I work with a lot of students who want better, easier, faster ways of organizing school and personal life so they can be MORE successful and LESS stressed. Google Keep, connected with your Gmail account, is a VERY powerful, flexible and easy tool to help. In this video I teach students how to get started in 10 minutes with some great ideas they can implement today. Here I offer 9 categories they may want to create at least for now to get a jumpstart. đź’š Give: Love my work and want to … [Read more...]
Students Who Lose Stuff
This vlog is based on this email: First, you are the best! Love all the help you provide EF-challenged kids! Question on your simple schoolwork system: How do you tell high school kids to manage carrying all of these separate folders/comp books? Most times they can't go to locker til lunch and may have 3-4 classes to prepare for -- that's kind of why the zipped 3-ring binder is helpful -- but the ONLY reason! :) Most schools these days do not let kids carry around their backpacks (safety … [Read more...]
B2S The Truth About School Supplies Lists
Please CLICK above to share.  It's that time of year again, back to school shopping. K-College, your child needs supplies. But what do they really need to buy? What goes to waste and what's most beneficial? Sometimes it's best to take supply lists with a grain of salt in favor of getting items that are best aligned with your child's learning needs. This video will help you know what to buy, what not to buy, and how to choose. Love my work and want to give? Click here! To … [Read more...]
The “Organizationally Challenged” [Video 2/3]
Please CLICK above to share. Here's part 2/3. In part 1, I mentioned the following: I recently received this email: My youngest (age 11) is challenged by organization. We’re working together to figure out systems and tools that help align her success in this area.” Well, here in part 2 I will break down how and why you need to have labeled "homes" for everything. Enjoy, and please share. The Homes 7-day Challenge: Try this and let me know how it goes: List the categories of … [Read more...]
The “Organizationally Challenged” [Video 3/3, The Overhaul]
Please CLICK above to share. Here's part 3/3. In part 1, I mentioned the following: I recently received this email: My youngest (age 11) is challenged by organization. We’re working together to figure out systems and tools that help align her success in this area. In part 2 I broke down how and why you need to have labeled "homes" for everything. Here, in part 3, I discuss the difference between "maintainers" and "overhaulers" and tell you how to do regular overhauls. Enjoy, and … [Read more...]
The “Organizationally Challenged” [Video 1/3]
Please CLICK above to share. The "Organizationally Challenged," Video 1 of 3 I recently received this email: My youngest (age 11) is challenged by organization. We’re working together to figure out systems and tools that help align her success in this area. Well, all the students I work with are "organizationally challenged." But what can we do about it? Here is the first in a 3 part mini-series about what works. 30-Day Challenge: Try this and let me know how it goes: … [Read more...]
Backpack overhaul 101: Your new best friend (Video)
Today I’m going to teach you exactly how and why I teach students to do a regular “backpack overhaul” and why it’s a critical tool for student success. Trust me, this is one of the best game-changers. How long the overhaul takes: 1 hour the first time you do an overhaul. 15 minutes once a week after that. Age: I teach ALL of my students to do this, elementary through grad school. About my students: The students I work with are notoriously outside-the-box thinkers who struggle with … [Read more...]
How to begin spring semester the right way
Here's a 7 minute video where I share how I help prep students for the spring semester. Of course many students won't want to do this. After all, it's not exactly fun. But the amount of energy and frustration it will save makes it well worth it. Not to mention, it will help you have a much more successful semester, ultimately giving you more free time to do what you want. Here are the main keys: 1. Bring everything home; books, folders, papers, everything from the desk or locker, etc.. (if you … [Read more...]
One solid tip for organizing papers & homework
Here's a video that just might have some great insights for you. It's about one of my favorite systems I help students develop. I call it "the queue." It's a simple, powerful method of tracking everything important, homework or otherwise, in one centralized place. As one of my students said, "it feels harder in my head when my important papers are all spread out in different folders."  Most of my students are able to apply this easily and consistently, it works! How to set it up: 1. First, set … [Read more...]
8 Quick & easy ideas to start school off right
Make no mistake, the patterns that are set in the first 4-6 weeks of school set the tone for the entire school year. If students hit a wall 6 weeks in, and red flags start popping up, chances are they'll be afflicted with S.U.S.S. for the rest of the year (Swimming Up Stream Syndrome. Not fun). Therefore, it's critical to hit the ground running and be prepared on day 1. Here's how: (Take what you like and leave the rest) 1. Print 4 copies of the school's YEARLONG calendar. Tape 1 in the … [Read more...]
The problem with writing papers
One of the college students I work with recently emailed me this: "I need to produce an outline for a term paper this semester (completing the outline is an actual assignment, due Monday, April 7) and I would like to meet for your assistance on that. We do not have to worry about quickly moving past the outline, like we did on that last paper. I also plan to meet with the professor Monday and Wednesday mornings to discuss overall concerns with the paper beforehand and get a better idea on how … [Read more...]
Hate to beat a dead horse…
I recently received an email from a teacher of one of my middle school clients. It opened, "The binder I ask students to maintain has sections for: (1) Literature Notes, (2) Writing & Grammar Notes, (3) Vocabulary, (4) SSR entries, and (5) Texts - the short stories and myths I've passed out." I see this often- highly organized teachers who require students to maintain highly organized binder systems like this. While I appreciate the intention behind this, it is overkill and … [Read more...]
Clean Slate
New semester = clean slate. I work with a lot of students right before a semester begins so they can get a strong start. From grade school to grad school, here's what I do with many students: Backpack Empty it, clean it out. Ask what they use each pocket for. This raises awareness that they are choosing "homes" for things such as books, supplies, folders, money, etc. I don't necessarily care where they put things, I care that they have intentionally chosen the place, because it's all about … [Read more...]
Quick Organizational Overhaul
Some students seem to get organization through osmosis, but many need a great deal of direct and specific guidance in order to develop their style. Simply speaking, some kids systematize more naturally than others and regular overhauls make a big difference for the “organizationally challenged”. Here’s a rundown of how I often begin sessions with students who are still developing their systems. This quick overhaul can be done with any age, elementary through grad school. It’s good to do this at … [Read more...]
Just Throw it Away.
Look, teachers pass out a lot of "stuff." Whether you’re working with a first grader or a grad student, help them develop the habit of taking a half hour every weekend to go through the backpack/locker/desk and eliminate the clutter. This includes old assignments, trash, broken pencils, etc.. Of course there are reasonable times to keep things, but ask students to consider if it’s really valuable or if it can be recycled. In this world of material abundance, letting go of the right stuff is an … [Read more...]