Unlocking Student Independence: Time Management Skills for School Success

As school administrators, nurturing our students’ independence is crucial, particularly as they transition to middle and high school. This independence often manifests as less frequent reminders about due dates, longer-term projects, and more free time. However, with this increased autonomy comes an increase in responsibilities. Here, one skill stands out as the linchpin for successful navigation of this new terrain – time management.

No-Prep Activity

Want to gauge your students’ grasp of time management without the need for extensive preparation or resources? Here’s a simple activity: prompt students to create a mental map of their day. Ask them to visualize their schedule from start to finish, identifying periods of high activity and downtime. This exercise encourages them to think proactively about their time allocation, bringing attention to how their day unfolds and where they may need to make adjustments.

Discussion Questions

• How do you currently manage your time? What strategies are working for you, and what challenges are you facing?
• How does effective time management contribute to personal growth and school success?
• Can you identify a recent situation where better time management could have changed the outcome?
• How can you ensure that long-term projects are completed on time without feeling overwhelmed?

Related Skills

Time management is intertwined with several other vital skills. Organizational abilities, goal setting, prioritization, and self-regulation are all intrinsically linked to the way students manage their time. When teaching time management, be sure to touch on these complementary skills.

Next Steps

As we nurture our students’ development, introducing them to these skills early can help them establish healthy habits that will serve them throughout their lives. Want to make this journey easier and more effective? Sign up for free samples on time management and a host of other skills that are fundamental to social-emotional learning.