Organization
To set your child up for success, they need to have what is necessary to help them succeed. When shopping for back to school, hopefully teachers are providing lists of necessary supplies. However, you can also go the extra mile of thinking about what materials might be helpful in addition to the necessities. Items like post-it notes for reminders, weekly calendar planners to keep track of assignments at home, and colorful/interesting notebooks and binders to increase engagement, are just a few options. It will be helpful to label notebooks, pencil cases, and areas in planners to write certain details, to keep your child on track.
Daily Routines
Have you heard your child say "I don't know where I put it"?. Eliminate this language by ensuring that they keep things in the same place every day. Once anything is taken out of the bookbag, when they're finished using it, encourage that it is put back in the same spot. Having a folder designated to "finished homework" or organizing the bookbag in which everything fits in a certain spot, can be helpful. A visual hanging on the wall of a bookbag with items in it to help remind "Is everything put away?" can be useful here. Doing homework in one spot can help eliminate added places to leave items. Normalizing an organized routine can help children start and stay on track.
Time Management
Designating certain times to do homework and organize materials is essential to keep organized. This could be a plan such as "as soon as we get home we go sit at the desk, put our bookbag next to us, complete our homework and put everything right back in our bookbag". Parents can check to make sure everything is in there before time to play! This gives an opportunity to check in on the day, what homework was assigned, whats coming up, and is a great time to spark conversation about school!