I spend a lot of time in my seminars and workshops, on the phone, and by email discussing the topic of task organization. In fact, I spend a lot of time listening to parents complain that the disorganization of their children’s homework is driving everyone crazy.

Many students have such a hard time getting organized that when they finally sit down to do their homework, they are exhausted. No wonder they don’t want to! Getting organized will help alleviate burnout, bad attitudes, procrastination, and rebelliousness.

Homework organization makes everyone’s life easier.

These are the homework organization tips I use as a student, teacher, and parent. Print this list and read it with your children. Then, post it on the fridge and refer to it often so everyone—parents, kids, babysitters, grandparents—is on the same organized page.

At school:

• Write down each individual task in one place. Yo strongly I recommend using a bound or wire bound notebook, definitely NOT a loose leaf binder. I don’t care how careful you are, the pages will fall out, and then what? You won’t know what to do or when to do it! A simple notebook is fine, but a planner or calendar is best. Some schools even provide them to students. use it
• Write down homework assignments as you receive them. This is mostly for older students who change classes and teachers, but it’s a good habit for everyone. If the teacher says, “Oh, I want you to read chapter 4 tonight,” write it down in your notebook.
• Write down all due dates for a project or assignment, even if you have a brochure or syllabus. The flyers disappear (they hang out with their socks loose, I think), but you’ll still know what to do and when to do it. Yeah You have everything written down in your homework notebook.
• Keep ALL of your homework assignments for the day together in one place. Do not have a special place or page for math, another for writing, etc. You want to see everything in one place.
• Check your homework notebook three (3) times a day: Before you leave school (or each class), double check to make sure you have everything (books, paper, supplies, etc.) you’ll need later.

At home:

• before you begin doing your homework, look at your notebook and make sure you are doing the right homework, the right page, etc.
• Before you save everything, take a quick look over. Did you do everything? Good!
• Make a decision about where you will put your completed homework: in a folder pocket, a special homework folder, etc. You may decide to have a color-coded folder for each class. If you choose to use folders, you strongly We recommend using 3-hole punched binders and keeping them together in a 3-ring binder. Whatever you choose, take care of it! Don’t put your homework in a folder today, a folder tomorrow… And never, ever fold your homework in a book or throw it loose in your backpack! Shudder!
• Use your Magic Task Box. You have one, don’t you? The Magic Homework Box is a box with all the homework supplies and materials a student needs on a regular basis. These supplies only come out of the Magic Homework Box during homework time, so you always have what you need. Now, that’s magic!
• Clean up as soon as you are done with your homework. Now no later! Put the completed pages in your homework folder, then put the homework folder and notebook in your backpack. Not only will mornings be less crazy, you won’t have to sit in class knowing you did your homework and forgot it at home (doh!). Don’t forget to save the dictionary and any other books you have used.
• Remember to put everything back in your Magic Task Box. Homework is not “done” in my house until all cleaned and stored.
• Keep your backpack organized. Throw away all those candy wrappers and random pieces of paper. Keep an area or pocket filled with a few items (pencils, a sharpener, maybe a calculator) so you can do your homework anywhere, maybe even before you get home! Delete any tests, projects, reports, or graded work that your teacher took the time to return to you. Because? You may need it to study for a test, for a portfolio, or for a project. You can throw everything out at the end of the semester or school year, but until then put each item in its own subject file, but NOT your homework folder. Remember, assignment folders are ONLY for completed assignments that are ready to be turned in!
• Do not give up! They say it takes 21 days to form a good habit. If you forget to do something on this list, be sure to try. Hey, maybe if you remember to write down all your homework or clean for 21 days in a row, your mom or dad will do something nicer for you! (Parents, that was a hint!)

A Note to Parents About Homework Organization

Remember that your job is to give your children organizational tools and show them how to use them. Your job is NOT to organize your child’s homework! So at first, you might check your child’s homework notebook to make sure he’s writing all of her homework in one place, but you’d never dream of calling the teacher and checking. You can watch your daughter copy the science project due dates into her homework notebook; you won’t do it for her.

Yeah I know it’s hard to let go, I’ve been there! But, we want our children to be organized and independent learners, right?

You can do it!

(For more information on recommended homework organization products and The Magic Homework Box, see the site information below.)