Your student has come home and wants to start doing their homework…except they can’t find a pencil to get started. They look in the kitchen drawer when they realize they are hungry and get a snack. You remind them to get started on their homework…right…pencil…need a pencil…they look around the house…check in on the football score on TV…talk to their sibling…you remind them to get started on their homework…they walk around thinking about something else. Suddenly an hour of frustration has gone by that could have been prevented by having an abundance of pencils.
We often talk about buying school supplies that students physically bring with them to school, but do not talk about the importance of home supplies so students can get their homework done and stay organized at home.
A “Billion” Pencils and a “Million” Pens
When my middle school got a grant for school supplies, the teachers unanimously voted to spend the entirety of the grant on extra pens, pencils, and paper for students. Too often students, especially those with executive functioning challenges can’t participate in class because they don’t have a writing utensil or paper to get started. They are up out of their seat negotiating for a writing utensil from a fellow student (who probably has lent them a pencil ten times before that was never returned). They are behind on what the teacher is saying, can’t follow along, can’t write the homework down, or get the notes. They are behind before they’ve even had a chance to start.
The same thing is happening at home. The procrastination to get started with schoolwork sometimes comes from the inability to find a writing utensil. Buy the enormous, impossibly huge bulk pack of pens and pencils at the beginning of the school year. Give half to your student for school and keep the remainder at home. For students who have extreme executive functioning challenges, keep extra packs of pencils in a closet. Check in regularly to make sure their pencil case has ample writing utensils and re-fill as needed.
Valuable Real Estate
Where you do your homework can make a huge difference for students with learning differences and executive functioning challenges. Whether this is a kitchen table, a quiet desk, a bed, the floor, make sure students have identified where they plan to do their homework. Make sure this space is free of clutter. Too often, I have students show me their desk and it is full of nick-knacks, picture frames, and papers from three years ago.
Where you study is valuable real estate and we only put high-priority items in this expensive space. If your student has a desk, each inch of their workspace should be for work. Hang up posters, picture frames, and nick-knacks on the walls if that helps motivate your student, but do not use desk for this purpose. Before the school year gets crazy, take this time to have your student clean out their desk, closet, and bedroom.
Eliminate The Need to Bring Supplies Back and Forth
If your student has executive function challenges, every item that they have to bring back and forth to and from school is another opportunity for them to forget or misplace that item. While it may not be desirable to buy two graphing calculators, for supplies like scissors, glue, colored pencils, and highlighters, having supplies for school and for home can eliminate carrying so much stuff back and forth and better set up your student for success.
Inevitably, there will be supplies, papers, and homework that need to be physically brought from home to school back and forth. For students with executive functioning challenges, it can help to just talk through this specific transition. What accountability systems should we build into our lives? What strategies are you going to use to remember everything you need each day? How can your student take on more organizational responsibility instead of putting this on their parent or guardian?
Supplies for Studying
Think about what study strategies or note taking strategies your student uses or wants to try and require school supplies. For example, would index cards (to make flash cards) help your student study? Sticky notes to organize their thoughts for papers? Labels to put vocabulary words around the house? White boards and white board markers for solving rapid fire math problems? Using your valuable real estate for some supplies that encourage study strategies can be a good way to set your student up for success.
While you can always wait to buy these materials later, buying them at the beginning of the school year allows you to take advantage of back-to-school sales and avoids the frustration of “Mom I have a science test on Friday, I need index cards for flashcards…” then trying to fit in a last-minute trip to the store while juggling everything else. Before purchasing any item, have a conversation with your student about what supplies they might want to set their study habits up for success.
Supplies for Communication
Many families struggle with communication as their child grows older and develops a sense of independence. This is an exciting phase of life and why I love working with this population, however, I know that it brings its own unique challenges. For parents who are trying to get their student to fill out college applications, turn in field trip forms, or not forget their trombone for the twelfth time, it can be so hard to calm down and meet your student where they are at in their organizational journey.
For my students, regardless of grade level I find that visual communication systems are amazing and helpful. White boards of to-do lists, large family-specific calendars, or cork boards for papers can really help busy families stay on the same page. Use with intention, talking about how and why you are going to use a particular communication strategy before you implement it.
Want help setting your student up for success this school year? Schedule a consultation with Bass Educational Services to see how we can be a part of your child’s team and get them on a pathway toward success.