DIY Homework Chart and Organization at Home

BEST_IN cLASS_INWith school back in session, homework assignments will begin shortly after. Parents can utilize this time at the beginning of the school year, before things get too hectic, to make sure their students know how to prepare for homework assignments and projects. Best in Class Education Center, which helps K-12 students succeed academically through customized educational programs, shared a few ideas for how to create homework charts and organize at home.

Use a Dry Erase Calendar

Create a monthly calendar with the assignments that are due in the upcoming weeks. Color code each assignment by subject. For example, for science assignments use a green marker, and for math assignments use a blue marker. Place the calendar in a frequently visited area such as the refrigerator, living room, or playroom. Make sure to add time each week to work on larger projects such as science fair projects.

Make Folders to Organize School Work

In order to keep track of the different stages of school work, it is important to make different folders to store homework. Get three folders and label them as following: Graded Work, To Be Completed by Parent, and Return to School. All of the completed and graded assignments should be organized into the Graded Work folder. In the Completed by Parent folder, store things like field trip permission forms, paperwork, and other documents that need to be completed by the parent and returned to school. And finally, in the Return to School folder, include completed documents and homework assignments that should be brought to school the next day.

Make a Checklist for Going Over Finished Homework

Create a checklist for the student to cross reference before turning in homework. Some questions to include on the checklist are:

1. Did I put my name on the homework assignment?

2. Did I put the date on the assignment?

3. Did I answer all of the questions?

4. Did I follow all of the directions?

5. Did I try my best?

This checklist will give students a way to check their homework on their own before having a parent looking over it or turning the finished work in to the teacher. This will also help students be accountable for doing their work accurately and effectively.

Create a Supply Station

Organize all school supplies in a shower caddy filled with plastic cups or mason jars. Fill each cup or mason jar with necessary school supplies such as pencils, crayons, markers, highlighters, and glue sticks. For older students you can add a calculator, graph paper, and sticky notes. This is a great way to store all of those school supplies in one area and avoid losing certain items. You can also move the organizer around to different locations where kids do their school work.