minimalist student desk and chair with calendar hanging on wall

Students who are naturally disorganized are at a disadvantage unless we, as professional organizers, can help them by implementing systems, support, and structure. What I often see when working with clients between 3rd and 6th grades is that their parents or teachers have implemented a seemingly flawless organizing system for the student. Unfortunately, it isn’t the right system for that particular child. However, there are some great organizing tools for students with ADHD. The following ideas offer some suggestions on how to organize schoolwork, personal stuff, and schedules.

Crates + Hanging File Folders

Why a crate? Because creates can easily move from room to room. Novelty is a must for students with ADHD and a moveable crate allows their homework environment to change periodically. The crate, containing color-coded file folders, is a system that most kids enjoy using once they learn how. Create both a business and a personal section.

The business section contains all things relating to school with a folder for each subject and an extra one for projects that are works-in-progress. After the project is complete, it should be filed under the appropriate subject. I suggest blue for business, for example, because the first letters match. Make sure you explain the color scheme you choose – again, teach them why you are doing things a certain way. Older children may be able to choose the colors themselves and explain why they have chosen that particular color for a particular subject. They should have a specific reason why they relate, say, red to business. Maybe it fires them up!

The “p” for personal folders could also be “p” for pink, purple, passionate red, papaya orange, or even pepperoni brown-red. They hold documents related to topics such as:

  • Memorabilia: photographs, ticket stubs, awards
  • Passwords and auto-renewal dates 
  • Sports: schedules, registration forms, contact information
  • Hobbies: choir, band, music, cooking, art, collecting, drama
  • Spirituality: activities, schedules, groups, practices, etc.
  • Equipment: warranty and purchase information, software

Calendars

A year-at-a-glance academic calendar can be a great organizational tool for children in 3rd grade or older. Print a copy of the year-long calendar and highlight all holidays, teacher workdays, and early release days. Place it in a page protector and clip it to the front of their portable crate. You need to teach younger students how to use a calendar but once they learn, using a calendar becomes a skill that will be incredibly useful for them.

Most students younger than 3rd grade don’t understand the linear significance of a calendar. It’s a surprise to some younger children that calendars are arranged in lines and rows and read left to right like a book. This concept is foreign to them. Interestingly, more than one junior client has commented that they thought calendars should be like clocks – round.

Binders Can be a Thing of Beauty

Pocket Folders

Pocket folders help children avoid digging through their backpacks and scattering papers everywhere. Either buy a hole-punched pocket folder or punch holes in one yourself and put the pocket folder in the student’s binder. Label one side Homework and the other side Sign and Return.

Tabbed Dividers

Color-coded dividers help students with ADHD keep their binder organized because the colors make subjects easy to “read.” For example, green may represent science, blue for reading, red for writing, yellow for social studies, etc. For example, a child may want to represent their favorite subject with their favorite color. Again, encourage the child to attach some significance to the relationship between the color and the subject, but there’s no right or wrong here.

Within each color-coded section, create a section for quizzes and tests. Use the same color tab and place a gold star on it; put this divider behind the first divider of the same subject. It is important that students learn to hang on to old quizzes and tests that will help them study and reflect upon what they have learned. Collected tests and graded papers also serve as progress indicators to see how much they are learning throughout the year.

These systems should be adapted as needed, based on the child’s age and learning style.


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