Organization is an important skill that children need in order to be successful in school. Children cannot learn how to be organized on their own. You can help prepare your child for school by teaching him the skills necessary to keep his things together so he is always ready to learn. According to Kids Health, with the right amount of dedication your child can learn to be more organized.
Step 1
Create a workspace for your child to do his homework. One of the most common complaints that parents have is that their disorganized child misplaces homework assignments or cannot find what he needs to get his work done, reports Scholastic. A desk works well as does a cleared kitchen table.
Step 2
Stock the workspace with the necessary supplies to get school work done. Scholastic recommends including traditional school supplies such as pencils, erasers and paper. An assignment notebook will give your child a place to write down his assignments and things he needs to remember to bring to school so that he always knows when homework is due and what he needs to complete each day.
Step 3
Provide organization tools for your child. A backpack is an important way to help your child get organized for school, because it provides space to store homework assignments and items your child needs for class. After your child completes his homework, have him place it in a two-pocket folder and put it in his backpack. File folders can be used to store graded homework assignments and report cards you would like to hold onto, says Donna Goldberg, author of "The Organized Student: Teaching Children the Skills for Success in School and Beyond." Pencil boxes work well for storing small school supplies your child carries back and forth between home and school.
Step 4
Help your child clean out his backpack regularly, recommends Scholastic. Put papers he does not need or want in the trash or recycling. Save what he wants in file folders.
As you show him how to clean, you can make sure he understands what he needs in his backpack so he is always prepared for school. Replenish supplies as you notice what is missing so he has everything he needs.
Step 5
Keep a family calendar. Scholastic suggests a family calendar as a way to show your child how organization helps everyone succeed. Record homework due dates and dates of upcoming tests for your child. Encourage him to look at the calendar regularly so he is always aware of what he needs to do and when he needs to have it done by.
Tips and Warnings
- Encourage your child to put his backpack by the door so he knows where it is when he is ready to leave for school. Have your child lay out his clothes for the next day so he can avoid rushing around trying to find what he needs to wear.
- Your child will not learn how to be organized overnight. Kids Health reports that over time your child will learn organizational skills.
Things You'll Need
- Workspace
- Pencils
- Erasers
- Paper
- Assignment notebook
- Two pocket folder
- File folders
- Pencil box
- Backpack
- Trashcan or recycling bin
- School clothes for the next day
References
- Kids Health: Help Your Child Get Organized
- Scholastic: Mission: Organization
- "The Organized Student: Teaching Children the Skills for Success in School and Beyond"; Donna Goldberg; 2005
