Organizing The Boy
Friday, August 20, 2010 at 6:00AM Let me start by saying that I, myself, am not terribly organized. I generally have a place for everything, but if you open the doors to my cupboards or closets, you'll find that the place itself is a mess. But I do know how to be organized if I so choose.
My sister is laughing really hard right now in Denver.
Just ignore her.
Getting Hayden organized is horse of a different color. His ADHD mind has made every desk, cubby and backpack into a black hole of missing assignment, notes to be signed and returned papers. You'd think a system like the Trapper Keeper would make sense. Everything is right there at your fingertips, you just have to find the right folder.
Nope.
Hayden would just shove indiscriminately until the notebook was bulging with papers - and the folders themselves were empty. Plus, the way the TKs unfold all the way across the desk really bugged him. So we tried something new last year and it worked! He made it all year without any complaints about homework not turned in or missing assignments!
This was HUGE people.
Here's what we did.
I went and bought five, one inch 3-ring notebooks in different colors (yes there are two blues, any other colors were deemed "girly"). They are labeled for his four primary classes plus one for electives. The black one is Math. It's hard to label black objects.
The inside of each notebook is the same.
They each have a pencil bag with pencils, red pens and blue pens plus extra erasers.
The math notebook also has a calculator, ruler and protractor.
Behind the pencil bag is a folder with pockets to hold hand outs and returned papers. The name of the class, what period it is and the room number are written on the folder.
In the back is a lot of loose leaf paper.
His locker is centrally located so it is easy for Hayden to switch notebooks between classes. Even if he didn't though, they're small and lightweight so carrying 2-3 in a backpack wouldn't be a big deal.
In his locker, Hayden keeps extra packs of loose leaf paper for refills and things he doesn't use often like markers and colored pencils.
At the end of the day, he grabs whichever ones he needs for homework and heads out. The different colors help keep it all straight
And that's it. Simple, straightforward and cheap. We were even able to reuse two notebooks this year and all of the pencil bags.
What systems have worked best for you?
Reader Comments (14)
Wow, I love that! I've learned a lot from you this week!
You just reminded me, I am out of notebook paper and I can''t buy it in this country. Isn't it odd that they only carry college ruled paper and not wide ruled paper? I have to go back to my own country to buy PAPER.
Our system for homeschool this year is going to be really simple: a filing cabinet and a computer.
When I was a tutor they had one folder that the school handed out to EVERY student. In that folder went every piece of paper that had to get signed. There was a separate folder for homework. Granted, this worked best in elementary school where the kids changed classes just 1x per day, but still. At the end of the day they only had two folders and those folders came home every single day.
You kids are lucky to have you for a mom! What a great system for Hayden. I wouldn't even begin to know what to do to help hayden out. Happy Friday!!
This is much like the system I use in college, except that I moved everything into one big notebook. I got sick of carrying too many around. I use those divider thingies to keep everything organized.
I just love being organized.
Marla @ www.asthefarmturns.wordpress.com
So I was thinking on the black binder that you could use some white out or a white paint marker to label it. I'm like you, I love for things to be organized but I dont have the time to do it.
Being that my oldest child's school list is comprised mainly of glue, crayons and puppy-decorated folders I haven't yet had to instill any organizational skills. But I'm impressed by yours. I love me some organization. And planners. I love planners. Just a little extra tidbit of "Mindy facts" for ya. Good job with the binders. :)
Mindy
www.thesuburbanlife.com
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha HA!
I used to have different notebooks for each class.
Sigh, I miss school.
Now I'm sad.
Also, tempted to a start a political debate at work.
So stupid, too.
You are every teachers dream parent!! If only my students' parents were just as good as you!!! Can you come and teach a class for my parents?
Darn black folders . . .
Silver sharpies work wonders for labeling dark colors. This process will suit him well for years to come. My sister thrived with this exact system through college.
LOVE it!! And I am glad you have a school where every student doesn't have to comply with a 'one size (doesn't) fit all approach that makes all the kids organize the same way. Awesome!
I'm totally doing this for my ADHD child next year when he enters 7th grade and longer has teachers to watch his every move! I used to have Carter in his class to monitor him and bring home the notes and tell me what was due, but we held Alex back because we knew he was not ready for the 7th grade.... he was also the youngest one in his class so all were excited/relieved to hold him back.... Alex knew he wasn't ready and is glad to still be having recesses :-)
Getting ready for school to begin is the best part of a new school year. The smell of new paper, the sharpened pencils, the stiff, new binders. Ah... almost makes me want to go back to school. Almost.