There are tons of different ways to stay organized, and it will greatly depend on your child’s invidual personality as well as their age and grade level. What works for a second grader for example may or may not work so well for a high school student.

Below are some of our favorite organizational tips for helping kids at school to stay on task and focused:

Color Code System: It will depend on your child’s age and grade level, but a color code system for different school subjects can help. This is especially helpful for middle school and high school students, who may have a different teacher for each subject. Coordinating book covers with folders can be a great way to remember what is needed for each class. Some parents may use an accordion style folder in conjunction with this method for handling multiple teachers and classes.

Homework Journal/Folder: A calendar notebook with pockets is an excellent way to keep track of homework assignments. Have the child write down the assignments in the notebook, and if there is a corresponding worksheet or directions they can place it in the folder. They can then put the homework in the folder when they are finished to ensure it is always in the same place to turn it in the next day.

An Extra Set of Books: It’s not uncommon for students to forget books at school or at home. Requesting an extra set of books is something you can do through your child’s IEP or Section 504 plan to help you make sure that your child will always have the materials he or she needs.

Pack for School the Night Before: Having a routine where you get everything ready for school the night before can be a huge help in dealing with the usual hustle and bustle of morning activities. Make sure your child has his or her homework, lunch, clothes, jacket, and anything else they might need ready to go in one spot.

Remember Less is More: The more simple everything is, the easier it will be for you, your child’s teacher and most importantly your child. Having too many folders, notebooks, binders, and other items can make it difficult for anyone to keep track of what is going on. Reducing the amount of unnecessary papers and other items can help make it easier for everyone.

Organize Pens, Pencils, Etc: Chances are your child will need pens, pencils, and other basic school supplies. Some notebooks have organizers that can hold all of these items in one place, or for some children a pencil box or case may be more suitable.

Do you have any other tips for helping your ADHD child be more organized at school? We’d love to hear about it in the comments section below!

Below are a few of the different classroom interventions that can help with dealing with hyperactivity and the inability to focus:

Seating: Where the child sits can make a significant difference. Ideally they should be seated away from windows and doors, which can be very distracting, and as close as possible to the teacher during lessons and assignments. If the students are seated at tables or in groups, careful attention should be made as to which students the child is sitting with, since he or she may not only be distracted by them, but also distract them as well. Some children may also benefit from special seats that help them stay seated, such as a learning support cushion or t-stool.

Less Homework: An ADHD child may have no problems answering 10 math questions, but could greatly struggle with 40, since the longer the assignment, the more likely they will be to lose focus or interest. In most cases, the actual work is not different, but there may be limits on how much time an assignment is expected to take.

Set Time Limits: If too much time is allotted for a project, it is likely the child may not be any more productive. Often times doing projects in pieces and using a timer to complete the different sections can be of assistance in helping them to complete tasks more efficiently. Setting time limits and using a timer can also be helpful with things such as restroom breaks, errands, and other activities.

Repeat Instructions: Whether it is by having a video, recording directions, or having a list of instructions for the student to read while working on a project, the repetition is important in helping him or her follow directions and get work completed. Longer tasks should be broken down into smaller parts so he or she does not lose focus or interest.

Giving the Student Special Jobs: If the student needs to burn off extra energy, giving the student jobs such as erasing and washing the blackboard or other type of responsibilities may help them as well as make them feel important and special.

Address Organization Skills: Most children with attention deficit disorder have a hard time staying organized. Having a set schedule and routine, making checklists, and a system to remember homework can all be beneficial.

Social Skills Activities: Many children may do acceptably academically, but constantly have problems getting along with other children, causing disruptions, or other behavioral conflicts. If recess, assemblies, lunch field trips, or other things are a problem, you can also request special accommodations be made in these areas also.

These are just a few examples of the many classroom accomodations for the ADHD student. These ideas can be incorporated into your child’s IEP plan or discussed with the child’s teacher and principal.

When sending the letter, you will either want to hand deliver it with a written confirmation from the person who sent it, or you can also choose to have it delivered via certified mail with a receipt. The reason for this is because by law the school district must reply and comply with your request for an evaluation to be completed within a reasonable period of time.

It will greatly vary between school districts who exactly the letter should be addressed to, but in general it should be safe to send one copy to the school’s principal, as well as another copy to the school’s director of special education. Making a quick phone call to your school district’s main office will help you locate the appropriate person to contact, as well as how they can be reached.

Here is the sample section 504 letter request:

Date

Education Director Name
School Address

Dear Mr./Ms. ____________,

I am the parent of (your child’s name) who is a student at (school name) in the (grade level, teacher’s class). (Child’s name) has an ADHD/ODD diagnosis and we are concerned about how it is affecting (him/her) academically. Therefore, I wish to request an assessment of my child for appropriate educational services and interventions according to the provisions of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

I look forward to working with you as soon as possible to develop an assessment plan to begin the evaluation process. Thank you in advance for your assistance. I can be reached anytime at (your phone number).

Sincerely,

Signed Name
Printed Name
Address
Phone
Email

This letter is effective, and straight to the point. If you have specific concerns, you may also wish to include those. Sending this letter will enable you to set up a meeting with the appropriate department of the school to help evaluate and access your child’s needs at school.

For more information on section 504, and your rights as a parent and your child’s right as a student, you may want to check out the United State’s Department of Education website which explains it in greater detail here.

The first thing all concerned parents should do if they haven’t done so already is speak to the child’s doctor, who can be a tremendous resource in providing information for the resources and support parents and kids need concerning health and behavioral issues. An evaluation by a qualified professional will likely be done to assess the child’s level of hyperactivity and inattentiveness, the length of the behavior, as well as what impact it has on school, family, and social life. After an evaluation has diagnosed the child with ADHD, different treatment plans will be discussed.

Below is a list of some of the different interventions commonly associated with treating ADHD:

School Interventions
Not all ADHD children have problems with school, though many often do because it requires a lot of sitting still and paying attention. Schools will vary from district to district on what programs and support training they have available. Some schools have excellent learning support and special needs programs, while others do not, depending on the needs of the district and what funding has been made available to them. While more and more teachers are being taught the necessary classroom skills to help students with ADHD, there unfortunately are just as many who do not understand the condition or what they can do to help.

An IEP, or Individualized Education Program, is a plan written after teachers, parents, and others meet to discuss the child’s needs and goals for succeeding in the school year. Any child who receives special education classes or adaptations generally should have one. Understanding an IEP can be confusing at first, but the US Department of Education breaks it down well here as well as explains your rights as a parent or your child’s rights as a student. If your school refuses to give you an evaluation or provide services, you may be able to find assistance through county or state programs or caseworkers in your area. If your child is not eligible for an IEP, you can still possibly qualify for adaptations to be made at school through a Section 504 plan.

Our list of school accommodations for ADHD students has many examples of things that can be done by schools to help provide the best learning environment as possible.

ADHD Interventions at Home
Many parents, even if the child is doing well at school with or without support or additional services, often still struggle at home. At home the key is to work on behavioral activities. Even children who are taking medications still need work on behavioral aspects at home, especially if medication is only being administered during school hours. A therapist can give suggestions for activities to be done at home that can help improve the quality of family time and home life. Many techniques will involve relaxing activities, making the environment as calming as possible, setting up ways to be more organized, learning how to deal with problems, coping with emotions, and discipline issues. Our list of 25 Activities for Children will help give you some ideas of the different therapeutic things you can do at home.

It is important to remember that all children are different and that some treatments or activities may work well for some children but not others. In general though, when parents, teachers, doctors, and therapists come together it is the most likely that the child will find the support and resources you need. When everyone comes together and discusses what works and what doesn’t work, you’ll all be able to come up with solutions that make dealing with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder much less stressful on both the child and family relationships.