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 essential habit. It simply creates more space for the things that matter most. What do you think? How do we help students learn manage the massive amounts of minutiae they receive? What works for you? Leave your comments below.