Part of being a successful fifth grader requires students to be aware of their ability to be organized, responsible, and independent. Below, please find some suggestions and reference pages to help children reach these organizational and personal goals. Please review them with your child. Although not all suggestions may apply, there might be one or two new ideas that could help make life at home and school easier.
Thanks in advance for your help and cooperation.
**Tips for an Organized Child at Home**
1. Lay out clothes the night before. This will eliminate the "morning rush" to find clothes. This also helps the morning move more quickly and avoid arguments.
2. Children should be responsible for cleaning up at home and putting things in appropriate places.
3. Have a chart with chores/responsibilities. This way, children can be independent, responsible, and accountable.
4. Give your child his/her own workspace with a calendar. Use the calendar to organize assignments/activities. Help them organize this space with bins, cups, paper caddies, etc. Color code: Homework in blue caddy, Notes for mom in red caddy, Writing supplies in green bin…
5. When assignments are completed they should go in their folders. Folders should be placed in the backpack (along with anything else that needs to go back to school) and the backpack should go near the door your child exits in the morning.
6. Have a special place for library books, notes, etc. This eliminates the need for last minute searches.
7. Hold your child accountable for materials, assignments, and belongings.
**Understanding Organization**
Form of Organization:
Material/Spatial
Definition:
The ability to deal with various materials and equipment.
Manifestations of Difficulty:
Loses things; trouble remembering what to take to school; messy with belongings
Suggestions:
Work station, supplies color-coded, a "home" for everything, label belongings
Form of Organization:
Temporal/Sequential
Definition:
The ability to plan and use time efficiently.
Manifestations of Difficulty:
Trouble allocating time; difficulty estimating how long something will take; Problem knowing the order in which to do something; Losing track of time; Procrastinating
Suggestions:
Time log, model building, recipes, using timers, calendar, project planner, clock
Form of Organization:
Transitional
Definition:
The ability to shift gears and prepare for what is coming next.
Manifestations of Difficulty:
Rushing from activity to activity; Failure to take home needed materials; Difficulty with routines and settling down to work
Suggestions:
Previewing, planning ahead, preparing things in advance.
Form of Organization:
Prospective/Retrieval
Definition:
The ability to remember to do something at a later date.
Manifestations of Difficulty:
Tendency to forget assignments, Perform poorly on errands, unreliable with daily responsibilities
Suggestions:
Lists, charts, schedules, computers, calendars, post-its, monthly contracts
**Materials for an Efficient Work Station**
o Post-its
o Paper
o Electric pencil sharpener
o Container with pencils
o Container with makers, crayons, colored pencils
o Ruler
o Stapler
o Paper clips
o Colored folders
o Hi-liters
o Glue sticks
o Scissors
o 3 hole puncher
o Shelf space (organize notebooks, folders, books)
o File box organizer
o Cursive writing chart
