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Quadratic equations, thesis statements, book reports. It’s a lot for anyone to keep track of, but especially for students uncomfortable with multitasking. Make your child’s workload more manageable by arming him with the proper organizational skills. Use these tips to help him learn to keep his schoolwork in order.

Plan ahead.

Help your child choose a daily planner or assignment notebook, and then work with him to develop a system to track homework assignments and important dates, such as test days. Each night review the planner with your child to make sure he completes each task, and each morning, ask him to recheck the planner to ensure he has all the materials he needs for the day. Reviewing his planner each afternoon will ensure your child packs his bag with all the notebooks and textbooks he needs to study that night.

Prioritize by color.

Use the daily planner to teach your child how to manage his time appropriately. Develop a coding system with your child to record how much time each night he should spend on various assignments. Use a red pen, for example, to signify math assignments and a blue pen for English work so your child can easily recognize which subjects he needs to tackle.

Break down the work further. Help your child learn the value of prioritization and time management with his planner. First, ask him to write down all the necessary tasks for each subject, then label each one, for example, from 1 to 3, with 1 being the most important. Ask about each task, so you understand your child’s priorities. Where you see an assignment that might need a higher number, show your child that by rearranging his schedule, he will be better capable of academic success.

Track loose papers.

As your child grows, so does the paperwork floating around your house. Work with your child to create a filing system to keep important papers on hand. Select different colored folders for each school subject, and label each folder with the class and teacher name. Try to coordinate the folder colors with your child’s corresponding class notebooks. Think of the filing system much like your own, with a section of folders for works in progress, pending files for items such as school calendars and class rosters, and a section for filing old work, including finished homework that your child can use to study for a test.

Keep these files and materials in a central location that is accessible to your child. Three-ring binders are easy to carry to and from school, keeping all your child’s folders and notebooks in a secure spot. But you also can buy a filing set at an office supply store, or help your child make their own filing box for materials that don’t need to travel to and from school. Decorate a cardboard box with crayons, markers and stickers. Be creative! Making the organization a fun activity will encourage your child to keep up the system on his own.

Keep the supplies coming.

Like any job or complicated task, homework requires the proper tools. Make sure your child has all the pens, pencils, highlighters and glue sticks he needs. Take a trip to the office supply store, and let your child pick out a few supplies he likes to work with. At home, select a good place to store the supplies, for example, in a desk drawer with dividers for each material or on your child’s desk in individual cups or containers.

Talk it out.

Managing a heavy school workload can be a bit overwhelming to students. A key to organization is a thorough understanding of everything expected of the student. Help your child develop an organized approach to completing assignments and taking tests. For one, make it a daily habit of talking through assignments and long-term projects with your child. Read through assignment instructions together, and make sure your child knows how to complete the task. It’s also helpful to set a specific time and place where you child can do his homework so you are available to answer questions or help when he gets stumped.

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