This article provides tips for setting a schedule to help students be productive.
Setting and following a schedule is essential because it keeps the student in a routine. Keeping students in a routine helps them to stay focused on different tasks and provides them with an important life skill.
For a middle school or high school student, it should be expected that they spend approximately 45-60 minutes per subject. Please encourage them to take a couple of 10-15 minute breaks and be sure they take a more extended break for lunch for about 30 minutes. Although this age group is more independent, it is still important to check in with your student regularly and have conversations about what they are learning. Be sure they are staying on task and pace and have discussions to help keep them organized and stay on task if needed.
These things are done to provide students breaks so that they do not get overwhelmed or tired from subject to subject. It is important to incorporate these types of activities into the day for your student as well.
A Typical Day Description
- Morning Meeting (10 minutes): This is a time to meet with your student and go over some necessary skills students should know. It is also a time to review goals that have been set and review concepts being learned.
- Language Arts Block (60-75 minutes)
- Snack/Brain Break (15-20 minutes)
- Math (45-60 minutes)
- Lunch/Free Play (45 minutes)
- Science (30-45 minutes)
- Social Studies (30-45 minutes)
- Electives (30 minutes)
- Afternoon Meeting (10 minutes): This is a time to meet with your student and review the day.
- Please discuss with your student what they enjoyed most, what is something new they learned, what was their least favorite activity, what is something they need to review, or if they need extra help with a concept.
- Review the goals that were set, discuss if the goals were met if they need to be readjusted, and set new goals if needed.
- Review the math concepts for the day, quiz students on what they are learning.