Using Google Calendar to Schedule Meetings with Students

Have you ever verbally set up an appointment with a student and they don't show up?

Using your Google Calendar is an easy way to schedule meetings with students. The students are very used to attending meetings that have been set up through Google Calendar because most of the counselors schedule appointments using this method. We have found it to be super easy and very effective.


Why using Google Calendar is helpful:

- It blocks out your time and the students time so you both don't schedule something else in its place. For example, when students have three tests to make up after being absent, they tend to overbook themselves for retakes. You can schedule a time with them for your test, so that specific time or period is blocked off, so they know they can't make up another test at the same time.

- It reminds both you and the student of the appointment.
Google Calendar will send a reminder 10 minutes prior to the scheduled meeting. This will help the student remember that they were scheduled to come and see you.

- You can get a confirmation that they know the time and place of the meeting.
When you use Google Calendar to invite a student to a meeting, they have to "accept" the invitation, letting you know that they are aware of the scheduled time.

- You can add notes into the Calendar Invite.
Giving the students reminders to "bring a scantron" or "do problems 1-15 before meeting" is helpful and prevents having to send a separate email.



Here are the steps to inviting a student to a meeting time using Google Calendar.

Step 1:
- Open up google Calendar

Step 2:
- Click on a period and then click "copy it to your calendar"

Step 3: 

In this next window you do the following:

- Change the title to something like "Math help with Lisa Downey".

- Pick the specific time, and the amount of time, you are planning on spending with that student.

- You have the option to add in where the meeting is, and any description or note that you want to add.

- You have the option of attaching a file (worksheet, homework, etc)

- You add your "guest" or student to your meeting by typing in their name. Their mitty email address should show up. Click on their email

Step 4:

- Click on "Invite external guests"

Step 5:

- Click on "Send"

                                     

After adding that appointment, your schedule will have that time blocked. Here is an example of what a counselor's schedule looks like after scheduling a few appointments.