This document discusses strategies for improving organization. It suggests using tools like to-do lists, Google Calendar, binders, and notebooks to manage time and materials. It also emphasizes setting up a dedicated study space and establishing routines. While digital tools are prominent now, limiting distractions and focusing is still important. The document also discusses using behavior contracts to help students develop responsibility through setting goals and consequences. Overall organization requires finding systems that fit individual styles and allowing trial and error.

1. Clean Sweep:
Organize for Success
Angela M. Housand, Ph. D.
University of North Carolina Wilmington
Pitt County PAGE

2. angelahousand.com

3. How do you organize yourself,
your materials, your
responsibilities?

4. Is your space picture perfect?

5. Is your space picture perfect?

6. Functional but Imperfect?

7. Functional but Imperfect?

8. Not Quite Functional?

9. Not Quite Functional?

10. Are You a Filer?

11. Are You a Piler?

12. Are You Visual Organizer?

13. Out of sight out of mind?

14. How much time do you spend?

16. Now you want to know:
How can I get my son or
daughter to be organized?

17. Getting Organized in the 21st Century

18. D
D
I
I
G
V
I IMMIGRANTS
I
T
D
A
E
L
NATIVES

19. Cognitive overstimulation that
interferes with our ability to
“think”
(Toffler, 1970, p. 350)

20. So, in addition to what the
teacher wants them to track,
manage, and remember…

22. The First Step…
Manage Time & Materials

23. (Eduventures, 2008)

24. (NPR March 16, 2011)

25. Infrastructure

26. Infrastructure

27. Infrastructure

28. Infrastructure

29. Infrastructure

30. Infrastructure

31. Organizational Strategies
• Keep a “TO DO” List
 Prioritize
 Completion check box
 Deadline driven
 Revised regularly

32. Organizational Strategies
• Keep a “TO DO” List
 Prioritize
 Completion check box
 Deadline driven
 Revised regularly
• YES, YES, YES!

36. Google Calendar Supports
 Time management
 Sequencing
 Setting Priorities
 Notification of Deadlines

37. Organizational Strategies
• Notebooks
 Loose Leaf Binders with Dividers
 Checking notebooks is necessary
 Both parents and teachers participated
when a student struggled

38. Organizational Strategies
• Notebooks
 Loose Leaf Binders with Dividers
 Checking notebooks is necessary
 Both parents and teachers participated
when a student struggled
• NO MORE!

39. Organizational Strategies
• When a student struggled with being
organized a teacher might:
 Allow them to keep a copy of materials at
home
 Require the use of an assignment log that is
checked daily or weekly
 Give positive reinforcement

40. Organizational Strategies
• No Need for Modifications!
 A copy at home
 No Need for Assignment Log
 Instruction time is VALUABLE!
 Less need for positive reinforcement – Now
praise can be used for creative productivity…

41. Ozair Patel
13-year-old
Bright but loses things
(e.g. handouts, notices)

42. Ozair Patel
13-year-old
Bright but loses things
(e.g. handouts, notices)

43. Ozair Patel

44. Ozair Patel

45. Ozair Patel

47. How Much Space?
2GB FREE
Install on Invite Share Install
another a friend or a on your
computer. colleague. folder. phone.

49. Shout Out!
Give me a number between 1 and 10…

50. Organizational Strategies
• The Environment
 Specific location for work
 Location should be distraction-free
 Set aside a specific time
 Daily, regardless of whether there is
homework or not
 Supplies and resources available and
accessible

51. Organizational Strategies
• The Environment
 Specific location for work
 Location should be distraction-free
 Set aside a specific time
 Daily, regardless of whether there is
homework or not
 Supplies and resources available and
accessible
• Still true, but…

52. Organizational Strategies
• The Environment
 Specific location for work, but realize the
digital environment is mobile
 Location should be distraction-free, limit
connectivity but not access to information
 Set aside a specific time, and work to increase
focus
 Daily,but “down time” is good too
 Supplies and resources available online with
access to the internet

53. Honor Diversity of Style
Help students find an organizational
system the fits their “style”
Encourage them to develop their own
systems
Allow trial and error: Have patience to
give system ideas a fair chance

54. Overwhelming?

55. Functional for Al Gore!

56. What constitutes
success in the
21st Century?

57. People Will Have To…
Collaborate
Create & Innovate
Solve Real Problems
Communicate Effectively
Persevere Despite Obstacles

58. Questions?

59. • Tied to his or her
identity
• Personally
interesting
• Integral to his or
her vision of the
future
• Viewed as
useful
(Eccles & Wigfield)

60. Behavior Contracts
 Mutual agreement between parent
and young person
 An opportunity for a young person so
function somewhat independently
 Increases responsibility for his or her
own actions
 Provides some freedom for the her in
acquiring skills and understandings

61. Behavior Contracts
Include:
 A goal component (The “what”)
 An actions component (The “how”)
 A time line (The “when”)
 Specification of expectations
• Criteria for successful completion
• Criteria for quality
 Signatures of agreement to terms
(Young Person and Parents)

62. Consequences:
Behavior contracts set positive
consequences
Example: continued freedom
They also set negative
consequences
Example: less freedom