School Specialty. Planning & Student Development

Monthly Themes

Studying and test taking are essential skills to school and life. Having these skills means students are better equipped to accomplish directed tasks. This confidence-building strategy leads to more students staying on task, finishing their assignments and doing better on tests. This sets the stage for how these students approach life outside of school.

Consistent themes throughout grade levels enables a school to zero in on the same test-taking skill focus each month. With each new month, students can build on the previous knowledge and practice to systematically become better test takers and consistently score higher.

With The 101, primary students are introduced to study skills and begin to develop skills they will soon use for test-taking. Gaining a greater understanding of what it means to have effective studying skills, students are introduced to such topics as types of tests, study space, learning styles, general organization and note taking.

• August: Independent Learning

  Help students recognize how they can be involved in their own learning. Such involvement helps them also make meaningful connections with the world outside the classroom.

• September: Homework Help

  Provide information on not only how to get homework complete, but why homework is important.

• October: Test Success

  Deliver tips and strategies on how to be an effective test-taker for a variety of different types of tests.

• November: Listening Skills

  Teach students how to be an effective listener so they know how to take in information, process it and then later recall it.

• December: Managing Stress

  Provide information to students on how to cope with stress. By managing stress levels, students are more likely to stay focused and avoid procrastinating.

• January: Group Work

  Help students understand how they can work together with other students and how it can help them.

• February: Improving Reading Skills

  Reading materials and effectively processing the information, improves students' test-taking and studying abilities.

• March: Procrastination

  Putting off school work or studying doesn't pay off. Help students break things down into manageable chunks and plan ahead so they don't feel so overwhelmed.

• April: Staying Focused

  Developing concentration is an important skill to help students focus.

• May: Last-Minute Studying

  Studying at the last minute can be effective if it is done correctly. Give students strategies and tips, while helping them avoid procrastinating and relying solely on last-minute studying.

• June: Lifelong Learning

  Help students recognize how these skills and the information learned through out the year not only applies to their everyday life now but also how they can transfer the information to for years to come.

Monthly Themes

Studying and test taking are essential skills to school and life. Having these skills means students are better equipped to accomplish directed tasks. This confidence-building strategy leads to more students staying on task, finishing their assignments and doing better on tests. This sets the stage for how these students approach life outside of school.

Consistent themes throughout grade levels enables a school to zero in on the same test-taking skill focus each month. With each new month, students can build on the previous knowledge and practice to systematically become better test takers and consistently score higher.

With The 101, elementary students become more proficient in their studying skills and better equipped for testing early in their test-taking career. Gaining a greater understanding of what it means to have effective studying skills, students are introduced to such topics as types of tests, study space, learning styles, general organization and note taking.

At the elementary level, the planner provides formal guidance for learning about homework assignments, long-term projects and how to approach task completion – being sure to address the requirements involved and how to handle the stress of working through these requirements. With their test-taking confidence elevated, students experience less pre-test stress and can realize their full academic potential.

Being conscientious of the school calendar the monthly themes in The 101 planner aligns with annual testing times. As elementary students prepare to enter middle school, anxiety builds as they anticipate more work and less help when moving into a larger school. Help them gain the confidence to make this transition smoother.

• August: Independent Learning

  Help students recognize how they can be involved in their own learning. Such involvement helps them also make meaningful connections with the world outside the classroom.

• September: Homework Help

  Provide information on not only how to get homework complete, but why homework is important.

• October: Test Success

  Deliver tips and strategies on how to be an effective test-taker for a variety of different types of tests.

• November: Listening Skills

  Teach students how to be an effective listener so they know how to take in information, process it and then later recall it.

• December: Managing Stress

  Provide information to students on how to cope with stress. By managing stress levels, students are more likely to stay focused and avoid procrastinating.

• January: Note Taking

  Learning how to take notes helps students process information and recall it later.

• February: Improving Reading Skills

  Reading materials and effectively processing the information, improves students' test-taking and studying abilities.

• March: Procrastination

  Putting off school work or studying doesn't pay off. Help students break things down into manageable chunks and plan ahead so they don't feel so overwhelmed.

• April: Staying Focused

  Developing concentration is an important skill to help students focus.

• May: Last-Minute Studying

  Studying at the last minute can be effective if it is done correctly. Give students strategies and tips, while helping them avoid procrastinating and relying solely on last-minute studying.

• June: Lifelong Learning

  Help students recognize how these skills and the information learned through out the year not only applies to their everyday life now but also how they can transfer the information to for years to come.

Monthly Themes

Studying and test taking are essential skills to school and life. Having these skills means students are better equipped to accomplish directed tasks. This confidence-building strategy leads to more students staying on task, finishing their assignments and doing better on tests. This sets the stage for how these students approach life outside of school.

Consistent themes throughout grade levels establishes a pre-planned implementation schedule for the entire district to follow.

Middle school students are often overwhelmed by the increased responsibility and greater workload that comes with their new territory. The 101 helps students learn how to study, set up a study area and complete their homework using their own self-managed time.

Using the strategies and practicing the exercises provided in The 101, middle school students experience less pre-test stress and are able to realize their full academic potential. With The 101, students gain necessary confidence and are better prepared to tackle and embrace their new environment. This ability to adapt is a lifelong, useful skill.

• August: Independent Learning

  Help students recognize how they can be involved in their own learning. Such involvement helps them also make meaningful connections with the world outside the classroom.

• September: Homework Help

  Provide information on not only how to get homework complete, but why homework is important.

• October: Test Success

  Deliver tips and strategies on how to be an effective test-taker for a variety of different types of tests.

• November: Listening Skills

  Teach students how to be an effective listener so they know how to take in information, process it and then later recall it.

• December: Managing Stress

  Provide information to students on how to cope with stress. By managing stress levels, students are more likely to stay focused and avoid procrastinating.

• January: Note Taking

  Learning how to take notes helps students process information and recall it later.

• February: Improving Reading Skills

  Reading materials and effectively processing the information, improves students' test-taking and studying abilities.

• March: Procrastination

  Putting off school work or studying doesn't pay off. Help students break things down into manageable chunks and plan ahead so they don't feel so overwhelmed.

• April: Staying Focused

  Developing concentration is an important skill to help students focus.

• May: Last-Minute Studying

  Studying at the last minute can be effective if it is done correctly. Give students strategies and tips, while helping them avoid procrastinating and relying solely on last-minute studying.

• June: Lifelong Learning

  Help students recognize how these skills and the information learned through out the year not only applies to their everyday life now but also how they can transfer the information to for years to come.

Monthly Themes

Studying and test taking are essential skills to school and life. Having these skills means students are better equipped to accomplish directed tasks. This confidence-building strategy leads to more students staying on task, finishing their assignments and doing better on tests. This sets the stage for how these students approach life outside of school.

Consistent themes throughout grade levels establishes a pre-planned implementation schedule for the entire district to follow.

Similar to the transition into middle school, the advancement into high school can be overwhelming for students. The academic requirements are stiffer, and the expectation of increased independence – while exciting – can be daunting. In addition to that weight, high school students are expected to develop a career and post-graduation plan. Through all of this, self confidence and self management are key to student success.

At this level, students are expected to know how to complete assignments and do well on tests, because "they've now done them for many years." It's never too late to learn better methods, more efficient habits and new approaches. In fact, at this level, it becomes even more valuable. With The 101 planner, high school students increase their confidence, raise their own bar of achievement and seek further advancement – all because of improved studying and test-taking skills that lead to their accomplishments.

• August: Independent Learning

  Help students recognize how they can be involved in their own learning. Such involvement helps them also make meaningful connections with the world outside the classroom.

• September: Homework Help

  Provide information on not only how to get homework complete, but why homework is important.

• October: Test Success

  Deliver tips and strategies on how to be an effective test-taker for a variety of different types of tests.

• November: Listening Skills

  Teach students how to be an effective listener so they know how to take in information, process it and then later recall it.

• December: Managing Stress

  Provide information to students on how to cope with stress. By managing stress levels, students are more likely to stay focused and avoid procrastinating.

• January: Note Taking

  Learning how to take notes helps students process information and recall it later.

• February: Improving Reading Skills

  Reading materials and effectively processing the information, improves students' test-taking and studying abilities.

• March: Procrastination

  Putting off school work or studying doesn't pay off. Help students break things down into manageable chunks and plan ahead so they don't feel so overwhelmed.

• April: Staying Focused

  Developing concentration is an important skill to help students focus.

• May: Last-Minute Studying

  Studying at the last minute can be effective if it is done correctly. Give students strategies and tips, while helping them avoid procrastinating and relying solely on last-minute studying.

• June: Lifelong Learning

  Help students recognize how these skills and the information learned through out the year not only applies to their everyday life now but also how they can transfer the information to for years to come.

Improve student achievement.

This planner uses candid, straight-forward language for students to understand how to get tasks done with minimal stress. When students feel equipped to tackle obstacles, they are willing to address them and are more likely to succeed. This skill is transferable throughout their education and into the real world.

Completed assignments. Higher test scores.

Studying and test taking are essential skills for school and life. Learning these skills equips students to accomplish directed tasks and builds self-confidence to perform to the best of their abilities.

Supported with educator tools.

To ensure our products are easy to use and provide the most impact possible, we provide extra resources that help educators integrate the program into the classroom. Learn more about our product support in the Online section above.

Easy to understand. Easy to apply.

The 101 breaks down sometimes complex concepts into bite-sized modules which enable students of all abilities to grasp and immediately apply the skills being learned.

Students taught to monitor their own performance.

Self-assessment activities throughout the planner help students evaluate their own success and identify where improvements are needed. As students accept more responsibility for their achievements, they increase their level of participation.

Set the tone at home.

Aim to help every student learn in a positive environment at home – establish and reinforce work habits and a healthy attitude toward school and learning – by providing the tools for parents to become partners in their child's education. The 101 provides busy parents with easy activities, suggestions, communication tools and information, making it fun for parents to be involved.

Teach students stress-busting tactics.

With The 101, students learn how to work through stressful situations by defining what stress is, learning how to identify stress in their own lives, knowing how to tell when they are stressed, and engaging tactics and outlets for overcoming and minimizing anxiety. This helps students approach tasks more easily, allowing them to perform them better and feel good about their accomplishments.

The included educator support pieces elevate the program's effectiveness without adding more work for busy teachers. That is why we created The101.schoolspecialty.com, a password-protected website where educators can download support pieces.

• Resource support package: Program overview, staff support guide, classroom teacher guide, and parent/family guide—all available for download to h elp teach the onTRAC® planning system.
• Lesson plans: These 11 ready-made lesson plans reinforce concepts introduced in The 101™ planner. Extension activities are also included to help take specific lessons further.
• PDFs for use on interactive whiteboards: Download a reusable onTRAC® calendar PDF that helps educators model planner use and teach the onTRAC® planning system. Go one step further and order the full planner PDF to model the student planner in its entirety.
• Family newsletters: Send these already prepared newsletters to encourage home-to-school communication and address the same topics found in The 101™ planners.
• Quarterly educator newsletters: These newsletters provide information and tips to administrators and educators about the resources available and how to utilize them effectively. Delivered four times per year: August, October, January and March.

All this support adds additional value and helps educators get the most from The 101™ planner program.

Planners are great tools for your students, but why not have them work a little harder for you. Customize them with your school's information, and use them as a continual communication piece between administrators, teachers and students.

School Handbook:

The most efficient and cost-effective way to communicate school policies, schedules and events is to add your important school information right into your planners. Learn more about school handbooks.

Handbook Resource Pages:

Add additional academic resources to your handbook. Choose from more than 100 resource pages. Our extensive library of helpful resource pages can assist students in a number of subject areas. View our complete library of resource pages.

Content Supplements:

Put a spotlight on important issues relevant to your school by choosing from our vast library of supplements. Advance school priorities with resources tied to current curriculum and standards, critical life skills, health and wellness, and more.

Cover:

Design your own cover that reflects school spirit, or choose from one of our templates that align with the goals you've established for you school. Incorporate your school name front and center, right on the cover!

Enhancements:

Add a few more features to make your planners truly inspiring to students. Planning stickers, pagefinders, trackable hall passes, planner tabs, student ID/CD/Home-School pouches, two-hole ruler attachments – choose the enhancements that raise the cool factor.