Home and Office Organization Blog

Getting Organized For School - Organizing 4 U's Tips to The Plain Dealer
September 2, 2009

1.  Agree on a location where studying will take place for each student in your household - this may be a desk in their bedroom, a desk in a room shared with other family members ( den, library, etc.) or it may be the kitchen or dining room table.  

2.  Make sure the study place chosen has enough light, flat surfaces and is quiet when needed.  While some students are able to concentrate with multiple things going on around them, most are best able to concentrate if there are not distractions.  

3.  Have all supplies handy at the study station - extra paper, pens, pencils, erasers and staplers.  This will help students finish an assignment without having to go somewhere else for supplies - sometimes they never come back!  Due your best to make the study area an inviting area - homework seems bad enough if you don't like your study space.  

4.  If a parent needs to help monitor the study time, try to agree on how long the student needs to study before the session starts - this helps to eliminate arguments and gives specific goals.  Some people find an egg timer is the perfect way to set manageable blocks of time.  Try using these sessions as a way to help your student prioritize their daily and longer term work - the use if a daily planner should help your student become an organized one!  

5.  Where to put the computer is always a challenge for parents.  Most educators recommend having the computer in a public area of your home - a more difficult task as laptops become the norm.  An open area is ideal for parents to monitor the length of time spent on the computer as well as the websites being visited.  No need to spy - just be aware.