The simplest and most effective ways to avoid the mystery of the missing homework.

Some kids are naturally organized. They always write down their homework assignments, bring home the correct books, and turn in all of their work on time. Yet others are, well, forgetful— usually neglecting to bring home the correct books and materials, thinking they can remember their assignments without writing them down, or completing certain assignments but forgetting to turn them in. With the volume of work and academic demands increasing rapidly as students move through school, it’s helpful to teach your child strategies for being more organized and less forgetful. Try some of the ideas detailed below.

Homework Planner System
Many students forget to write down their assignments or write only some of them, and very inconsistently. Encourage your child to try this five-column homework strategy to help him complete his assignments in a timely manner and remember the materials he needs to do so. To use this strategy, have him divide each day in his assignment book into five columns: A (assignments), ET (estimated time), AT (actual time), O (Order) and D (Done). When he is in school, the only portion that he should fill in is the assignments column, which should be the largest space (i.e. English essay on “Romeo and Juliet,” math pgs. 61-62, science worksheet, etc.).

When he arrives home and sits down to start his homework, he should first estimate how long he thinks each assignment will take to complete and write it in the ET (estimated time) column. Then, based on the estimated times, he should mark the order in which he wants to do the assignments in the O (order) column—1, 2, 3, 4, etc. He should keep an eye on the clock and write down the time it actually takes to complete each assignment in the AT column (and track the difference between the ET’s and AT’s), which will help build his time management skills. Once the assignment is completed and put in the correct place to be turned in, he should place a check mark under the D column—thus helping him to be less forgetful and more on top of his work.

Family Calendar
For kids who often forget about their after-school activities, evening obligations, sports games, and the like, a family calendar is often helpful. To create one, purchase a large calendar and designate one color for each family member. Hang it in a central location, like the kitchen or family room, so everyone can see it. Then every time an activity or event comes up, that person should write it on the calendar in the appropriate color. For instance, Lisa’s activities may be written in purple (soccer game, school play practice, dinner with grandma, etc.), Jack’s activities may be written in red, Mom’s obligations in blue, and so on. You may even designate a “family color,” representing events or activities that the entire family will attend.

Set up a routine
For forgetful kids, routines are often very helpful. Encourage your child to make it a habit to select her clothes the night before school and lay them near her bed. She should also always check her assignment book the night before school to make sure all assignments were completed, then double check to ensure that they were put away in the right place to be turned in. Additionally, she should include any other materials, supplies, or snacks that she may need for school the next day. The more organized she can be the night before school starts, the less hectic the morning will be and the less likely she will forget any books or materials.

Rewards
If all else fails and your child continues to forget necessary papers, books, and materials, try implementing a rewards system. If he remembers to turn in all homework on time for five consecutive days, for instance, he can earn a small prize that you mutually decide upon—like a video game, trip to the movies, or new book. Later, try extending it to ten days, then twenty, and so on, until his routine becomes so automatic that rewards are no longer necessary.

As students move through school, the academic and homework demands increase quickly. Help your child become more organized and less forgetful with these tips, and she will be well on her way to flourishing in school.

The post 4 Tips To Help Your Child Become More Organized At School appeared first on EBL Coaching.

As the school year gets into gear, long days at the beach are turning into late nights at a desk. You can help your child battle these nerves and start the new year with confidence by using the homework strategies detailed below.

1. Use an assignment book. Many students think they can remember all of their assignments without writing them down. Yet as they move through school and the quantity of assignments increase, accurately remembering their requirements becomes increasingly hard to do. Inevitably, books are left at school, homework is incomplete, and assignments are forgotten.‎ To avoid these hiccups, encourage your child to write down and organize his assignments using this homework management strategy:

Purchase an assignment book for your child with ample space for each day.  Have him divide each day into five columns: The first should be labeled “Assignments” and should be given the most amount of space. The next four columns should be labeled “ET” (for Estimated Time), “AT” (for Actual Time”), “O” (for Order), and “D” (for Done). At school, your child should only write down assignments in the first column (“Assignments”). When he comes home and begins his work, he should first decide how much time he thinks each assignment will take, and write the ET. Based on those times, he should decide on the order in which he wants to complete the assignments, and number them in the O column. After completing each one, he should fill in the AT, and when the assignment is done and put away in the right place to be turned in, he should place a check mark in the D column.

2. Pick a regular homework time. Some students prefer completing their homework right after school, when they are still in “work mode” and can carry over the momentum from school. ‎Others prefer a short snack break, while some thrive on the post-dinner energy surge. Any of those options work, but consistency is key. Your child should pick a time of day for doing homework and stick with it regularly.  If she has after school classes or activities on certain days, sit down with her and come up with specific time slots for completing homework. Have her write those slots into her planner so they are built into her day.

3. Have a designated homework space. Along with a consistent time of day for doing school work, it is important for students to have a designated homework spot. Ideally, this should be a desk in your child’s bedroom, but a table in the kitchen or another room can work as well. If he plans to use a desk, make sure all of the supplies he may need for completing his work are on his desk–pencils, pens, tape, scissors, a ruler, protractor, etc. If he plans to work on a table in another room, create a “homework supplies box” with all of the necessary supplies that he can keep in his room but bring to his homework spot when he is ready to start his work. Just make sure the supplies are always well stocked to avoid any distractions.

4. Implement a filing system. We all know students who continuously overload their binders with papers from school until the sheets literally start to spew out in all directions. ‎Help your child avoid this organizational fiasco with a three-tier organizational system, structured as follows: Tier 1 is a working notebook, or the notebook your child takes with her to school on a regular basis. Tier 2 is an accordion file that she leaves at home for filing, divided into three sections per class – homework, notes, and tests/quizzes (ex. math homework, math notes, math tests/quizzes, etc). She should designate one day per week to be her “clean out my working notebook” day, where she removes any papers she doesn’t absolutely need to be carrying with her to school, and files them into the appropriate section of her acoordion file. Tier 3 is a long-term filing cabinet, where she files away any tests, essays, or projects that she wants to keep for the long-run.

5. Take “fun breaks.” The idea of completing several homework assignments and studying for multiple exams in one night can be daunting for many students. Help your child feel less overwhelmed and more empowered by building in “fun breaks” after every 30-45 minutes of work (or whatever time increment works for your child). During these breaks, your child can eat a quick snack, go for a walk, check her email, or the like. It should be short (about 5-10 minutes) but refreshing.

The post Homework Strategies For Kick-Starting The School Year appeared first on EBL Coaching.

With summer winding down and fall just around the corner, sunny days spent splashing in the pool and playing outside will quickly turn into structured days of school and homework. For many students, this time of year brings stomach-churning anxiety and unsettling nerves. You can help your child ease the transition back into school by teaching him strategies for effective organization and homework management. Try some of the tips below:

1. Set up a filing system.

When you embark on your annual school supplies shopping trip, purchase some tools for setting up an organized filing system. Help your child pick out a “working notebook” – either a 3-ring binder or a folder and spiral notebook for each class – that she will carry with her to school on a regular basis. Also purchase a large accordion file that stays at home for filing. Inside the file, label three sections for each class: homework, notes, and tests/quizzes. For example, inside the accordion file, she might label: math homework, math notes, math tests/quizzes, science homework, science notes, etc. She should designate one day per week to be her “clean out my working notebook” day, where she cleans out any papers she doesn’t absolutely need to be carrying with her (including those from the bottom of her backpack) and files them into the appropriate section of her accordion file.

‎2. Set up a regular work space.

Before the school year begins, help your child identify an effective work space that ‎he will use regularly for completing assignments. This should ideally be a clean desk in his room but a table in the kitchen or another room could work too. Make sure he has all of the supplies he may need for completing his homework: pens, paper, a hole puncher, a stapler, and so on. You can try using a “homework supplies box,” which some students prefer, where all of the supplies are kept together in one place. Just remember to re-fill the supplies when you notice they are running low, since a lack of supplies can turn into an easy point of distraction.‎

3. Set up a regular schedule.

Once the school year begins, after school activities, events, and school work all seem to pile up quickly. Carving out time to study and complete homework can become a challenge.  Thus, it’s important to set up a regular time of day for your child to complete her assignments. Some students prefer to complete their homework right after school, when they are still in “school mode.” Others like to wind down and take a break when they come home, and some seem to work most optimally right after dinner. Any of these options can work as long as they are right for your child. Just make sure she maintains consistency with her preferred work time.

4. Color code.

Before the school year begins, help your child set up a color-based organizational system. She should choose one color for each class: green for science, for instance, blue for math, and so on. All of her binders, note books, and folders should match the color she chooses for a given subject. When studying, she can even use color-specific flash cards and highlighters to maintain consistency.

5. Use an assignment book!

We all know students who feel they can remember all of their assignments without writing them down. Yet this task becomes increasingly hard to do and inevitably leads to forgotten books and assignments. Instead, purchase an assignment book that has ample space for each day and try using this 5-column assignment book strategy to reinforce effective homework management skills:

‎The first column  should be labeled “Assignment” and should be given the largest amount of space. The other four columns, placed at the far right, should be labeled: ET (Estimated Time), AT (Actual Time), O (Order), and D (Done).  During the school day, your child should only write down his assignments in the “Assignments” column. When he comes home from school, he should predict how much time he thinks each assignment will take to complete (and write it in the ET column), then decide on the order in which to complete them (1, 2, 3, etc., which he writes in the O column). Once he finishes each assignment, your child should write down the actual time each one took to complete in the AT column. After he puts away the assignment in the right place to be turned in, he should place a check mark in the D column.

The transition back to school can be a challenging one for many students. By helping your child set up systems for completing homework and maintaining organization, ‎you can make sure he starts the year off on a positive note.

The post Homework & Organizational Tips for the New School Year appeared first on EBL Coaching.