can be personalized with a photo on the front, one for each month, or even one per week. Your child can completely customize the planner with 12 to 52 photos, making it something that is uniquely theirs and they are proud to show off.

Check out our online store for more information.