Helping Students Stay Organized
As teachers, one of our primary goals is to empower students with the skills they need to succeed both in and out of the classroom. All of us have had that student who needs a little extra help with organization. The one that opens their backpack and it is a black hole of crumbled papers, or their binder is bursting at the seams. Here are some quick and simple routines you can implement to help teach your students with organizational skills:
Introduce A Planner System
The school I teach at is in the process of implementing AVID Strategies school-wide, so because of that one of our school wide goals focuses on organization. Every Monday when students come to class, the routine is to get out their student planner, and write down the assignments for the week. Here is a simple, and easy to use planner that students can use for the entire school year. You can print it and three hole punch it for students to put in a 1” binder, or if you have the capability to make spiral bound books that is a great option too. With the planner I also teach students how to use it, rather than writing down assignments and forgetting about it the rest of the week. During the first weeks of school, I teach students how to prioritize assignments, and chunk projects into manageable tasks, while also letting students find a system that works for them.
Create A Consistent Routine
Establishing a daily routine can help students know what to expect and when. Teach students how to create a schedule and set aside time for homework, study sessions, and breaks. This is especially important for students juggling various after school activities. On Mondays when students are filling out their student planner I remind them to make note of any practices, appointments, or obligations they have during the week.
Create a beginning of class routine by having students write the
day’s assignments in their planner!
Teach Prioritization Skills
Help students learn how to prioritize their tasks. Teach them to identify which assignments are most important or have the nearest deadlines and tackle those first. For larger assignments I show students how to break it up into smaller, manageable chunks. I have seen students create color coding systems by highlighting the most important assignments.
Click here to get a simple and easy to use planner for your students
Model Organizational Skills
As part of our school wide routine, we have a binder check every four weeks. Because we are starting to implement AVID strategies school wide, we use a checklist for students to follow as they go through and organize their binder. During this time I walk around and help the students that may need some extra support.
The most important part when teaching these skills is to make it an established routine by consistently modeling and reinforcing. Soon, it becomes a habit for students, although, yes, for some they still need a little extra support along the way. The goal is to empower them to take control of their own learning and to feel confident in their abilities to manage their time and responsibilities effectively.
Looking for a simple and easy to use planner for your students? Click here!
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