The Planner

Fourth grade is a wonderful year to learn greater responsibility, organization, and time management. One tool we will use every day is our planner.  Here are a few Frequently Asked Questions about the Planner.

1. What do I write in my planner?

Students will write down assignments and notes for each class.  Parents should look for something from science/social studies, reading, math, and skills every day.  Teachers will also put up notes and reminders throughout the week.

2. How often do I write in my planner?

Students will fill out their planners on Monday in each class. They will fill out their assignments for the entire week. This routine will be established from day one and will continue throughout the entire year.

3. What should parents do with planners?

Parents and teachers also use the planner for communication purposes. Teachers might write a quick note to parents or parents might have a question they write down in the planners. Checking the planners regularly makes for a great tool for quick communication.

4. What happens if I forget my planner?

If you happen to forget your planner one day, no worries. Just make sure you bring it the next day.

5. Do parents need to sign my planner each night?

But, if a student has a late assignment, then parents will need to sign or initial indicating they communicated with their child about the late assignment. A label will be placed in the planner as well, so parents know which assignment and class had the late assignment.

6. What about notes stapled in the planner?

Sometimes there are important notes or pieces of information we want to make sure parents see.  This may include information about parent teacher conferences, field trips, or changes in our calendar.  Instead of sending these notes home in Thursday folders where they might get lost in the shuffle of papers, we staple them in planners for parents to see that night. 

7. How are labels used?

Labels have multiple functions in our planners-test reminders, book order due dates, field trip notes, etc. Most often you will see labels used for a late assignment. The label will say which class, teacher, and what specific assignment was due.