Help your Child be an Organized and Successful Student
Sometimes it seems like the last thing on our children’s minds is their homework and their studies. Unfortunately, this can reflect in their grades and overall performance in school. Your child might have expressed frustration or confusion about how to go about staying organized and on top of homework, project deadlines, and studying for exams. But you can provide your student with the organizational skills needed to be a successful student.
Work with your child to get them in the habit of composing to do lists. Use checklists to keep track of assignments, household chores, and reminders about what materials to bring to class. Your child should keep a small pad or notebook dedicated to listing these homework and chore assignments. Have them cross off each item as it is accomplished. Looking at a completed to do list will instill a strong sense of accomplishment. These to do lists should prioritize homework and chore assignments as well.
A stable routine at home is imperative to your child’s success at school. Your child should study in the same place every night. Make sure it’s a quiet location with few distractions. All school supplies and materials should be nearby. Try to adhere to a regular routine at home with scheduled bedtimes and limited television viewing. Children with a regular bedtime go to school well-rested and better equipped to perform. Before your child goes to bed, he should pack schoolwork and books in a book bag. The next day’s clothes should be laid out with shoes, socks, and accessories. This will cut down on morning confusion and allow your child to prepare quickly for the day ahead. Encourage your child to sort through book bags and notebooks on a weekly basis so they don’t fall victim to the paper clutter monster.
When the kids come home from school, it is often accompanied by an avalanche of books, backpacks and sport equipment. It can be a real challenge to keep things organized. But the more organized they are, the less chance you’ll hear, “Mom, where is my homework?” It can sometimes be a challenge to find any extra space, especially in smaller homes and apartments. However, with some creativity, it is possible to make a nice homework center for the kids.
Do you have a spare bedroom? It can be pretty easy to convert it into a homework area. There are a few options for workspaces, old office desks, or even student desks from schools that have gotten rid of old desks. Even a standard table and chairs will work, as long as they are at a comfortable height for the children. You can often pick things up at yard sales for a good price. Add some hooks to the wall to hold backpacks; shelves for reference books and you have a great study room. It is also a good idea to make sure there is plenty of light.
If you have more limited space available, you could put hooks in a hallway, possibly near the entrance or in a closet, one for each child. They are responsible for making sure their backpack is on their hook when they come home and is only taken down when they are either doing their homework or going to school. Then they can do their homework at the kitchen or dining room table, putting everything back in their backpack when it is done and then hung on their hook.
Another idea to consider is to make a foldaway desk. If there is a closet in each child’s room, you can create a foldaway desk that attaches to the closet door. Measure the door and cut a piece of wood to fit (allowing for doorknob and hinges). Sand and paint the wood and attach it to the door with hinges. Be sure to use screws that don’t go all the way through the door, or bolts that go from the other side of the door into the wood. Attach another piece of wood vertically, also on hinges that can be pulled out to support the desk. When the children aren’t using it, fold the support and top back against the door and the desk is out of the way.
The key is to get a system in place and making sure everyone remembers to put their school things in the same place every day. It may take a few reminders before the kids do it on their own, but eventually it will become something they do automatically when they come home.
