Design Your Own Planner

Next Scheduled: TBD

Why design your own planner? Aren’t the ready-made ones enough? Because every student learns differently, which means every student organizes differently, too! So why not personalize?

This workshop was inspired by my teenage client Mary, whose DIY planner transformed her junior year by helping her organize her papers and manage her time. The new planner included (1) enough room to write down all her homework every day, (2) a pocket in which Mary could store completed homework until it needed to be turned in, and (3) room to plan her evenings around extracurricular activities. Plus, the beautifully collaged cover created a sense of ownership and fun, which helped her commit to using it.

During this 3-hour workshop, high school age girls will:

• Reflect on their strengths and challenges with regard to time management and organization
• Clarify personal values and set specific goals for the upcoming school year
• Decorate their planner with images that reflect their values, goals and interests
• Plan for the upcoming school year and discuss possible uses for the planner (e.g. scheduling time, tracking homework, turn in homework, taking notes, etc)
• Compile their planner using components from the revolutionary Circa System, including DIY pockets, dividers, Cornell notes pages, and more…

Girls will walk away with a ready-to-use personalized planner, and a beginning understanding of how to use it to transform their school year.

To Register: Email gretchen . wegner @ gmail . com

Fee: $150 (including supplies)

Location: InterPlayce, 2273 Telegraph Ave, Oakland 94612

Secrets of Successful Notetaking

Students don’t naturally know how to take notes; most need to be taught! In this workshop, they will learn how to take notes effectively and use them to study for tests and/or finals. This workshop is perfect for your high school student if:

• He doesn’t know how to take notes or only takes them when told by a teacher
• She writes too little or too much
• He copies text verbatim from books or highlights in lieu of actual note taking
• She doesn’t know how to best use notes for an exam
• He could use help figuring out what to write in his notes and finding the main ideas and themes in the text or lecture

Secrets of Successful Note Taking is offered by nationally-recognized Student Organizational Services. I’m not yet sure which fabulous SOS coach will be my teaching partner. Stay tuned!