Homework Attention Deficit Order

Attention Deficit order is not impossible when it comes to ADHD students and organization. I like to tell my kids that it is part of my job as a mom to bring Attention deficit Order to their Attention Deficit Dis-Orders.

I was recently asked by a reader to explain to them how my son's school dealt with keeping kids with a total lack of organizational skills, organized.  I have spoken in a previous post about the fact that this school has classroom interventions in place that are utilized for all the kids in the school and every child is treated as if they were disorganized. 

This school has discovered that organizational tactics that help kids with ADHD, tend to not only help the inattentive and disorganized kids, these tactics really help everyone. 

I think it is a no brainer that we all do better if we are organized and we are all more productive if we have an easily accessible way to put our lives in order.

• Define the task that needs to be done.
• Highlight the time frame that the task is to be performed in.
• Know when the task is due.

With a system that clearly spells out and shows us the big picture or what is due and when, we are better able to prioritize and to make a plan of action.  The system that this school uses is really very low-tech but it is very effective.  The components of the system include:

• A Monday morning meeting
• An accordion file
• A list of assignments
• A white board with a copy of the assignments and the Due date

This is how it works.  Every Monday morning the teachers have a 30 minute meeting where the weekly assignment list is distributed.  Materials that are pertinent to each assignment are placed in the accordion file that has previously been labeled with subject headings such as: Reading, Writing, Math, Science, etc.  The teachers discuss with the class what the nature of each subject assignment is, what is required, how much time the think it will take to complete, what needs to be brought to school along with the assignment (e.g. flash drive, art supplies, current event newspaper or internet article, etc) and the day that the assignment is due.

The students assignment list includes a description of the assignment, an estimated time to complete (they ask each student to adjust their individual time to complete by how close the teacher’s reported average estimated time of completion differed from their actual completion times for previous assignments of the same kind.  For example if last week it took them 2 hours to complete their journal writing but the average length the teachers thought that it would take was just 30 minutes, the child would scratch out 30 minutes on the assignment sheet and write in 2 hours), and a due date.

Middle school and High school kids have a similar set up except that each individual subject teacher gives them their assignments and it is up to the child to write this information onto their weekly planner.

At home parents are asked to look at the assignment list on Monday evening and make certain that the student has a plan and whatever support that they may need to complete their weekly work.

This system has worked beautifully for our kids and in our home.  This system does not require any high tech or new fangled contraption, will bring Attention Deficit order to your child's school life and is a snap to carry out and put into place.. 

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