Two very common issues that teachers come across in their classrooms each day are low grades and poor organization. While fixing one will not necessarily always fix the other, there is a link between the two. Teachers can help provide their students with the best possible opportunities for increasing grades by teaching them how to become organized.
Color Code for Greater Student Organization
Color coding is a great visual tool for student organization. For a student who needs assistance getting and staying organized, the consistent use of colors provides a great visual reminder. In order to implement color coding in the classroom, it is important to remain consistent. For an elementary classroom, the best option for color coding is to have each subject represented by a different color. For example:
- Blue = math
- Yellow = reading
- Green = science
- Brown = specials
Teachers should use these colors each opportunity they have, including the daily schedule, assigned homework and bins to turn in assigned work. Reserve the color red for important or time sensitive things such as tests, special assignments or permission slips. Help students organize their binders with the same colors by providing colored folders or divider tabs. All assignments, notes and papers that pertain to a particular subject should be within the proper color section.
Using a Homework Folder
A common trait among students who are disorganized is the seeming inability for them to keep track of their homework long enough for it to be turned in for a grade. It may be beneficial to provide each student with a single pocket folder that is designated as a homework folder. The two pockets provide easy organization for students. On the left side, students should put any worksheets or assignments that need to be completed for homework. Once completed, each piece of homework goes directly in the pocket on the right.
This organization method will help students keep all their homework together in one place, know exactly what needs to be completed, and allows all the work to be kept together making it easier to turn in the next day. Some teachers utilize a variation of the homework folder through the use of an absence folder, where all missed assignments are collected for a student who is absent due to illness.
Proper Use of a Student Agenda
A student agenda is a tool that teachers can use to their advantage. This is the perfect opportunity to provide direct instruction in time management and organization. Each day, teachers should provide time for students to pull their agendas out and write down any assignments. While many schools provide agendas for students starting at fourth grade, it is important that teachers spend time teaching students how to use an agenda and the importance of using it properly.
The agenda is also a great method of communicating with parents, and can be a method of helping pull together the entire team helping an individual student. Comments and questions should be listed in the agenda by both the teacher and the parent, and this method of organizing parent communication helps to ensure that notes do not get lost or thrown out.
Increasing student organization will go a long way towards improving students' grades and preparing them for life. Some students will easily and naturally become organized while others will need more attention and instruction. Using color coding methods as well as a homework folder and a student agenda are a few tools for teachers to help students become more organized.
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