By Mrs Jenny Gillespie- School Counsellor

Adolescents (like all of us) can struggle to stay on top of their workloads and when school assignments are due, parents of High School students can wonder why their young person is not more organised.  Below is an edited version of an article via reputable learning resource with some useful tips. 

http://www.ldonline.org

Lazy or ?

Do you have a young person who seems lazy, intentionally forgetful, unmotivated or deliberately late? Do you have a young person who is chronically distracted? Are you constantly repeating directions to get him/her back on task when he/she gets distracted?  Does your young person underestimate how long tasks take and do they tend to leave projects are until the night before it is due?

If so, your teenager may not be engaging in these behaviours to intentionally irritate you! Rather, the cognitive skills (‘Executive Function’) needed to initiate, sequence, organise and monitor themselves are immature.

If you have a young person with these tendencies, there is no easy fix but you can help them to organise themselves.   Explain that avoidance only makes things harder and that being organised will make their life easier!  Repeat often and help them to learn what being organised involves.

Manage Work by Managing Time

• Use time management techniques such checklists and prioritised “To Do” lists
• Ask your young person to highlight the key points, draft and due dates on the top of each assignment in a brightly coloured marker.
• Ask him/her to estimate how long a task will take and consider if you think this is accurate.  Suggest they plan more time to do a project than they think they will need.
• Use a weekly planner for both home and school to help your child anticipate their workload.
• Set a designated time (with beginning and end) for schoolwork. 

Manage Space

• Schedule a weekly time to clean out desk and bedroom
• Make the school work area as distraction free as possible
• Keep assignment folders in specific and consistent places

Manage Materials

• Use a ring binder with organised sections enclosed by a zipper. Headings could include “Assignments Due,” “To Do Tonight,” “Ongoing Work.”
• Set a time each evening to organise materials needed for school for the next day.

Remember to praise effort and progress rather than focusing on areas of continued disorganisation.