What is Student Organization? Student organization is a coaching process to empower your child in school and in life. As parents we tend to enable our children as opposed to empowering them. We don’t do this intentionally but it’s what we feel we should do. As student organizers what we do is not only prepare your child with tools and strategies for a successful school year, but we prepare them for life. As a parent myself, we have a huge responsibility to raise not only a decent human being but one that can fend for themselves once they are out on their own. I always tell my daughter that life is about problem solving. They need to grasp the tools to solve life’s problem as they come along. Sometimes that is the same as handling homework and projects.

Children today have so many challenges, much more than we did. Not only do they have school, sports, for some, friends, possibly a job, but when you add in the component of technology it elevates things to a whole other level. They are torn in so many directions it is oftentimes hard for them to focus and prioritize. Add into that the fact that more and more children are diagnosed with ADHD and executive function disorder and that complicates matters all the more. In fact, according to the CDC (Center for Disease Control) about 6 million children have been diagnosed with ADHD.

Who Benefits & Why? 

Student organization was originally designed for the students diagnosed with ADHD and Executive Function Disorder. However, all students are great candidates for this program because most students could use help in these areas. It empowers them to do for themselves and to be their own advocate. After all, we won’t always be there to guide them.

ADHD is a neurobiological disorder where problems in the brain cause challenges in executive function skills. Executive function is the brain’s ability to perform several different tasks to achieve a goal. It can also cause difficulty with organization and planning. May also present as:

• Problems processing information
• Understanding the concept of cause and effect – consequences
• Sequence, categorize, and prioritize
• Staying focused on a task
• Make smooth transitions from one subject/activity to another
• Behaving appropriately, managing frustrations and modulating emotions
• Short term memory

Students with these issues have brains that work differently. They are lacking the skills to achieve goals – large and small. There is nothing wrong with them they just need to adjust according to how their brain works. I equate it to moving to a different country and learning that language. You wouldn’t move to Italy and only speak English. To be your best you would learn Italian.

How can you Help your Student?

Empower, don’t enable. Parents are the anchor for the student.

• When are they most effective for doing homework?
• Where’s the best place for them to do homework?
• Is music helpful in doing homework or a distraction?
• Establish a routine for homework, chores, extracurricular activities
• Give responsibility in the form of chores
• Time management – the ability to prioritize commitments and schedule them with enough time to complete satisfactorily.
  • Analog clock – you have to see time to manage it
  • How long to get homework done
  • Projecting how long it takes to complete something
  • Prioritizing
  • Procrastinating
  • Keeping track of time
  • Finishing of time

Work with your child.

• Coaching skills
  • Use coaching language – open ended questions and statements
    • I’m curious about…
    • Tell me more about…
    • Share with me…
• Setting goals – help students define what they are
  • Short term – incomplete homework, grade increase, getting to class on time, not missing classes
  • Long term – getting on the Dean’s list, applying to particular colleges
• Find what type of books/folders will work for your student
• Discuss challenges – get the student’s point of view
• Create homework kit – the supplies that the student will need
• Establish routine
  • When to do homework
  • Where to put things (launch pad)
  • Where to do homework
  • Chores – parent involvement
• Visual cues
• Auditory cues, phone alarms
• Systems – planners, reminders, checklists
• To do lists – add how long it will take to complete
• Brainstorm organizing ideas

These are some of the ways that you can help your student. If that seems overwhelming or if you are challenged working with your student please feel free to contact us and we will be happy to work with your child.