-Getting out the door on time
-Leaving things behind that needed to go to school
-Not bringing home all necessary materials to complete homework
-Remembering what was assigned for homework
-Turning in completed work on time
-Waiting until the last minute to work on long-term assignments
-Losing things in their messy bedroom, backpack, or locker
ESTABLISHED ROUTINES
Have sports gear, music instrument). Kids could put backpacks on the backs of their kitchen chairs, the garage door, or on a hook. Just have it be consistent, so they can always know where their things are for packing up and grabbing on the run.
Have one spot in your home to set papers for parents to see like permission forms. This could be in a special inbox like this one:
or even just a spot on the fridge:
If your child struggles to get out the door on time, you could try using a timer (play “beat the timer” for different tasks) or an app like the “Happy Kids Timer” https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.evoprox.morningroutines
ORGANIZED MATERIALS
Find a folder system that works. Some schools or teachers require a particular system. If not, figure out what works best for your child.
Perhaps one, thin pocket folder is all your child needs. Label one pocket for homework to be done and the other for finished homework to turn in. Poly folders hold up better than cardboard.
For students who need to keep their graded work in order to study graded work and pass notebook checks, binders would be a good option. Some teachers require a different binder for each subject. If not, I recommend something like these Case-It binders (http://a.co/7rnsqnY) which have both a binder and accordion file built in, because, let’s face it, not all kids will take the time to hole punch everything and clip it in to the correct spots within the 3-rings. With one binder for all subjects, materials won’t be left at school, since it all comes home together. Make sure your child periodically
purges unneeded papers, so it doesn’t get too overwhelming or heavy.
If a student is required to bring individual folders or binders to each class, I recommend color-coding all materials by class. For example, get a blue binder, blue pocket folder, and blue text book cover for all math items. When it’s time for math class or to pack up math homework for the night, your child can pull all of the blue things out of his or her locker.
ORGANIZED SCHEDULE
A digital planner is great if your child has a phone, iPad, or other device that goes to school daily. There are many planner and checklist apps. I personally like Google calendar and a program called Asana to make daily checklists:
Asana is both a website and an app that syncs across all your devices. What I like about it is you can set up columns by days of the week. Add tasks that can be removed when they are finished, dragged to rearrange their order, or dragged to a different day if they are not finished by the end of the day. I like that you don’t have to re-write (in a paper planner) or re-enter the task on a new day. Once a day’s tasks are all removed or moved to a future day, you can drag the entire column for that now-empty day to the far right of all the daily columns. Now it’s ready for the following week. This way, your first column will always be the current day.
If your child uses a smartphone or other mobile device, reminders can be set for things like turning in a late homework assignment, buying project supplies during the weekend, or bringing home a field trip form. There are lots of apps to choose from. Here are some for Android: https://www.androidauthority.com/best-reminder-apps-for-android-654628/
and iPhone: https://www.androidauthority.com/best-reminder-apps-for-android-654628/
I hope some of these resources and ideas prove helpful for your child. If your student struggles with executive functioning skills and you would like me to work with him or her personally, please go to www.peaktutoring.org to learn more and contact me. I’d be happy to help him or her get organized and become more successful in school.
