Post by title1parent on Jul 14, 2008 7:32:51 GMT -5
One thing that I have found extremely important for both of my children, in order for them to succeed in school, is to be organized.
Going into MS is so different. Lockers, PE everyday, bells and all that homework. So much responsibility now lies on the child. They learn to adapt quickly, however, some kids struggle regarding organization which can really be a factor in their grades. It is usually because they didnt turn in the paper/assignment, because they can't find it.
Since the students have to carry all of their books, spirals and folders to class, my kids have always opted for the accordion/expandable folder. And, we always purchase the zippered ones as the plastic ones sometimes tend to rip and papers fall out. The expandable keeps all of their papers in one place and they dont have to carry around separate folders for each class. But remind them to purge old paperwork every quarter.
The locker shelf inserts that you can buy at stores have been helpful in separating their textbooks and spirals/folder from each other. The MS lockers arent that big and the shelf on top is pretty small so not a lot of room on top to store or arrange things.
Regarding classwork, I have strongly encouraged my kids to use their assignment notebooks. Knowing what the homework assignment is for tomorrow, or the project due date, is half the battle. I ask my kids everyday what the homework is, and sometimes if they are unsure if they copied it down correctly, they can either call a friend or call the MS's homework hotline that is available with each grade/teams assignments. We also have a HUGE wall calendar just for their use which they have color-coded. They put their test/quiz/research paper/project dates on them so they have a daily visual of what is coming up to help them with their time management. They also put on the dates for field trips and any extra-curricular such as concerts, etc. In addition, I have a large magnetic clip where the kids put paperwork that I need to see or sign off on.
These are just a few things our family uses to help with a smooth running school year.
Going into MS is so different. Lockers, PE everyday, bells and all that homework. So much responsibility now lies on the child. They learn to adapt quickly, however, some kids struggle regarding organization which can really be a factor in their grades. It is usually because they didnt turn in the paper/assignment, because they can't find it.
Since the students have to carry all of their books, spirals and folders to class, my kids have always opted for the accordion/expandable folder. And, we always purchase the zippered ones as the plastic ones sometimes tend to rip and papers fall out. The expandable keeps all of their papers in one place and they dont have to carry around separate folders for each class. But remind them to purge old paperwork every quarter.
The locker shelf inserts that you can buy at stores have been helpful in separating their textbooks and spirals/folder from each other. The MS lockers arent that big and the shelf on top is pretty small so not a lot of room on top to store or arrange things.
Regarding classwork, I have strongly encouraged my kids to use their assignment notebooks. Knowing what the homework assignment is for tomorrow, or the project due date, is half the battle. I ask my kids everyday what the homework is, and sometimes if they are unsure if they copied it down correctly, they can either call a friend or call the MS's homework hotline that is available with each grade/teams assignments. We also have a HUGE wall calendar just for their use which they have color-coded. They put their test/quiz/research paper/project dates on them so they have a daily visual of what is coming up to help them with their time management. They also put on the dates for field trips and any extra-curricular such as concerts, etc. In addition, I have a large magnetic clip where the kids put paperwork that I need to see or sign off on.
These are just a few things our family uses to help with a smooth running school year.