Some kids seem to instinctively know how to organize themselves to succeed in school. They are never late, always get their homework done on time, and can find anything they need in their backpack. But in today's world of constant distractions, and an overwhelming number of organizing tools, it's no wonder many kids are struggling to find what works for them. Below are 10 secrets to ensure your child's success at school.
Secret 1 Let your child make the decisions. To ensure success, it is critical that your child be involved and make his or her own decisions about the details. You can guide them, but you must release control. The goal is to empower and enable them to maintain their new system, so they must be involved in the design and feel ownership. Being involved also helps them develop skills they can later apply to all areas of their lives.
Secret 2 Make an inventory of the activities and items that need to be organized. Here is an example inventory you can use as a starting point.
- Books
- Paper
- Writing Supplies
- Tools such as calculators, etc.
- Personal Supplies such as money, lunch, makeup etc.
- Class Schedule
- Class notes & handouts (current & past)
- Homework (to be done & completed)
- School Announcements/Flyers/Permission Slips, etc.
- Research Projects
- Extra Curricular Activities supplies
- Electronics (MP3 players, Laptop, Computer, PDA Etc.)
Secret 4 Give everything a home in the locker, the backpack and the home study area. For example, books should always be in the same place in the locker and kids should only carry what they need between trips to the locker.
Secret 5 Make things easy to access and use. A locker shelf may be needed to separate items so they are easy to access. Use a basket for the top shelf that may be hard to reach, and put less frequently used items there. Use magnetic hooks to hold a clear bag with personal items, or perhaps after school activity supplies. Add a magnetic board, or use magnets to post a copy of frequently referenced items like the class schedule. You may even want to post a map with a diagram of the locker showing where items should go in each area of the locker to remind her to put things where they belong. This works for the backpack too!
Secret 6 Keep it SIMPLE. Don't get too complicated. Coach your child to choose organizing strategies and tools as simple to use and follow as possible. For example, keep a file box at home where your child can keep older graded papers and class notes, but don't create too many folders. One or two folders per class should be plenty. You don't need a separate folders for tests, homework, projects, notes, handouts etc for every class. She won't file papers if the system is too cumbersome. Don't let the file box get overstuffed! That is also a sure way to make your child give up on filing.
Secret 7 Light it up. Consider a battery operated light that you press to turn on if the locker is dark. Often areas that dark become disorganized because people naturally don't like being in dark places! And if you can't see well, it's hard to find what you need.
Secret 8 Edit regularly. Once a month, review the contents of the locker and edit. Are there any homeless items that need to be given a home? Does anything need to be added due to changing needs? Does anything need to be removed because it's no longer used?
Secret 9 Give a permanent home to "Homework to be Done" and "Homework to be Handed in." You can combine homework assignments for all classes in one place to keep it simple. You can use a sturdy pocket portfolio, an accordion file, a sturdy file folder, or whatever appeals to your child - just make sure they like it! :) Graded homework should be brought home and filed daily, not stored in the backpack. The key to choosing tools are to make sure:
- Tools are something he or she is attracted to.
- Everything is really easy to find in the backpack and to take in and out.
- Super easy to use - as few steps as possible.
- Plan ahead for each day and evening.
- Unload the backpack every day.
- File older school papers at least once a week.
- Re-organize as needs change - few systems last forever!
Would you like to simplify your life and get more organized? Ariane Benefit is a Life Coach, ADD Coach, organizing expert, author and coach who has been quoted in Psychology Today, the Wall Street Journal, and more. Visit her popular Neat & Simple Living Blog at http://blog.neatandsimple.com Ariane has over 25 years experience helping businesses and individuals get the results they want. Take a peek inside her book, Neat & Simple Guide to Organizing Your Office at http://www.lotusbridge.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ariane_Benefit
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