Teaching Organization...

Teaching kiddos to internalize and take responsibility for organizational skills is probably the most important life lesson that we teach each day.

When you look into their little desks you know which kiddos know how to organize their materials and keep up with their work.  It seems that those sweet little babies who need help getting organized are also the same kiddos who need help "remembering" to turn their work in.

I came up with a simple solution that can grow with kiddos as they go through elementary and is very simple to create!  I simply took all the different strategies/modifications that we normally use and put them ALL.INTO.ONE.LOCATION! Crazy simple!  Y'all...hands down one of the simplest and efficient strategies I've ever done!

The front of the binder is simply what "reward" will they get for finishing all of their work.  Each time they complete an assignment than they earn four minutes of "play time" at the end of the day.  They can earn up to 20 minutes per day.  Half the picture represents only two minutes were earned...this is a cheat for me to calculate the time!  So on this binder the kiddo earned 18 minutes of dinosaur "free play"!

 

The inside of the front cover is where I store the pictures that are "to be earned"....

Inside the binder I have one folder for each subject area that I monitor for the student.  I put the work for the day on the inside pocket that is labeled "work to be completed" and they are responsible for moving the work over to the "finished" side.  When they finish one subject assignment I check the assignments on the "finished" side of the folder.  If they have finished the work in the allotted amount of time then they earn a "sticker" for the front cover.

At the end of the day I calculate their time and discuss with them all of the work they completed.  The VERY END OF THE DAY is when they earn their "free play time" activity.

I plan to put a zipper pouch in the very front of the binder.  If a student has a picture schedule as an accommodation/modification that requires a picture schedule I could/will also put it in the binder...the binder will STAY AT SCHOOL.  It will not be used as a communication log for school and home.  I want to think of it simply as a "portable desk"!  The front will have the materials that they will need FOR.THAT.DAY.ONLY!  Yes,this will require a little extra work...but I will have a check sheet for them to keep track of what they are supposed to have inside that pouch for that day.  It's a process that has to be taught! 

I'll post more pictures as I "perfect" the binder! 

The goal is for them to be INDEPENDENT LIFE LONG LEARNERS!  This will be a very beneficial skill for them for the rest of their life!  To me, that's a win!

What strategies do you use for teaching organizational skills to your kiddos??  I'd love to hear about them!

Lots of Love!

Brandy