Helping kids (and adults) get organized.

[Mayleng]

ldparent requested that we start a thread with suggestions on how to help kids (especially Middle School kids) get organized.

So if you have any suggestions, links etc. Pls post them here. I will keep this up so it is easy to locate.

cobyseven in another thread had provided this link.

www.adlit.org/article/29043

[Mayleng]

www.chrisdendy.com/bev.htm

[ldparent]

Thanks Mayleng!

[kc4braves]

I was wondering how much the school helps with organizing your middle schoolers. I know it has been mentioned that my son should have a 'go to" person at school to help with follow through etc. Just how much do your schools help? How much help should I expect? I emailed the 504 coordinator today to let her know how ds age 12 is struggling and that I am trying to teach him to organize but that we need more support in place at school to reinforce these skills. I don't really know exactly what I am asking for, though, nor how much is reasonable to ask them to do.

Currently, he is supposed to be getting a tracking sheet signed by each teacher. They mark a little square about behavior, was he on time, did he have his homework and does he have more to do. There is a line for them to write the assignment and/or commetns. The problem is that he is required to remember to give it to them AND to get it back from them. I know that sounds very reasonable but he doesn't remember it and often when he does, he leaves it with one teacher or the other and doesn't get home with it. I am also realizing that he doesn't seem to have the fundamental skills that no one really gets taught but that most people figure out on their own like....I am in geography. I should have out my geography book and folder...ONLY....and maybe a pencil. I think this is how his papers end up stuffed in the wrong folders, etc. It may not be quite this basic but.....I do feel these are very basic steps that are easy for most of us. I want to go to his classes and watch what is going on but he would be mortified. What is a feasible way to tackle this type issue without totally embarassing my 7th grader?

I hope to have some organizational ideas that work for us to post soon. ;-) I did think some of the ideas in the articles were great...especially emailing assignments. We will be meeting with the teachers in a couple of weeks and I hope to ask about this and maybe some other ideas. Thanks.

[empeg1]

You can check out the Learning Toolbox (via Google) and look under organization.
I have found that it is best to individualize the organization system based on what works best for for the child. Often it is suggested that a student carry a different notebook for each class, with each notebook a different color. This system did not work for my dd. When she tried the above, my dd always left at least one notebook needed for homework in her school locker. We then went to plan B.

What works for my dd is to have one homework file for all subjects (an accordion binder). So, when worksheets are handed out in any class they go into this binder. When homework is done in any class, it goes into this binder. Each section of the accordion binder is labeled with a different colored tab, one for each subject.

Part of school organization happens at home. So when homework is done it must be filed in the homework binder, immediately. Any HW done on the computer must be printed out post and then filed before going on to another task. If need be, I would ask your dd/ds to show you that the above steps have been done. All of the above occurs before computer, play, or TV time. I used a checkoff list for my dd, which at first, she went over with me. Also, the "ready to go to school" backpack gets put by the front door before any down time can happen as well.

At school, the first folder to come out at the beginning of class is the homework file. This is a cue, time to turn in homework. Check with all teachers to see if they write assignments on the board and if they give students time to write this info down in their planner. (Are the teachers pointing out the homework -literally- and then telling students, please write the assignmet now in your planner?). Both are necessary for students with organization problems. And, yes, a student who is struggling with organization problems should have a case manager, RS, 504 coordinator, etc, who meets with the student before school ends to see that all assignments are written down in the planner and all needed materials are in that backpack.

It is a good idea for the student to have a good size calendar on the wall of his or her bedroom, a montly calendar with spaces for each day. You can help your ds or dd by going over their daily planner and showing them how to enter their assignments on the wall calendar with due dates written in a bright color on the day the assignment is due. The reason for the wall calendar. A daily planner can be lost or stuffed in the bottom of a backpack. Out of sight out of mind...... Put a large wall calendar is far more obvious and one can refer to it (mom and dad included).

If a student continues to miss assignments or test dates, work out an e-mail system with the teacher (s), where the student writes to the teacher asking for a weekly update of assigments. Another idea would be for the student to write the above e-mail to his/her case manager. Responsibility and self advocacy are both important skills to learn.

A note can be attached to the outside of the homework file as a reminder. My memory is going (!). I stick notes on the front door. Sigh...
When my dd was young, I used rewards to establish this system.

[Mayleng]

coe.jmu.edu/Learningtoolbox/studentDirections.html

[kc4braves]

Some good advice. We tried the accordian folder in 5th grade. Everyone was going to learn that technique but it was the worst thing he has tried to do. I think because papers got stuck everywhere and he couldn't see down in the files so everything had to come out every day then he seemed to have trouble finding stuff in it. I guess they probably used it for more than just homework, though. That might have been part of his problem. It was just a big mess. Finally, I just bought a binder and put folders for every class in it. That was much better, although, still a mess. I wanted to do that this year but several of the teachers wouldn't hear of it at all and a couple of others told me we could combine folders as long as all of thier material was in their folder, etc. I knew that wouldn't be the case so....well now it just isn't anywhere to be found. Currently we are trying colored, plastic pocket folders with brads for 4 classes ( one teacher realized her way wasn't working ) and a tracking sheet/homework folder. He has a plastic zip "thingy" that I got at Walmart that all of these folers fit in ( nothing complicated just holds them all in one place) along with the agenda and a paper folder. He just carries these everywhere then the two binders get added for the morning classes. He is doing better getting home with stuff and I am trying to make sure he organizes these folders. He rarely brings home the binders or workbooks, though. So, I'm trying to get teacher help with this. I have asked him to bring the workbooks home every day and the folders. I'm pushing for the binders to come home on Tuesday and Thursday. Those teachers have a specific organization plan and grade on whether you did it right or not. He usually fails that and I'm hoping to change that but I may have to meet with the teachers to figure out the system. I am also trying to drill into his head to have out only the one folder for that class so that things go back into the correct folder. I'm not sure why this doesn't happen.

I hate the carries stacks of stuff everywhere all day but at least with mostly folders, those are light and easier to manage. Dh was very shocked to see the mountain of books and binders my tiny child carries around. He won't go to his locker except at lunch.

He is doing better getting things home but what happens after that is the mystery.

[kc4braves]

Oh....I do like the big calandar on the wall idea. Are you talking a regular calandar or one of those big desk calandars? I think it will be like pulling teeth to get him to write on the calandar but I know he likes putting fun things on his current calandar on his wall and he constantly reminds me that Winter Jam will be here on Feb 26 at 7 pm...lol Maybe if we just put major things on it like "Book Report Due", "Science Test", etc. Sadly we often have only 1 days notice of a test despite my efforts to change this for every child.

[codyjr]

Geesh,if your son could remember to have every teacher sign the sheet and get it back to them,he probably wouldn't need organizational help anyway........teachers!

My son always has 8th period as study hall. The study hall teacher knows what his assignments are for the day(I'm not sure if she gets an email,or the teachers let her know
or what)...then she has him show her that he is done. If he's not done, then he works on it
until almost the end of class. Then she has him walk her through what needs to go home to be finished....and then he puts it in his bag...the stuff thats done goes back in his locker. I gave up on folders.....they never made it in the folders....they got stuffed in his locker or his books....so now everything is in his books(but it can get a little messy),but so far it works and it keeps him from forgetting to turn work in also. We do regular "cleaning' of his books. The 8th period study hall teacher also helps him organize his work and throw out whats not needed.
I would think that SURELY the school could find SOMEONE that could do that for him everyday. Whats his last period class? Does he ride the bus home or do you pick him up? The person could even meet with him right after school if that would work,or the last 10 minutes of 8th period??
Even with a 504 you should be able to get this. I got a 504 handout a while back and organizational type help was listed as an option.

good luck!

Oh,its important for him to walk himself through what the assignments are,whats done,what needs to go home,etc to the helper,not the helper take over and do it for him...or else he will never learn it on his own. She/He should be there as a guide...someone who knows what he has for assignments, someone to show him what needs thrown away,what needs filed. Also wouldn't hurt to go over the directions on the homework to make sure he understands how to do it too.
I would request that if at all possible in the future for him to have study hall 8th period. That would be the ideal time.

Its worked well for us!

[Mayleng]

Here's another thread we had about organizing, I knew we had one but couldn't find it. millermom.proboards.com/thread/4321/helping-kids-get-organized

[Mayleng]

Here's a book that might be useful: tinyurl.com/cngmgj
The Organized Student:

[Mayleng]

and this one too tinyurl.com/buvxoc

[momvic]

My DS uses 1 binder with dividers and pockets and an agenda this year and it works well. The resource teacher checks at the end of the day to make sure he has his assignments written. We also have an extra set of textbooks that were provided by the school through his IEP. He is only in 5th grade.

Next year, the middle school is not willing to provide the textbooks, so we will be on ebay looking for duplicates. Their reasoning was that my son is not physically impaired. He has ADHD and forgets. I am concerned because my nephew (7th grade and has a 504 plan) is failing some classes because he is not organized and does not hand in homework, etc. He was also denied the use of his locker and carried all of his books around so he would not forget them. Some of his teachers have attitudes and do not want to sign agendas, etc because they feel that kids of this age group should be old enough to be organized. I just do not get it.

When we were in our IEP for my son, the special ed teacher and assistant principal gave us the impression that everything is going to be followed. I am bracing myself for this roller coaster ride and pray that everything will go smoothly.

[lisa777]

How about any organization tips for kids around the house? My 14 yo cannot seem to keep her room straight. Before "I" clean it, it looks like she picked things up and threw them around the room!!! From books, to pens to clothes and everything in between!!!

[Mayleng]

Try getting the book Smart but Scattered by Dawson Guare.

[empeg1]

The 14 yr old whose room looks like a tornado hit. Yes, is there a 14 yr old girl out there whose room looks any different than above? I have a 16 yr old whose room is@#@#.

Here is how I handle it. Rule: no food in her room. She knows that if any critters are in her room due to not following said rule, that she will clean it up!

I gave my dd her own hamper at 13 and taught her how to do her own laundry. I did this with my ADHD older dd too. Now I do not get upset when she walks over clean clothes left on the floor. This is her problem, not mine.

I do not clean her room! If I cannot stand the mess, I simply tell my dd to shut her bedroom door so I do not have to see it! Her room is her room. On Saturdays during house cleaning, my dd runs the vacuum, dusts and does her sheets. How good of a job she does, in her room, is not something I inspect.

Boy, have the arguments decreased since the state of my dd's room is no longer up to me!

[Mayleng]

empeg, I did the same thing. I also don't do my son's laundry unless he brings them down. He has had to do his own laundry a few times since he accumulated so much and ran out of clean clothes. LOL! It was his problem not mine.

[rw]

My son just started 8th grade. The teachers insist on having a notebook for each class which is a disaster for my son. He came home on the second day of school and had already lost 2 notebooks. He's always leaving this here, that there, and never has what he needs. The teachers are not flexible enough to let him do it the way that is best for him, which in my opinion would be one notebook and a set of books at home. What is it with the schools about an extra set of books? Is it because they think everyone would request an extra set?

[Mayleng]

Makes no sense. Could your son use a 5 subject spiral notebook instead of individual notebooks?

[healthy11]

Does your son have an IEP, where use of a set of texts at home could be spelled out for him? I"m not sure what to say about the notebook thing, because my son also ran into that. Different teachers would collect their notebooks every so often and look at what kids had written to be sure they were taking notes, so a 5-subject notebook wouldn't allow your son to access his other topics while a particular teacher graded stuff overnight...

[empeg1]

Have an extra set of books at home written as an accommodation into your ds's IEP or 504 Plan.

[rw]

We tried using one notebook in sixth grade and the teachers wouldn't have it. Had to have a notebook per class. They say this helps with organization, which for a neurotypical child I can see it. For an ADD child with executive functioning issues, well not so much. It's just too much "stuff" to keep up with.

DS doesn't have a 504 or an IEP. I had to file a state complaint just to have him evaluated, which in the end got him nothing. That's why we're just plugging away with a lot of help from me to get him through. I just worry about the kids that are falling through the cracks that don't have a parent that will or can give all the extra help I have to give. (I'm not tooting my own horn, believe me I'm not super parent, just doing what I have to, to help my son survive this school maze

[healthy11]

rw, is there a certain kind of notebook the kids have to use? The regular "spiral bound" wide rule and college rule notebooks usually are 3-hole punched, so maybe your son can still have separate notebooks, but keep them in a huge 3-ring-binder? Would that help him keep better track of them? He could still remove individual ones if a teacher wanted to look at it...

[Mayleng]

Great idea Healthy.

[rw]

They require them to have a 1", 3 ring binder for each class. It is a big, clunky mess, IMO. Some classes you have to save every paper and put back into that class notebook in different sections. I can see where they are going with this; save all papers in an organized way and you can go back to them to study. It is just very difficult for him to keep up with it all. What good is the notebook with all your papers in it if it is lost? I'm not sure what the answer is for him, but I know I am getting more gray by the minute.

[wimom]

Would it be possible to "fudge" the size of the binder. Upsize to -1/2 or 2" for the class so he could keep the notebook inside the binder for the class. Also you can get folders that are clear and are made with 3 ring punchs to go in the binder and may help with keeping homework sorted and in the front of the binder for each class.

[dhfl143]

Here is an article from SchwabLearning that might have some suggestions:

www.greatschools.net/pdfs/trans_midschool_adults.pdf

[healthy11]

In our local Sunday newspaper, they just happened to have an article about money-saving ideas for various computer software and other needs.....Here's a free program:

www.rememberthemilk.com for managing tasks and to-do lists (it looks like it can also synch to various hand-held devices, so maybe this would allow a student to coordinate his/her class assignment schedule with computer and cell phone reminders???)

They also mentioned calendar.google.com

[suej]

Here's another site I just found for analyzing organizational issues;

www.onionmountaintech.com/files/Organization%20Inventory.pdf

[wetmores]

Surfing Sally is back:)