Writing in the Student Agenda/Assignment Book

Why is it important to write down assignments in an assignment book? It assists

students in the development and reinforcement of their study skills. Research has
shown that part of an effective study methodology includes organization. Hence,
organization is evident in the student’s logging of homework assignments in
addition to the name of the concept of lesson learned during each period of the day.
This information helps the student not only in keeping an organized log of
homework assignments, but it also refreshes the student’s memory in terms of what
was covered throughout the course of a school day in each of his/her classes. For
this reason, it is recommended that teachers require students to use the following
guidelines in assuring that their students maintain and effective, useful, and active
Agenda or assignment book. DON’T FORGET THAT IF STUDENTS DON’T HAVE
AN AGENDA OR ASSIGNMENT BOOK, A SPIRAL NOTEBOOK USED
SPECIFICALLY FOR ASSIGNMENTS WILL SUFFICE! THE KEY IS TEACHING
THEM ORGANIZATION AS A TOOL AND AS AN EFFECTIVE STUDY SKILL!

1. Make sure that students consistently log assignments under the actual date
and period the assignment was given.
2. Not only should students refer to the page numbers of the assignment, but
they should also document the “name” of what was covered in class that day.
Knowing the name of a concept or lesson assists the student with developing
his/her content area vocabulary. Several terms presented in class will be
therefore recognized on a standardized test; whereas, if students don’t know
the name of what they are doing in class, they would become stumped with
content area terminology of which they have not been exposed.
3. If a homework assignment is not given by the teacher, students still need to
know that they should review at home what was covered. For this reason,
insist that students write what they did in each class period. So, not only
should they write the homework assignments from their classes, but they
should also write what was covered in each class as well.
4. Finally, use the Agenda/Assignment Book as a communication tool for use
between home and school. Get parents active in checking their students’
assignment books rather than relying on a verbal response from their child
about what he/she did in school that day! Even suggest to parents that they
should establish a routine where students know where to place the Agenda or
assignment book, on a regular basis, at night and retrieve the Agenda or
assignment book in the morning from that centralized area.
5. Remember, it takes approximately six to nine weeks to get students in the
habit of writing down assignments on a more consistent basis! If teachers
check it at least once a week during that six to nine week period, writing in
an Agendaor assignment book will become second nature for the students;
whereas, students begin to use it WITHOUT BEING TOLD! It becomes part of
 them as their sense of organization and planning for the future continues to
develop.

SAMPLE HOMEWORK LOG ENTRY IN AN ASSIGNMENT BOOK OR AGENDA

9/3 Period1: Math Topic: Polynomials HW (Homework):

pg. 35, Section 2.1

9/3 Period2: English Topic: Literary Elements pg. 143 Literature

Book NHW

9/3 Period3: World CivTopic: Mayan Civilization NHW (No

Homework)