The Problem
Ever said, “Get your act together!” to your child? Maybe even more than once? Just one peek in his bedroom—clothes spilling out of drawers and even lurking under the bed--is enough to set your teeth on edge. No wonder all those panic-stricken mornings when he’s playing beat the clock with the school bus, scrambling to find a book one day, a math paper the next. Next time, be sure to remind him to check under the sheets, too. You never know . . .
Then there’s that weighs-more-than-him book bag he lugs around every day. Together, open it up, wade through the crinkled papers, textbooks, maybe even what's left of yesterday’s lunch, and grab a hold of that bulging binder. Dangle it by its spine, give it a shake or two, and see what falls out. Nothing should, so point taken. Tidy up the book bag, but don’t pack up that binder quite yet. There’s work to be done.
The Binder Solution
First, you might need to head back to your favorite school supplies store and purchase lots of notebook dividers—one for each minor subject and four for each major subject, thus providing for their accompanying notes, returned test/quizzes and homework. Now there’s a place for everything except incoming work. For that, pick up a pocket folder. Worksheets, etc. are gathered throughout the day in the left-hand pocket and transferred to the right one upon completion, easily retrieved in class the next day. Add a 3-hole pencil case and hole puncher if missing from your child's arsenal, along with a roomy assignment book, too. Best bet? A teacher’s plan book--preferably one with a weekly, eight period format. Then get her into the filing habit, making it a weekly, if not nightly, ritual. Meanwhile, a word to the wise: avoid those all-in-one binders that feature accordian type files. Ditto for additional folders. These invite organizational disaster.
The At-Home Fix Up
Wherever your child tackles schoolwork--even it’s the dining room table--keeping supplies handy is a must, be it on a shelf, in a box or basket. Among the must-haves are notebook paper, ball point and felt tip pens, markers, pencils and a sharpener, a ruler, glue, highlighters, a stapler and staples, white and multi-colored index cards, printer paper, and ink cartridges. Meanwhile, don’t forget a dictionary and thesaurus, and, to avoid those night-before-the-project-is-due pleas, include construction paper and poster board, too. Then, hang an easily seen calendar for recording long-term projects and reports, along with important engagements and activities.
Next, find an out-of-the-way spot for storing completed units of study. Go with any good-sized box or oversized binder with a tabbed divider for each subject, so papers can be easily retrieved for future referral and exam review. This also insures that schoolwork is valued and doesn’t end up in the dumpster.
Finally, avoid those panicky morning searches with a “Drop Spot,” a convenient, on-your-way-out-the-door location for piling up the loaded book bag, sports gear, musical instrument, and lunch money or reminder that it’s in the fridge—all done up the night before, except for his free-reading book. And while you’re at it, don't forget his school locker. Accessories abound to help keep things orderly and can be well worth the expense. Then add a zippered bag filled with extra pens and sharpened pencils—a box of colored ones, too—along with a list of vital phone numbers, a few dollars, and some tissues.
Now you’ve done your part. All that’s left to do is oversee it all and keep up the momentum. Is it worth it? You bet! As eighth grader Josiah Tam once said, “Learning is so much easier when I stay organized.” Help make it so for your child, too.
Carol A. Josel - Defining and all-encompassing roles: parent, wife/now widow, learning specialist, former middle-school teacher with the Methacton School ...
