Strategies to improve memory and planning skills

Key Takeaways

Audience Spotlight: Confidence Habits and High School Success

As a parent, you want your high schooler to feel confident in their ability to tackle schoolwork, manage deadlines, and navigate busy schedules. Many parents notice their teens sometimes forget assignments, lose track of materials, or feel overwhelmed by planning for multiple classes. These normal challenges can impact your child’s confidence and sense of independence. By focusing on strategies to improve memory and planning skills, you can help your teen build habits that boost self-assurance and set them up for long-term success.

Definitions

Memory skills are the techniques and habits that help your child remember what they learn, keep track of important details, and recall information when needed. Planning skills are the abilities to organize tasks, set priorities, and manage time effectively so that responsibilities are met without last-minute stress.

Why Memory and Organization Matter in High School

High school is a time of increased academic demands, extracurricular activities, and growing independence. Strong memory and planning skills allow your child to balance classes, homework, and social commitments. When students struggle with organization, it can lead to missed deadlines, lost assignments, and anxiety about falling behind. Many teachers and parents report that teens who develop these executive function skills feel more in control of their workload and less stressed overall.

Everyday Strategies to Improve Memory and Planning Skills

Experts in child development note that most students can learn and strengthen executive function skills with consistent, supportive practice at home. Here are practical strategies to improve memory and planning skills that fit into daily routines:

• Use visual reminders: Encourage your child to use a calendar or planner (paper or digital) to write down assignments, tests, and activities. Color-coding subjects or using stickers can make reminders more engaging.
• Chunk big tasks: Help your teen break large projects into smaller, manageable steps. For example, instead of “study for biology test,” list “review flashcards,” “read chapter notes,” and “meet with study group.” This makes planning less overwhelming and gives clear next steps.
• Establish routines: Set regular times for homework, studying, and organizing materials. Routines help memory by reinforcing habits and making important tasks automatic.
• Practice retrieval: Encourage your child to review notes by trying to recall information without looking, then checking accuracy. This retrieval practice strengthens memory far more than passive reading.
• Verbalize plans: Ask your child to talk through their plan for the day or week. Saying tasks aloud helps the brain organize and remember them.
• Keep materials organized: Support your teen in keeping a dedicated binder or digital folder for each class. Weekly clean-outs avoid clutter and misplaced assignments.

These strategies to improve memory and planning skills can be adapted to fit your teen’s personality and preferences. If your child is artistic, encourage creative note-taking or mind maps. If they prefer technology, explore apps that send reminders and track tasks.

High School Memory & Organization: What Parents Need to Know

For students in grades 9–12, memory and organization challenges often become more noticeable. High schoolers must juggle multiple classes, extracurriculars, and sometimes part-time jobs. Forgetting an assignment or missing a deadline can feel discouraging and impact self-esteem. By guiding your child to use strategies to improve memory and planning skills, you can help them develop habits that build resilience and independence.

• Encourage proactive communication: If your child feels overwhelmed, remind them it is okay to ask teachers for clarification or extensions. Practicing self-advocacy reduces anxiety and supports responsible planning.
• Model planning at home: Share how you manage your own calendar, grocery lists, or appointments. Teens learn by example, and seeing adults plan can make these skills feel more natural.
• Celebrate small wins: Recognize when your child remembers a deadline or organizes their backpack without being asked. Positive feedback reinforces progress and confidence.

Many parents find that even small changes, like a new routine or a weekly family planning session, can make a big difference in memory and organization. If your child is struggling, remind them that everyone finds these skills challenging at times, and growth is possible with support.

How Can I Help My Teen Remember Assignments and Stay Organized?

This is one of the most common concerns parents share about high school. Forgetting assignments or struggling with organization does not mean your child is not trying. Teens are managing more complex schedules and information than ever before. Here are some parent-tested ideas grounded in strategies to improve memory and planning skills:

• Create a landing zone: Designate a spot at home for school materials, backpacks, and important papers. Consistency helps reduce last-minute scrambles.
• Set up check-ins: Use Sunday evenings or another regular time to review upcoming assignments, projects, and commitments together. This helps your child anticipate busy weeks and reduces surprises.
• Use checklists: Encourage your teen to make daily or weekly checklists for tasks. Crossing off completed items is satisfying and reinforces memory through repetition.
• Encourage peer support: Suggest forming study groups or buddy systems for reminders and accountability. Many students find they remember more when discussing material with classmates.

Remember, building memory and organization is a process. Your encouragement and understanding are some of the most valuable supports you can offer.

Expert-Backed High School Study Memory Tips

Experts recommend a few high school study memory tips that can make studying more effective and less stressful. Encourage your child to review material in short, frequent sessions rather than cramming the night before a test. Using spaced repetition, such as reviewing flashcards over several days, improves long-term retention. Practice testing and teaching the material to someone else can also deepen understanding and memory. If your child finds certain strategies to improve memory and planning skills work better for them, help them make these habits part of their routine.

Connecting Executive Function, Memory, and Planning

Executive function is the set of skills that helps us organize thoughts, manage time, and remember information. High school students who struggle with executive function may find it hard to keep track of assignments or plan for long-term projects. Many teachers and parents report that using consistent strategies to improve memory and planning skills leads to better grades, higher confidence, and reduced worry. For more ideas on supporting your child’s executive function, visit our executive function resource page.

Encouraging Growth Mindset and Resilience

Normalize mistakes and missed deadlines as opportunities for growth, not reasons for shame. Remind your child that everyone forgets things sometimes, and what matters is learning to adjust and try new strategies. Celebrate effort and progress, not just perfect results. Over time, using strategies to improve memory and planning skills can help your child develop resilience and a positive attitude toward challenges.

When to Seek Additional Support

If your teen continues to struggle despite consistent effort and support, consider reaching out to teachers, counselors, or education specialists. There may be underlying issues, such as ADHD, anxiety, or learning differences, that benefit from personalized strategies. K12 Tutoring offers resources and expert guidance to help families navigate these concerns with compassion and understanding.

Related Resources

• How to Help Kids With Working Memory Issues
• How to Engage Elementary and Middle School Students’ Memory Processes
• Making It Stick: Memorable Strategies to Enhance Learning

Tutoring Support

K12 Tutoring partners with families to build memory, organization, and planning skills that support high school success. Our tutors provide personalized strategies, encouragement, and practical tools that fit your child’s unique needs. You are not alone in this journey, and small changes can make a big difference.

Trust & Transparency Statement

Last reviewed: October 2025
This article was prepared by the K12 Tutoring education team, dedicated to helping students succeed with personalized learning support and expert guidance. K12 Tutoring content is reviewed periodically by education specialists to reflect current best practices and family feedback. Have ideas or success stories to share? Email us at [email protected].