Organizing the Disorganized Student

Homework

Create a distraction free work area.
Create homework routines
- Homework should be done in the same place and at the same time everyday.
Have homework supplies on hand
Highlight important words in the directions
Read directions aloud
Do the hardest thing first
Allow child to move around
Allow child to take breaks
Create a homework checklist including:
- Unpack backpack, get pencils, put name on page, do work, return to backpack.
Create a challenge to boring homework
- How fast can they do 5 problems?
- How much can they accomplish in 5 minutes?

Talk your child through the project in detail.
Have them explain what they are expected to produce
Have them explain all relevant due dates
- Put final and interim due dates on their calendar
Have them explain to you what steps they need to do to accomplish the project.
- Break up the project into individual steps
- Purchase supplies, do research, record results, break up large reading assignments, etc.
Help them estimate how long each step of the project will take, add extra time, it ALWAYS takes longer than you think it will.
Work backwards from the due date until the present to see when they need to start each step of the project
Schedule time on their calendar/white board to do each step of the project.
Make sure that you honor the time that they scheduled — Allow them to do their work and be available to them for assistance.

Young child: one 2-pocket homework folder
- One side labeled “Things to go home”
- One side labeled: “Things to go to school”
Older child: 1 loose-leaf binder with all subjects with plastic cover around it.
- Everything goes in the one binder. Homework assignments get listed on a sheet kept in the back cover!
Spiral bound multi-colored folder notebook, use one color for each subject.
Go through your child’s backpack with them regularly.
Have an extra set of textbooks at home.
Give your child time to pack their backpack at night.
When doing homework put a brightly colored tab on everything that needs to be turned in to school. Put those sheets away in a folder/binder etc so that the tabs show. At the end of the day there should be no tabs left showing.

by Carrie Greene, ACC, CarrieThru, LLC, ADHD Coaching & Organizing Services.