Disorganized
A student who is disorganized may...
- be messy
- turn in work late or incomplete
- be forgetful
- lose things easily
- have difficulty staying on task
- wander
- not respond to consequences
- struggle with doing it "your way"
- have a variety of other characteristics or labels (executive functioning, ADHD, sensory issues, motor issues, etc.)
To support a student with organization issues, general strategies involve
- prepare extra copies as backups
- hole punch papers before they are handed out
- have back up supplies in the classroom
- color code information and assignments
- use daily planners with small steps rather than large plan calendars
- don't rely on "natural consequences" as they are not natural for these students
- use routines and practice them in real scenarios, not contrived situations
- use first/then systems
Interventions may include
- provide checklists
- move supplies to an alternate storage space in the classroom (to reduce the materials in their space)
- show final project examples
- keep papers at school to prevent them from being lost
- identify fidgets
- use visuals for steps
- use velcro to attach items to the desk (i.e. pencils!)
- use a paperclip to mark a place in a textbook to help students turn to the right place
(review the Executive Function PD handouts)
Literature Links
Mr. Forgetful by Roger Hargreaves
Pay Attention, Emily Brown! by Linda Burton
Get Organized Without Losing It by Janet Fox
Messy Bessey's School Desk by Patrica McKissack
Teacher Readings
Smart but Scattered by Peg Dawson and Richard Guare