As seen in the Dayton Daily News on August 18, 2012.
An organized student will have a better chance of being a successful student. Many teachers I have spoken with said they often see very bright students not doing well in school because the students lack organizational skills.
As parents there are some very simple things you can do at home to encourage students to become more organized and better prepared for school.
- Purchase analog clocks instead of using digital ones so children can see the time pass and know how much time is left before they need to head out the door.
- Post a list of daily school activities and the school lunch menu low enough for children to check them and see what they need to take for the day.
- Make sure the laundry is caught up and put away so your child can find what to wear easily. Setting clothing out the night before will help the morning not feel so rushed.
- Have lunch items on hand and make sure your child knows where they are kept. They are more likely to pack a healthy lunch if items are easy to find.
- Complete any paperwork the school requires from you on time so your child doesn’t have to remind you.
- Have a roll of quarters and a stack of one-dollar bills on hand for those last minute requests such as wearing a hat or special shirt for spirit day that require a small fee.
- Designate a staging area in the kitchen where everything that needs to go out the door in the morning is kept. As children leave for school have them check this space for any forgotten items.
- Keep school supplies on hand such a poster board so they can start projects when they are assigned.
Now that you have done your part to have some home routines in place it’s time to have your child take on some responsibility.Encourage older children to wake to an alarm instead of you waking them. This better prepares them for college and their work life and stops you from nagging them each morning.
- Have them put together a checklist of those items they need before heading out the door for school. Homework, books, assignment planner, lunch or money, permission slips, sports equipment, instruments and house keys are some of the items that may go on their list. Having this list posted near the door they exit for school will keep them from forgetting items.
- Have your child fill in permission slips and other paperwork with as much information as they can before handing it over to you. I even take it a step further and have them fill out the check for me to sign. It’s a great way to get out of doing all the work yourself while preparing them for the adult world.
- Your child should be responsible for doing their homework and making sure it’s turned in on time.
Remember you are your child’s first and most important teacher. Set your child up for success by taking the time to organize what they need for school and letting them take on more responsibility to be better prepared.