It's back to school season! A student recently asked what school supplies would be beneficial for their AP class. This post was inspired by that excellent question!
In many ways, AP classes aren't special. If your child has a system that works for them, that's great. If it's not broke, don't fix it! But I have put together a list here of common things I recommend. I've also considered big-picture items, like study spaces.
Wait for the List
Many teachers will request specific school supplies. I always recommend waiting until you have a definitive list before you go out and buy lots of things. It's unfortunate to find that your child can't use the things that you got. Plus, you may not wish to make another trip back to the store.
In fairness, these lists are often published before school starts. However, in my experience high schools are less likely to have a formal, complete list of things you need. You may not get this information until school starts. In that case, a notebook, folder, and pen will probably suffice for the first day.
Office Supplies
Nice Pens and Pencils
AP history classes have a lot of writing. Between chapter outlines, lecture notes, and essays your child may be writing dozens of pages per week! (And that's just this class!)
Yikes!
The research is pretty clear that handwriting notes leads to better retention than typing them. There are always exceptions to a general rule. For example, it may be difficult for you child to physically write or your school may do everything on Chromebooks. Nonetheless, I believe we should be encouraging students to handwrite whenever they can. One way to do that is by getting writing tools that aren't a total pain to use.
Ballpoint pens are a common cause of frustration. They require applying a relatively large amount of pressure to drag the pen across the page. This helps cause hand cramps and pain if you child has to write a lot.
Rollerballs, pencils, felt-tip pens, and (my personal favorite) fountain pens all reduce the pressure needed to write. Felt-tip and fountain pens work just by touching the pen to the paper. Rollerballs and pencils build up less friction. I personally was shocked by the difference when I switched to fountain pens. I can write longer and with significantly less pain.
Your child may also want several different colors or styles of pen. Novelty can be motivating during those long study sessions. Plus, students can use many colors to color-code notes or highlight key points.
Post-Its
Post Its are very useful.
They're great for making notes in textbooks or primary source packets. That way, your child can highlight information without marking up resources that need to be reused.
I also recommend that students use them to note due dates and action items. It's tempting to write this information down with all of the other notes you have to take in an AP class. Unfortunately, this information can get swallowed up by all of the content-related notes. A bright Post-it helps this information stick out. This makes it easier to keep track of this information. Post-its can also be transferred into a paper planner.
Planners and Calendars
Many students get overwhelmed by the amount of stuff going on in AP classes. This effect compounds if your child also has obligations for sports, clubs, family events, and other challenging classes.
I highly recommend that students have a dedicated place to store due dates and time-based obligations. Students who have a dedicated system and good tracking habits tend to be less stressed. Calendars and planners also make it easier to plan, cut down on overwhelm, and reduce the likelihood of missing or forgetting a due date.
Granted, using a calendar may be new to students. Many bright students don't need them in middle school or the early years of high school. If you're relatively smart and dedicated, you can keep track of a handful of due dates. Typically, younger students aren't expected to be fully independent. Teachers and other adults may set up their classroom so that most things are done in class. That goes out the window with an AP class. Either way, you may need to model and encourage good practices until they become habits.
Many teachers post deadlines and reminders on a Learning Management System (LMS). Canvas, Moddle, Google Classroom, Schoology, and Edmodo are all popular options in high school. If you child has one difficult class and a limited number of extracurricular options, they may be able to get away with relying solely on the LMS. It gets trickier as your child takes on more obligations. This is because an LMS isn't designed to show your child all of their obligations in one place. Luckily, a calendar is!
Paper Planner
Paper planners are one option for tracking due dates. Here are some situations where paper planner may be the best option.
Some schools and teachers don't allow phones or computers. If your child can't access their digital device when announcements happen, then the risk of missing something increases. Yes, your child can write the information down and then add it to a digital calendar later. However, this second step is easy to forget. Sometimes that's a significant barrier, and sometimes its not. You and your child may need to experiment.
Paper planners are relatively boring, and that means there's less room to be distracted. A paper planner can be beneficial for students who get sucked into their phones. It eliminates a point where they may need to pick up their phone.
Paper planners can be decorated with all manner of colored pens, stickers, stamps, and washi tapes. Some people go all out on their planners. Students may be more likely to use something that truly feels like theirs. Keep in mind that a planner may be misplaced. Talk to your child if you there are things you don't want them to put in their planner. This could include health information and their home address.
Digital Calendars
On the other hand, digital calendars are a great option. Here are some perks to digital calendars.
Most digital calendars offer a free version with plenty of features. This means you can get started right away with minimal friction.
A paper planner may not be the best option if your child is forgetful. I found plenty of abandoned planners in my classroom. This may be your best bet if your child always has their phone, but doesn't always have a notebook, pen, or pencil. Even if your child's device is stolen or lost, you can sign into your calendar with a different device and pick up where they left off.
Planners and calendars have sensitive data in them. If a paper planner is misplaced or stolen, there's nothing stopping a person from rifling through it. This is a bigger concern if your child intends to put particularly sensitive information in their planner. Digital calendars hide this information behind passwords and usernames.
Digital calendars can be set up to sync between devices, views, and even other calendars. This is a great option if you'd like to be able to keep taps on your child's schedule. It's also a good option if your child uses multiple devices, like a laptop and a phone. Finally, syncing between views is powerful. For example, your child can look at their whole week at one time. If they have three tests the day after a soccer game, you can help them plan out how they will set aside time to study earlier in the week. It's also much easier to move things around if the plan changes.
Digital calendars can remind your child to do things! This prevents losing track of usual or infrequent changes to the schedule. It's also great for things that need to be completed at a specific time.
Study Space
AP classes require lots of work. A dedicated place that facilitates learning is key.
Of course, everyone has different preferences for their work. For example, some people like to work in a coffee shop or library where there is more ambient noise. Other students want a much quieter space. Similarly, the layout of your home may not allow for a space that's just for learning. In this case, you can still use habit cues to help transition the space and your child into study modes.
Here are some things to think about:
A space that is not comfortable is difficult to work in. Consider upgrading chairs, desks, and keyboards. If the space causes pain or discomfort, your child may avoid working there. Without a good anchor for study habits, that may turn into avoiding the work itself.
It's hard to focus if it's too loud or bright. Lamps can help brighten up a space and make it more inviting. Similarly, earplugs or headphones can dampen distracting noises.
A stash of office supplies, electronics, or snacks in a study space can go a long way. Getting up, searching for the item, and then bringing it back can eat up a lot of time. It can also create openings for distractions and diversions. Encourage your family not to move items out of the study place and to put them back when they're done. Not always the easiest thing, I know!
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