9 Ways to Model Planning

Posted In Teaching On July 20, 2023

When you model planning skills for students, you teach them how to create and follow steps to achieve their goals within a set timeframe. Planning is an essential executive function skill that helps students manage their time effectively, but many struggle with this area. They may start tasks at the last minute, inaccurately estimate how long work will take, or forget assignments and due dates. These challenges can make schoolwork overwhelming and lead to the misconception that they are lazy or unmotivated.

By deliberately modeling planning skills, you provide students with tools to estimate time, prioritize tasks, and stay organized. These demonstrations give students valuable strategies to manage their schoolwork successfully. Below are 9 actionable ways to model planning skills for your students and help them develop this critical executive function skill.

Explain How You Estimate Time for Tasks

• Show your students how you determine how long different tasks will take. Verbalizing this process helps them learn how to make accurate time predictions.

Demonstrate How You Track Tasks and Deadlines

• Write down tasks and due dates where students can see them. Modeling this planning skill emphasizes the importance of having a system to track responsibilities.

Share Your Daily Preparation Routine

• Before leaving for the day, walk students through the steps you take to ensure you have everything you need. This helps them see how planning ahead prevents last-minute stress.

Use a Planner or Calendar

• Show students how you use a planning system—whether it’s a planner, calendar, or app—to keep track of tasks, events, and deadlines. Modeling planning skills in this way demonstrates how these tools can help them stay organized.

Break Down Big Projects Into Smaller Goals

• Explain how you divide a large project into smaller, short-term goals. This approach helps students see how to tackle overwhelming tasks in manageable steps.

Reflect on Planning Mistakes

• Share a time you missed a deadline or struggled with time management. Then explain how you adjusted your planning process to avoid repeating the mistake.

Set SMART Goals

• Demonstrate how you create specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely (SMART) goals. Modeling planning skills with this framework gives students a practical method for goal-setting.

Plan for Habit Changes

• Share a habit you want to change and walk students through your plan for creating a new, positive habit. This shows how planning can support personal growth.

Teach Time Estimation for Projects

• For a large project, show students how you estimate the time needed for each step and why that’s critical for success. Modeling this planning skill teaches them how to manage their time effectively.

When you consistently model planning skills, you provide students with the tools and strategies they need to succeed. By demonstrating these behaviors, you help them develop confidence in their ability to manage their time, complete tasks, and achieve their goals.

When teachers model planning, students begin to see this executive function skill in action.

Additional Resources

For more insights into teaching planning skills, explore the links below, or sign up for our newsletter to keep up to date on the latest in executive function instruction.

• Encouraging Student Talk to Boost Planning Skills in Grades 5-8
• 5 Helpful Discussion Questions to Build Planning Skills in Elementary Students
• 10 Ways Planning Skills Drive Student Success and Academic Growth

By prioritizing planning within your executive function instruction, you can unlock your students’ potential, improve their academic performance, and set them on a path to lifelong success.