Why should I do it:

• Provides increased order for the student mentally and logistically
• Improves student awareness of belongings, papers, supplies, etc
• Increases student success and morale
• Improves work completion and returning or handing in of work
• Provides increased structure
• Helps to develop and establish routines, schedules, etc
• Increases student responsibility and follow through
• Holds students more accountable
• Improves student self-confidence
• Decreases missing and lost assignments
• Improves time management
• Increases attending behaviors

When should I do it:

• When students exhibit poor organization
• When students chronically loose, misplace, and fail to turn in work
• When students have trouble following the school/class procedures, schedules, and/or routines
• When a students locker/desk is very messy and disorganized
• When a student looses work, materials, and supplies in their locker/desk
• When a student hoards work in their locker/desk

How do I do it:

• There are numerous specific strategies and systems to help and teach students to become more organized, please click on links below to explore and choose some
• Some basic strategies include keeping a planner or calendar, frequently organizing lockers, desks, and storage areas with the assistance of a teacher or peer
• Checklists
• Daily schedules
• Keeping things in a crate and out of the desk or locker
• Organizational folders with a “to do” and “done” side
• Visual schedule
• Parent assistance with daily helping student to organize and sort work, belongings, and materials
• Turning in all complete work to one location and/or person
• Etc.

Resources & Support for technique:
(Items with footnotes link to external websites)

• Organizational Tools For Students ¹
• Teaching Organizational Skills ²
• General Graphic Organizer Sheets ³
• Help Your Child Get Organized For School ⁴
• 7 organizational Tools For Students ⁵
• Organizational Skills for Students with Learning Disabilities: The Master Filing System for Paper ⁶
• Helping the LD Child with Organization ⁷
• Parents’ Guide to Organizational Skills for Students.pdf ⁸
• Teacher Tips For Improving Students’ Organizational Skills ⁹
• Organization Interventions for the Disorganized Student ¹⁰
• Organizational Skills: Recommendations for Teachers of Students with Organizational Problems.doc ¹¹
• Top 10 Skills for High-School Students ¹²
• Developing Kids’ Organizational Skills ¹³
• Homework Organization For Students (And Their Parents) ¹⁴
• 6 Simple Organization Tips for Students of All Ages ¹⁵
• Helping Special Education Students Get Organized ¹⁶
• Tier 2 intervention of Individual & Visual Schedules

Footnotes:

1. Pleasant Valley Community School District. Organizational Tools (for Students). [http://www.pleasval.k12.ia.us/studyskills/studentorganization2.htm].
2. Fattig, M. (2010). Teaching Organizational Skills – ADHD. [http://www.disabled-world.com/health/neurology/adhd-autism/organization.php].
3. Teachnology, Inc. Graphic Organizers. [http://www.teach-nology.com/worksheets/graphic/].
4. Kruger, S. Help Your Child Get Organized For School. [http://www.lifeorganizers.com/kids/help-your-child-get-organized-school].
5. Byrne. (2010) 7 Organization Tools for Students. [http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2010/08/7-organization-tools-for-students.html].
6. Newhall, P. W. (2008). Organizational Skills for Students with Learning Disabilities: The Master Filing System for Paper. [http://www.ldonline.org/article/Organizational_Skills_for_Students_with_Learning_Disabilities:_The_Master_Filing_System_for_Paper].
7. Watson, S. Helpling the LD Child with Organization. [http://specialed.about.com/od/teacherstrategies/a/organized.htm].
8. Amity Region # 5. Parents’ Guide to Organizational Skills for Students. [http://www.amityregion5.org/file/1379/download].
9. Rief, S. (2007). Teacher Tips For Improving Students’ Organizational Skills. [https://research.tufts-nemc.org/help4kids/docs/LEAP%20Handouts/Teacher%20Forms/Teacher%20Tips%20for%20Organization%20and%20Time%20Management.pdf].
10. Casey, B. L. (2009). Study Tips: Organizational Interventions for Special Education Students. [http://www.brighthub.com/education/special/articles/54348.aspx].
11. Cash, A. ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS: RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TEACHERS OF STUDENTS WITH ORGANIZATIONAL PROBLEMS. [http://www.udel.edu/education/masters/psychology/handbook/recommendations/OrganizationalSkills.doc].
12. Page, C. Top 10 Skills for High-School Students. [http://school.familyeducation.com/skill-builder/college-prep/37653.html].
13. Coordinated Campaign for Learning Disabilities (CCLD). (1999).Developing Kids’ Organizational Skills. [http://ldail.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=12:orgskills&catid=12&Itemid=112].
14. Tyler, A. N. Homework Organization For Students (And Their Parents). [http://ezinearticles.com/?Homework-Organization-For-Students-%28And-Their-Parents%29&id=1438369].
15. Russell, L. (2007). 6 Simple Organization Tips for Students of All Ages. [http://voices.yahoo.com/6-simple-organization-tips-students-all-ages-205293.html].
16. Webster, J. Helping Special Education Students Get Organized: Tips for helping students get organized. [http://specialed.about.com/od/classroommanagement/a/organizetips.htm].