Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion New and Looking for Options

Hi! I am new to the group and hoping someone out there has similiar issues to what we are experiencing.

I have a 9 year old daughter that is finishing her second year in the gifted program at the local public school. We are grateful that the biggest issue we have is her lack of organization. At least that is what the teachers are calling it.

Since the second grade she has had an ongoing issue with homework. Sometimes it isn't written down, or it doesn't come home, or it doesn't get turned it.

Her teacher this year did start to check her assignment book everyday to make sure that it is written down, but then it doesn't always come home. What is brought home, it's done, and then doesn't get turned in at school.

She will be entering 5th grade next year, and we are looking for ways to correct this issue before "homework" becomes part of her grade. She currently looses recess if she doesn't turn in her assignments, but that doesn't seem to phase her. As she approaches middle school, I can't see multiple teachers reveiwing and signing her assignment book every day.

Sometimes I feel like I am fighting a loosing battle since I am not at school and have no control over the situation, but I have to deal with the notes and phone calls from the teacher when she gets to 7 or 8 missed assignments in a week.

Are there any suggestions out there of things that worked for your children?

Here are some of the things we have tried:

We took her homework folder and wrote "to school" on one side and "home" on the other. The papers that had to go back to school were placed in the "school" pocket and her homework was supposed to be placed in the "home" pocket. This worked with some success in 2nd & 3rd grade, but they do not have homework folders in 4th and 5th.

We bought her a flexible binder to hold her school work; packets, worksheets, etc. At the beginning of the year it worked nicely, but then it stopped coming home. She was still bringing her homework home most of the time, but not the binder.

She also doesn't seem to be effected by the consequences either. I have taken things away - books, music the computer -but she can entertain herself with imaginary play.

Any suggestions are welcome.

Innabottle

Welcome!
Some schools, have clubs for the organizationally challenged. If you school does not have anything like that you may want to get with your guidance coulcelor and see if you can get one started. Thanks for posting! This place is full of good ideas!

The skill you are looking for is "Executive Function". You can google it and get lots of ideas.... Seems to be a recurring theme with GT kids!

My DS12 had an extreme issue with organization. This all changed in 5th when his teacher chose a "no desk" policy - they just had tables. All of the kids information was kept in their backpacks. The only time it came out of the backpacks was to turn it in or to work on it at home. This solved the problem of stuff being left at school, not being able to find it, etc. When he moved to middle school, there are no lockers so the backpack routine just carried over. Could she be encouraged to keep all her work in a backpack? You could still have a folder you design, maybe even more than one for different subjects but discourage the use of the school desk/lockers for leaving papers in.

Well...this is a different perspective, but in elementary school, I believe that the teacher has a responsibility regarding homework.

My DS9's previous bilingual school was very organized about homework. The teachers dictated the assignments from the board and the kids had to write them in a book. In the morning, the teacher said "Okay, hand your homework in now" and everyone would turn it in. As a class ended (eg maths), the teacher would tell the kids to put homework assignments for that class in their backpacks. This is a sign of a school that wants to ensure that the kids get the work done.

The parents were responsible for making sure that the work got done and that it got put back into the backpack.

DS9's current school is disorganized about homework and the results are predictable and mirror what you've described.

One problem with the new school is that they hand out assignments at random. So something gets handed out on Tuesday, due on Monday. Something else gets handed out on Thursday, due on the 10th, etc. The other school was predictable: French homework every night, and due the next day. English homework handed out Monday and due on Friday. This system helped A LOT because we weren't constantly asking if something was due the next day.

I wrote all this to say: don't think the problem is due solely to your daughter's oversight! Kids get distracted very easily and teachers should know that and work around it. Self-organization isn't innate in many or most people, gifted or not. It's a learned skill.

(It wouldn't surprise me if your DD isn't the only one with this problem.)

Our solution is as follows:

1. We have a homework table (small table). All homework assignments go to that spot and NOTHING ELSE can be put there. That way we at least know where we have to look.

2. I talked to the teacher about announcing "Everyone turn in your homework now." I think she was relying on everyone to hand it in by default because you're supposed to hand it in every day. Again, kids get distracted! So it's good to remind them. (Well, I get distracted too, but that's another topic).

3. We load the backpack the night before and put it in front of the door (makes it harder to forget the backpack).

Corollary: put it in the car the night before. We do this with important stuff.

4. If your DD stays for after-school care, the school should have a study hall time for doing homework. Attendance should NOT be optional, and no going out to play until it's DONE!

Hope that helps. I don't know any other details, but what I've here doesn't say 2E to me.

Val

Good news is that lots of middle schools use websites to post the homework where parents can read all about it. What a good thing!
Also - is there email, so you can send an email to the teacher - briefly -
'DD completed Math, spelling and history worksheet, and they were placed in her backpack under my supervision.'
each night for a while after homework is done and packed away.

If you house is a bit chaotic, then Flylady.net to get yourself ready for helping.

Donna Goldberg's organizational book for help with backpacks and routines.

My good friend picked her son up from school every day. He had to open his backpack and show her that the had his assignment and that the needed materials were in the backpack and assignments written down before the car left the school parking lot. This was in 5th and 6th grade.

I picked up my son from aftercare, so this routine was a bit more complicated, as we would have to beg a key to get into the building were the lockers were. It was a pain in the xxxx, but it got the job done.

What's your routine if she happens to come home without her assignment binder? Can she call a friend or a teacher for the work? You need a routine that you can live with for when this happens. What might work at your house?

It's a process. Learning this takes a long time. A second set of books is well worth the price, if at all possible.

Best Wishes,
Grinity