By Elizabeth Hamilton, M.Ed.
For Vareity

HAVING good organizational skills is essential for success in school and in life. However, most children are not born with these skills naturally. Below are 10 suggestions parents can use to help their children develop good organizational skills:
1. Develop a household schedule. Develop and establish a set routine for your children. Having a set, predictable routine will provide your children with structure and give them a sense of security. As part of the routine, have regular homework time, dinnertime, bedtime, playtime, and television viewing time. Also, be a good role model and establish a routine for yourself as well.
2. Have a master calendar. Teach your children how to stay organized and avoid scheduling conflicts by having a large, wall-sized calendar for the entire household. Use it to write down your family’s social commitments, appointments, sports activities, days off from school, and other important home and school events. Also, have your children mark the dates on which they have exams or projects due.
3. Use checklists. Help your children get into the habit of keeping “to-do” lists. Use checklists to write down homework assignments, household chores, etc. Have them keep a small pad or notebook dedicated to listing homework assignments. Crossing completed items off the list will keep them on track and give them a sense of accomplishment.
4. Designate a study area. Establish a specific area in your house for studying. This area doesn’t have to be a separate room, but it should be quiet, well-lighted and free from distractions. Also, it should be stocked with all of the necessary supplies and materials. For younger children, designate a place where you can easily monitor them and encourage good study habits.
5. Establish a study time. Your children should have an established time every day that is reserved for studying and doing homework. Even if they don’t have homework, the reserved time should be used to review the day’s lessons, read, write in a journal, or work on an upcoming project.
6. Prioritize homework assignments. Before your children begin doing their homework, have them number their assignments in the order in which they should be done. They should start with one that is the most difficult and then progress to easier assignments. That way, the most difficult work will be done before your children become too tired.
7. Organize school papers. Help your children keep track of papers by organizing them in a binder or a folder. This will help them review the material covered in class and to organize the material later in order to prepare for tests and quizzes. Use dividers to separate each class in a binder, or use multiple color-code notebooks (red for spelling, green for math, etc.,) for each class or subject. Also, have separate folders labeled “to do” and “completed.” Use the “to do” folder to keep assignments and to organize worksheets, notices, and items that need to be signed by parents. Use the “completed” to keep completed assignments and papers that need to be returned to school.
8. Declutter bags. Each week, have your children sort through their book bags, binders, and folders, and remove all of the unnecessary materials and trash. Returned tests and corrected papers should be organized and kept in a separate folder at home.
9. Prepare everything the night before. Make mornings less hectic by teaching your children to pack schoolwork and books in a book bag before they go to bed. The next day’s clothes, shoes, socks, and accessories should be laid out in advance as well. This will cut down on morning panic and allow your children to get ready quickly.
10. Provide guidance. Help your children develop organizational skills by photocopying checklists and schedules and taping them to the refrigerator. Remind them about writing in calendar dates and keeping their materials organized.