Unless you have a perfect memory and nerves of steel, an assignment pad is the only way you can keep track of the desires of your teachers. A good assignment pad should be large enough not to get lost, include plenty of room to write the assignments for each and every subject, as well as room for notes to yourself about special assignments or long term reports. A definite plus is an assignment pad that also includes a calendar (a month at a glance is great!) and a daily schedule that can help you keep track of time and all your other activities too.

1. Write down everything the teacher writes on the board about the assignment. If it is given orally, write it down as closely as possible to exactly as it is given.

2. Be sure to listen and write down specific directions such as "on looseleaf, in a notebook, etc."

3. Keep a schedule of your daily activities and study times in the assignment pad and refer to it everyday.

4. Make out a project schedule complete with dates for completion of each section. Make sure these dates are filled in on the appropriate days in the assignment pad as well as what specific work you need to do to be ready on time (for example, brainstorm for ideas, do a rough draft, go to the library, take notes, etc.)

5. Check off or highlight through each assignment as it is completed.

6. Be sure to date each week at the top of the page and write the day of the week and date for the day of the assignments.

7. Save ALL pages of the assignment pad. It is a good source of information on just what is expected of you this year and a good source for review for tests or final exams.

8. Be NEAT and always write in sequential order. Don't skip pages in the assignment pad and try to list each subject in the same order each day.