Helping Students Get Organized (cont.)

If a child is particularly disorganized, make a planner together and encourage her to incorporate specific strategies. For example, if she often forgets a book or notebook needed for an assignment, include a column for materials. When the student completes an assignment, she can place a star, sticker, or checkmark in the final column. Create a system together that is fun for the student and contributes to a sense of accomplishment. See the example below.

Seeing assignments organized this way can help a child who feels overwhelmed set priorities more effectively. Use the planner to suggest strategies for managing homework. For example, this child has three days to do all the problems in math problem set 17; suggest she do a few problems each night instead of trying to plow through them all at once. Over time, the child will begin to internalize the strategies you model and homework will begin to feel more manageable.

Whatever system you and your student agree upon, consistency is key. If the child is still not following through, take some time to find out why. Perhaps the system is too cumbersome or developmentally inappropriate. Be flexible in creating a system that suits the unique needs of the student.

Once the student is organized, make sure he understands the assignment. Ask him to articulate the assignment, including not only what he needs to do, but how he will know that he's done it successfully. For example, a student might say, I need to read the next chapter in my history book. I'll know I've done it successfully when I can give a summary of the chapter out loud.

Helpful Strategies for Common Homework Assignments