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Pendaflex Desk-free Hanging Organizer
The Pendaflex is a great option to help students archive and organize their school papers. The file system should be hung in a visible location, such as the back of the student’s bedroom door. This way it’s in sight and in mind. To utilize the Pendaflex, students should work with a tutor or parent at the end of a quarter or unit to clean through their binder, keeping all important documents that could be useful when studying for exams and placing them inside the Pendaflex. The bright colors on the file system should coordinate with the student’s file folders inside his or her back pack. For example, math should always be blue and Spanish should always be yellow. For students who struggle with organization, especially those with poor executive functioning skills, color aids in attention.
Case-it Binder
The Case-It Binder is our go-to recommendation for students in Elementary and Middle School who are not on a block-schedule. The Case-It binder we recommend has an accordion file on the left side whose colors can coordinate with the Pendaflex and a three-hole binder on the right. Many young students who struggle with organization will not hole-punch their assignments. The accordion folder in the Case-It Binder allows for students to simply slip in their papers with the oldest ones going to the back. This creates a chronologically organized system that is easy to use. Within the three ring binder, students should keep their assignment notebook and just one homework folder. Studies have shown that students are more likely to remember their assignments when they only have one homework folder and the right side contains items that have been assigned but not completed and the left holds assignments that are completed but need to be turned in.
LockerWorks Hanging Locker Organizer
So many students struggle to keep their locker organized and sometimes they can become a school work black-hole. One of the greatest tools is this locker organizer by Locker Works. The tool hangs from the shelf and creates additional shelf. Students can organize their books and binders by the block days. This avoids things being piled at the bottom of the locker and keeps students nice and organized at school!
3 Different Colored Binders
Block schedules are tough and they are becoming more and more popular! Many students will try to have a binder for every single class, but research tells us that this strategy doesn’t work. Instead, it creates chaos and students are very likely to lose materials. Instead, a great strategy to have in place is to have three binders, one for A-Days (or Red Days), one for B-Days (or Black Days) and then one for any class the student may have every single day. A fun way to spice this up is to coordinate it with the day’s colors or the school’s colors. Students should still utilize one simple homework folder, but within these binders all their materials are in one place !
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Time Timer™
The Time Timer is a great option for students of all ages, from kindergarten to college! Many students, especially those in elementary school, are challenged with grasping the concept of time on a clock. The Time Timer helps students visualize time by providing them with a visual countdown. The tool is great for helping to motivate children to get started (5 Minutes of Fury) or preventing rushing (Designated Homework Time).
Tangle Jr.
You may have a student who is always clicking his pencil or rocking back and forth in his chair. As parents, we always want to quickly say “stop that right now!” But fidgeting is actually a completely natural habit and many times children do it because they are craving sensory stimulation. The Tangle Jr. is a research-based tool which allows students to fidget in a non-distracting way.
Mini Whiteboard
The whiteboard is a simple but effective tool for helping students visualize a project that has been broken down, plan and organize their writing, create a to-do list, and so much more! As thousands of teachers have found, whiteboards are a great way to actively involve students in the learning process.
myHomework App
One of the most common questions parents ask is “How do I get my student to write down her assignments?” Many students are resistant to writing down assignments because they are available online or they simply prefer to use their phone. MyHomework is a great app available on both the Apple App Store and the Android Market. The app is great for students who are on block schedules or even those in college and acts as a digital assignment notebook.
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