ORGANIZATION STRATEGIES FOR THE DISORGANIZED STUDENT

books-927394_1920

 

Problem: Your child’s backpack has been deemed a disaster area by the Department of Homeland Security. Special forces units are currently sweeping his bedroom looking for last week’s homework. And, worst of all, missing assignments and lack of notes have taken a toll on his grades.

Solution: “Some kids are just messy” isn’t an excuse. And while it may be true that brilliant minds can’t be bothered to keep things neat, Einstein still found a way to turn his work in. Luckily, organization and note taking doesn’t have to seem like a chore. Here are some ideas to suggest to your child:

  • Binder with planner/calendar
  • Set aside time to organize
  • Look into specific note taking systems
  • Don’t forget the devices
  • Binder with planner/calendar

This will always be the first thing a teacher recommends for a messy, forgetful student (if they don’t require them for everyone already). Buy a 3-ring binder with one plastic folder for each class (they’re more durable). Stick in a planner/calendar and a pouch for supplies. For extreme cases, contact your child’s teachers and have them review the notes taken on the planner for accuracy and sign them. You do the same when they come home. That way the student learns not to try to put anything over on the adults.

Set aside time to organize

It’s the rare student that decides for themselves when it’s time to clean up. They need help. So make it a point of regularly setting aside time to remind your child to clean out their backpack, binder, locker, room, etc. Once a week will probably work. Program a reminder into your phone if you have to.

Look into specific note taking systems

Although note taking skills are technically the domain of the teacher, you can step in if that ball is being dropped. There are plenty of organized note taking systems out there that make taking notes easy. The one used by Cornell University is particularly popular. So are certain graphic organizers and other diagrams.

Don’t forget the devices

Backpacks and lockers are all well and good, but in some schools they are also obsolete. They’ve been replaced by devices in a 1:1 or BYOD scheme. If you child is a heavy user of technology in school, don’t forget to help them organize their digital data as well. Make sure folders are being used and data that doesn’t need to be saved is deleted.

Do you have any other organization tips for children? Share them in the comments section or share this article on your favorite social network to start a conversation of your own.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *