Hemant Sharma
Schools and classrooms can be potent grounds for preparing students for the future of the world and work. These include skills to equip students to take further studies, collaborate with peers, and thrive as individual contributors at work and in life.
To help students achieve these goals, as educators, we are responsible for equipping them with the skills and tools they need to thrive academically and personally. One such valuable tool is the humble checklist.
In use in business, culinary arts (recipes), medicine, engineering, and allied fields for decades, checklists have helped professionals perform better and novices become experts.
What if educators can help students acquire and master this organization tool early in life?
Often overlooked, checklists can enhance focus, improve organization, and promote student productivity. The sooner we as educators appreciate the importance of checklists and the rationale behind introducing them early in life, the easier it may become for students to acquire the habit.
This article shares tips and activities to teach checklists effectively in the primary classroom.
Why teach checklists?
Checklists offer numerous benefits that go beyond simply completing tasks. They serve as visual reminders, help develop time management skills, and promote a sense of accomplishment. By utilizing checklists students can:
- Improve organization: Checklists allow students to prioritize tasks, break them into manageable steps, and arrange them logically. When introduced early, checklists can foster a sense of organization and prevent students from feeling overwhelmed.
- Enhance focus: With a checklist, students are less likely to become distracted or lose track of what they should be working on. It helps them focus on the task (at hand), boosting their concentration and efficiency.
- Develop responsibility: Encouraging students to create and follow their own checklists empowers them to take ownership of their work. They learn to be accountable, fostering a sense of responsibility and independence.
- Track progress: Checklists provide a tangible way for students to track their progress and accomplishments. Crossing off completed tasks gives them a visual representation of their achievements. It motivates them to continue working towards their goals.
Why introducing checklists early in life is a good idea
To build lifelong habits: By incorporating checklists into their daily routine early on, students develop the habit of creating and utilizing lists to stay organized and focused. These skills will serve them well as they progress through their academic years and adulthood.
To promote time management: Checklists encourage students to consider the time required for each task, helping them understand the importance of managing their time effectively. This awareness fosters a sense of responsibility and punctuality from an early age.
To foster independence: Early exposure to checklists empowers students to control their learning. They learn to identify tasks, set goals, and manage their time independently, contributing to their overall personal and academic growth.
To develops writing skills and critical thinking: Students will learn new verbs and understand what tasks are essential (what tasks can be eliminated from the list, postponed, or delegated/sought help from an adult).
To enable long-term goal setting: Whether planning your parent’s birthday or running a race, checklists can help students identify critical tasks they must do every day or more frequently to succeed.
Tips and activities to introduce checklists in class
Explain the purpose: Explain the benefits of using checklists to students. Discuss how checklists can help them stay organized, manage their time, and feel a sense of accomplishment. Also, highlight how they can use checklists always to remember to take their favourite toy/book on a vacation and not miss a deadline or birthday.
Model checklist usage: Demonstrate how to create and use a checklist. Show students how to break down tasks, set priorities, and cross off completed items. Consider making a sample checklist as a visual aid. A good start can be to help them make checklists for things they like doing – planning a vacation, making a checklist of steps by observing an adult cook their favourite delicacy, going on a school trip, celebrating a friend’s birthday, or a festival.
Create personalized checklists: Allow students to create their own checklists based on their individual tasks and responsibilities. Encourage them to personalize their checklists with colours, drawings, or stickers to make them engaging and enjoyable to use.
Use checklists for daily routines: Start by incorporating checklists for daily routines, such as morning tasks, homework assignments, or classroom cleanup. Reinforce the idea that checklists are a helpful tool to guide them through their day.
Celebrate milestones: Encourage students to celebrate their progress by acknowledging completed tasks or milestones. We can celebrate these milestones through verbal praise, small rewards, or a class celebration to foster a positive association with checklist usage.
Handhold them for the initial few days: Children learn quickly, but checklists can become complex as students grow. Feel free to ask what they missed and help them put it in.
One bonus benefit (for educators) of teaching your children checklists is getting a cohort of well-organized and focused students. By introducing checklists early in students’ academic journey, we equip them with invaluable organizational, focus, and productivity tools. These skills will serve them well throughout their lives. As teachers, we are responsible for guiding and empowering our students, and incorporating checklists into their daily routine is a powerful step toward that goal. With proper guidance and encouragement, our students will develop lifelong habits that lead to success in their personal and academic endeavours.
The author is the founder of Mojo of Small Things, and Partner at Niiv Learning Labs. He works with hundreds of kindergartners and post-graduate students in the areas of productivity, habit formation, communication, and culture of growth. He writes on productivity, communication and classroom culture. He can be reached at hemant@mojoofsmallthings.com