Tips for parents

How to help your child be organised for school

Some ideas:

• Besides posting a master calendar and student timetable (in the kitchen), provide your child with a desk calendar that serves as an overview of important dates, activities, and events.

• Choose a workplace for your child at home that has adequate lighting, is comfortable for working, and is as free from distractions as possible.
  Carefully examine the child’s workspace. Make sure it has a large, working

• Clear out desk drawers and shelves of work, projects, and papers from past school years. Together, decide on what you would like to keep and store out of the way in order to make room for current papers and projects.

• Assist your child with cleaning and organising by getting her started.

• Make the time to help your child clean and organise her backpack, notebook, desk, and room.

• Provide the necessary supplies to help your child be organised at school. (You will likely have to replace and replenish supplies often.) Have her take inventory of what needs replacement.

• Encourage and help your child get in the habit of putting all books, notebooks, signed notes, and other necessary materials inside the backpack before bedtime. Place the backpack in the same spot every night.

• Pay close attention to due dates at school. With your child, record on a master calendar the due date of the final project and plan when to do the steps along the way (i.e., going to the library, getting resources and materials).

• If possible, be available when your child is doing homework to help as needed, but don't get in the habit of having him rely on you. However tempting it may be, don't do the work for your child.

• Praise all efforts at being organised.

• Set a schedule for homework. Some children like to come home and immediately get part or all of their homework done and out of the way. Others need a break before tackling any homework. Together plan a schedule or time for homework your child can follow as consistently as possible.