Back to School Organization: 5 Skill Sets to Practice with Your Student

With back to school season upon us, it’s important to start the year off on the right foot by building good habits and practicing organizational strategies. There are a number of different skill sets that can be practiced by children, teens, and adults alike. For younger ages, practicing these skills early on will help them learn how to be efficient and independent, giving them strategies that they can rely on for years to come as their workload and responsibilities increase. Skills like these not only lay a strong foundation for the start of the school year, but can also help set students up for success in their adult lives.

Key Organizational Strategies

There are five core skill sets that children and adolescents can practice so that they can learn how to be more organized. Practicing these skill sets with your student will help set them up for success by giving them the tools and strategies they will need to be successful in adulthood:

• Task Tracking

• Goal Setting

• Time Management

• Material Management

• Workstation Set Up

In this article we will look at what goes into each of these skill sets, and how parents and teachers can work with students to help them learn strategies to improve their organization.

How Parents and Teachers Can Help Students Get Organized

Parents and educators play an important role in helping children and adolescents learn how to be organized and prepared throughout the school year. Whether your child is just starting their educational journey, or entering a new grade level with more responsibilities and expectations, it’s not unusual for them to be experiencing anxiety about the school year ahead. Having open and conversation about expectations is an important first step to a successful school year. This will help your child understand what you and their teachers will be looking for academically, behaviorally, and socially. Clear communication like this can provide your child with a sense of direction and purpose so that they can more confidently and effectively navigate their responsibilities.

Keep in mind that your child will be going through a lot of new experiences. What you may see as an easy-to-navigate task could feel like a much bigger challenge for a student. They are still learning, and your patience and support will go a long way in helping them thrive. As you work to improve their organizational skills, here are a few things to remember to help your child feel prepared:

• Reinforce Healthy Habits. This is an essential foundation for your child’s overall wellbeing and academic success. Good nutrition, regular exercise, proper sleep, and effective hygiene practices play a crucial role in their physical and mental health.

• One Skill at a Time. There are many skill sets your child will need to learn to be organized and successful. To make sure those lessons stay with your child into their adult life, try focusing on one organizational skill set at a time. This will let your child learn what works well for them, and what areas they need to practice more.

• Praise the Small Steps. Try to focus on the positives rather than the negatives. This will encourage your child to do their best and take on bigger challenges. Celebrating your child’s successes, both big and small, will help them feel supported. This will go a long 

• Growth is a Process. Remember that your child is still learning and they will make mistakes. Instead of viewing struggles as an internal deficit or a failing on your child’s part, look at it as a learning opportunity. Practice makes progress!

As an adult in your student’s life, you have the important role of providing support and encouragement. It’s also crucial to allow your child the freedom to learn and grow on their own so that they can develop a sense of independence. Parents and educators are key figures in providing guidance, gently helping to point children and teens in the right direction for them to learn how to be successful.

Task Tracking

Your student can better understand their responsibilities and keep track of what is expected of them by creating a to-do list. This organizational skills training strategy will help them stay on top of what they need to prioritize on a given day, things that need to be accomplished before the end of the week, and what they need to prepare for in a month.

Task tracking can be used to keep tabs on short-term assignments (e.g. daily homework) and long-term assignments (e.g. multi-step project, test preparation). Knowing the due dates for each of their tasks is fundamental for successful task tracking. This will help your student see the “big picture” of what they need to complete and help them learn how to plan and prepare accordingly. There are different strategies that your student can try to help them stay on top of their tasks:

• Use a Physical Planner. Your child’s school will likely provide them with a planner or agenda book. Or, you can purchase one for your child so that they can write things down in the moment to look back on later.

• Use a Digital Tracker. Many schools also have ways to digitally track assignments, such as Google Classroom or Canvas. If a school uses a system like this, teachers often input when assignments are due so that you and your student can reference ongoing tasks for all of their classes in one place.

• Keep a Calendar. This can be a helpful way to help visualize due dates and action items to help complete a task. A digital tracker can be integrated with a virtual calendar to so that you can view tasks in both a list and calendar format. This is also good so that your student can practice setting up appointments in their calendar along with upcoming events.

• Create a Daily Assignment Record. A DAR is a comprehensive way for your student to understand not just what they need to do, but why they need to do it along with all the steps needed to make it happen. It can be customized with specific things your student needs to remind themself of. This can be a sheet of paper with key headings like:

• • Subject/Class
  • What homework do I have to do tonight?
  • What should I bring home with me?
  • What other assignments or due dates do I need to remember?

To help your child practice being accountable for their work, you’ll need to review their task list with them each day. A parent or teacher might even sign a student’s DAR or agenda book to show that they are involved in their planning process and helping the student learn how to track their assignments.

Over time you can gradually shift from actively checking a task list with your student, to reminding them when it’s time to review their tasks. This will help them start to independently review their responsibilities and start making plans. As your student keeps up with their tasks and makes improvements with their organization, you might even give them a small reward to help encourage them to keep up the good work.

Goal Setting

When you outline what you need to do and the steps that need to be taken to accomplish it, that’s goal setting, but sometimes it isn’t always easy to identify what those goals are. When your child has a lot of tasks to keep track of they might need some additional strategies to help prioritize specific tasks. They may want to do the easy tasks first and procrastinate the harder (and maybe more important) tasks. However, this can lead to missed deadlines, increased anxiety, and a number of other related issues. A big goal (like completing a book report) can be met more effectively by organizing and prioritizing the tasks that go into it by using the ABC method.

• “A” List – These are tasks that have to happen in the short-term, either today or tomorrow. To help them stand out among the other tasks, students can clearly mark those items with an “A” on their task list. To keep things feeling manageable, try to keep it to 3 or 4 tasks at once at first. This amount can be adjusted as appropriate depending on what your child or teen feels they can reasonably take on in a given day. Example: the finishing touches on a history report due tomorrow

• “B” List – These tasks are not as time sensitive as the short-term tasks on the A List. They’re still important with deadlines upcoming soon, but they might have a little more flexibility and can be completed within a week. Example: reading the next set of chapters in an assigned book that will be reviewed in a few days

• “C” List – These tasks may be less important and are not time sensitive. They’re something to keep in mind, but can be set aside for later as your student works on completing more time sensitive tasks. Example: cleaning out a folder/binder to reorganize materials (this might be something helpful for your student, but it might not need to get done right away)

The list of ABC tasks will be continuously shifting and should be reevaluated on a daily basis. Each day, your child or teen should go through their task list and mark them with an A, B, or C rating to help them better understand what they need to work on first. Your child should start working to complete all of the A tasks first, before working on B items and finally reviewing C items. If they have a lot of A list tasks to complete, that might mean setting aside the Bs and Cs to work on the following day. Some things may take longer than expected, which means they should stay on the A list the next day to make sure it gets finished.

Materials Management

In addition to tracking tasks and how they should be organized to reach certain goals, your child or teen will also need to have a good handle on the 

different materials they need to help them complete those responsibilities. Things like a laptop, notebook, pencils, and all of the worksheets and documents distributed in class could be key materials that your student needs to keep track of to help them remember and complete the different responsibilities they have in their classes.

Students often fall into some common problematic behaviors or “bad habits” that leave them less organized, and therefore less prepared. Forgetting to bring materials home from school, leaving completed assignments at home, or going to class unprepared and without the materials they are supposed to have are all examples of this. With a little advance planning, students can apply different strategies to help them consistently organize and keep track of their materials:

• Backpack Checklist. For students who have trouble remembering to bring home all of the necessary materials they need to do their work, a checklist is a great go-to strategy. Your child or teen can review this at the end of each school day as they pack their bag to make sure they haven’t forgotten any of the items they will need. A list like this can be discreetly secured on an inside pocket of the backpack so that it’s always there to reference.

• Key Questions. Another type of checklist could take the form of specific questions your child should ask themself to make sure they have remembered everything they need to bring home. You can rehearse with your child to help them practice asking themself questions like “Do I have my… assignment book? Accordion folder? Items XYZ?”

• Organizing Papers. One of the biggest challenges in materials management is keeping track of all of the different papers and documents your child will receive at school. Opt for accordion folders over three ring binders to quickly and easily sort papers into different categories. Each pocket should be labeled for a specific class so that all of the materials for that class are in one place. You can work with your child to develop an organization system within that which works best for them (e.g. homework that needs to be turned in will always be at the front of each pocket).

Managing materials goes hand-in-hand with managing tasks and goals. Checking a school planner or digital tracker is not only helpful for staying on top of tasks, but also in helping students remember what they need to do so that they can make sure they have the materials to do it. This is an important activity that you can practice doing with your child before they leave for school, and they can also get into the habit of applying these strategies at the end of each school day before they come home.

Your child or teen will have a lot of different materials to manage and it will take them some time to get everything under control. To support them in this process, parents and teachers should give prompts and remind students to apply these strategies, monitor their progress and help guide them in the right direction to make sure they are building good habits, and offer praise and reward to celebrate achievements and progress in their organizational skills.

Time Management

Perhaps one of the more challenging organizational skill sets to master (and one that even many adults still struggle with!) is the ability to effectively manage time. This is your child’s ability to recognize how long each of their tasks will take to complete, and plan out how much time it will take for all of the different steps to be completed.

When students aren’t able to accurately predict how long a task will take them, it can result in a lot of wasted time jumping between tasks instead of focusing on just one, or spending far too much time on a small task that could be completed quickly. This can make thirty minutes of homework turn into three hours of homework, leaving your child and you stressed and rushing to finish at the last minute.

It can be difficult for your child to know where to start, and being able to break down large tasks into smaller, more manageable steps is a skill that they will learn with time, practice, and the support of their parents and teachers.

A daily “planning conference” can be a helpful way to help your child learn how to manage their time. Each afternoon, review your child’s planner and task list with them. This is also a good time to discuss what afterschool activities they have upcoming, and how that will affect the time they have to complete their work. You can create a nightly calendar that helps them visualize the amount of time they could reasonably spend on homework, chores, mealtime, and relaxation before transitioning into their bedtime routine.

Workspace Set Up

Having a dedicated study space is crucial for students of all ages. A personalized workstation provides a structured environment that promotes focus, organization, and productivity. There are a number of strategies you and your child can practice to improve productivity. By creating a study space that is customized to your child’s needs, it can significantly enhance their academic experience and performance. A good work space is more conducive to learning, and can also reduce stress and promote a more positive attitude towards school work, which will ultimately help your child thrive throughout the school year. A dedicated workspace offers these additional benefits:

• Minimizes Distractions. A designated area for studying helps minimize distractions from television, siblings, and other household activities. This focused environment can improve concentration and efficiency in completing homework and studying.
• Promotes Organization. Having all school supplies and materials in one place reduces the time spent searching for items, allowing students to stay organized and manage their time better. This organization can lead to a more streamlined and less stressful study routine.
• Encourages Consistency. A regular study space helps establish a routine. When students sit down in their designated area, their brain associates that space with learning and productivity, making it easier to transition into study mode.
• Supports Posture + Comfort. Ergonomic furniture and a comfortable setup can prevent physical strain and discomfort. Proper seating and desk height encourage good posture, reducing the risk of long-term health issues.
• Boosts Motivation + Accountability. A personalized study area can be motivating and inspiring. Decorating the space with educational posters, motivational quotes, or personal touches can create a positive and encouraging atmosphere.
• Fosters Independence. A dedicated study space empowers students to take responsibility for their learning. It encourages self-discipline and the development of good study habits, essential skills for academic success and future endeavors.

To start creating a customized workspace to meet the needs of your student at any point in their educational career, you might consider the following suggestions:

In addition to these age-specific suggestions, an effective workspace for your child or teen could also consider the following:

• Lighting. Ensure the study space is well-lit with natural light or a good desk lamp to reduce eye strain.
• Technology. Provide necessary tech tools, such as a computer, printer, and reliable internet access, while managing screen time to prevent digital fatigue.
• Noise Control. Use noise-canceling headphones or play soft background music if it helps your child concentrate.
• Break Area. Incorporate a small area for breaks, where they can relax and recharge before getting back to work.

Additional Strategies for Organizational Skills Training

As you work with your child to help them practice these different organizational skill sets, a key concept to keep in mind is Premack’s principle. This is a behavioral psychology concept that suggests if you want your child to do something (particularly something they don’t really want to do) you can motivate them by promising a reward for something they would like to do after.

Even with a solid list of skill sets to refer back to, you may still notice your child struggling with attention and focus that negatively impacts their ability to stay organized. It’s normal for your child to go through an adjustment period at the start of a new year, but if you see the same issues persisting over a longer period of time you may consider pursuing a learning evaluation to better understand what additional support strategies your child could benefit from.

Whether you’re looking to learn how you can help support your child’s organizational skills development, or get an evaluation for more insight, we’re here to help. Our team of licensed psychologists and clinicians are trained to work with children, adolescents, and parents to help address concerns related to ADHD, anxiety, learning differences, and a range of other emotional or behavioral challenges your child may be experiencing. If you feel you need more support, you can contact us to learn more about how we can help you and your family.