Overview
In dual-enrollment settings, students often juggle multiple calendars—college, high school, work, and personal life. Without intentional planning, important deadlines and exams can sneak up, especially in the virtual or hybrid environment where reminders may be less frequent. A Calendar Look-Ahead provides structured time for students to map out upcoming weeks, anticipate busy stretches, and identify when and how they’ll complete coursework.
This strategy strengthens self-management and responsible decision-making, key competencies that directly connect to college and career success. It supports the broader goals of self-management and problem-solving, helping students recognize conflicts early and plan solutions. Students learn to manage time proactively, seeing that college requires significant effort beyond “seat time.” Instructors gain insight into where guidance, extensions, or alternate strategies may be needed to help the course stay on track. To support students, take the following steps:
Step 1: Plan your timing and format.
Decide when and how students will complete their calendar look-ahead.
Cadence: Once a month at minimum, though weekly prompts can help build the habit at first. This frequency lets students anticipate hurdles without planning so far ahead that timelines feel abstract.
Formats: LMS survey, Google Form, private journal entry, brief reflection doc. Keep it accessible and lightweight.
Length: 5–15 minutes, depending on the time period between look-aheads; asynchronous completion works well with instructor or peer review.
Step 2: Share the purpose and rationale to build buy-in.
Frame the activity as a real-world skill, not busywork. In college and career settings, effective scheduling and foresight are essential for balancing responsibilities.
Sample Script 1: “College success isn’t just about showing up for class—it’s about managing all the time outside of class too. This is practice in planning ahead so deadlines or conflicts don’t catch you off guard.”
Sample Script 2: “Professionals map out projects weeks or months in advance. Calendar Look-Aheads help you build the same habit: scanning ahead, spotting crunch times, and making a plan to manage them.”
Invite students to share examples of times they’ve felt pressed for time or strategies they’ve used to stay organized—connecting reflection to practical experience.
Step 3: Guide Students through the look-ahead.
Prompt them to:
List major assignments and exams (college and high school)
Add personal commitments (sports, work, family events)
Mark busy versus slow weeks
Identify potential conflicts and draft solutions (e.g., starting work earlier, asking for accommodations, shifting shifts at work)
Encourage specificity (e.g., students should note when they’ll study, not just “study more.”)
Optional Extensions:
Want to take it further? Consider incorporating the following ideas:
Quickly scan submissions for trends (“Several of you flagged next week as a crunch point—we can adjust expectations accordingly”).
Invite peer feedback: partners can swap plans and suggest improvements.
Add reflections: “Looking back, did your plan work? What would you adjust?”
Connect to other helpful strategies: revisit Calendar Look-Ahead goals during Self-Assessments or Check-Ins.
Calendar Look-Aheads normalize planning and time management as part of the college and career experience. They help students anticipate, adapt, and align their actions with their goals–strengthening the self-management, problem-solving, and growth mindset skills that underpin success in both higher education and life beyond.
