You understood my personal "challenges" very well and gave me ways to work with my personality instead of against it.
A.R. Redding, CA
Ready or Not it's Back to School Time!
Greetings!
As summer winds down and fall quickly approaches, your family back-to-school routines need to begin. Get ahead by setting up structured time to get your kids' ready for the first day of school. Purchase school supplies and review the calendar for everyone's schedule. Encourage your students to develop disciplined study habits.
The following are some websites to assist you with ideas to help your family make a smooth transition into the school year; www.organizedfamilies.com/kids.htm, www.lockermate.com, and www.organizedteens.com.
Make it a great day and organize today!
Chao!
Cynthia
Ready or Not it's Back to School Time!
Be Prepared For the First Day and Every Day
Is summer really over? Well, not quite yet. But soon enough it will be time to hit the books and return to the classroom. So, here are a few tips to help you and your children get ready for the first day back to school.
Clear the Closets
Before you go out and buy a whole new wardrobe, think about purging worn out and outgrown clothing and shoes. When going through the closets, make sure to do this "with" your kids, as opposed "for" them. Have them decide what is to be tossed, kept or donated. Also, have your children go with you to the donation center when letting go of clothing items. Cleaning out the closet and room of each child starts your children on a clean slate and teaches good organizational habits.
Launching Pad
In the morning, you shouldn't have to waste time searching for homework, book bags, shoes, cell phones, sport equipment, coats, etc. Create one area near the door where things for school and the activities afterward can be placed the night before. Create a checklist of items each child needs every morning. Your child can use the checklist each night to make sure he or she is ready to go in the morning. This way, you can leave home without the stress of searching for items.
Notebook & Binder Practice
Each child has his or her own creative way of thinking and taking notes. All this can relate to how well they keep up with their homework and tests. Middle school and High school notebooks can be a challenge to organize. Consider getting one or two notebooks to house three or four subjects, depending on how many academic classes are being taken (usually six or seven). Instead of colored divider tabs, I suggest each subject should have a separate, plastic, colored three hole punched folder. Each subject should also have a separate, color coded folder. (For example, red is for English, blue is for Math, green is for Science, etc.) These folders should have pockets on the inside. These pockets can be labeled with a permanent marker such as, "Homework to be turned in" and, "Returned Homework". Encourage your child to label each pocket in their own wording that they understand. Behind each folder you can place lined blank paper for note-taking and completed homework. This assists your children in the routine of handing their homework in on time because they know where it is located. Also, every three weeks, you and your child can go through their notebooks and purge returned homework. Place it is a file at home at your child's study center.
Study Center
This is an area where your child can sit and do their work. Ideally, this would be a desk in a quiet area, that they feel comfortable. A calendar can be kept with upcoming assignments and tests. All the extra pens, pencils, paper, etc. can also be kept here, as well as a spot for the returned homework. A drawer or some other container can be used to file returned homework. It's always a good idea to keep the work, just in case there are some discrepancies with "missing" assignments. At the end of each semester, toss or shred these papers to make way for the new.
These are a few ideas to help you and your children are ready for the new school year. Keep in mind that by being an active parent and giving the attention that your child needs will set them on the positive course of getting the most out of their education. If you feel that your child is having problems interacting or staying focused, or has a different way of processing information in school, the first step is to meet with a teacher, principal or school counselor. They can help decide if your child needs further evaluation and testing. The National Institutes of Health reported that 15 percent, or 1-in-7, Americans have a learning disability. By catching the signs early, you can help your child develop positive skills to be successful in school, in the workplace and in their future.
OnlineOrganizing.com is a wonderful website for just about any organizational need.
It has Tips For The Day, Newsletters, Articles, Products and much more! It is also a great place to go to purchase supplies for family and school organization.
It is definitely a "World of Organizing Solutions"!
Make it a great day!
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