Teach organizational skills

Why should I do it:

Teaches students important skills that will be necessary more and more as they get older and progress through school
Reduces wasted time with students looking for things
Increases instructional time
Improves work completion
Students can find their materials and assignments faster and more easily
Improves students’ self confidence
Increases attending behavior
Helps students stay aware of what their assignments are, which are completed, and which they still need to do
Improves homework completion and return
 

When should I do it:

When a student is disorganized
When a student loses a lot of work
When a student frequently fails to turn work in
When a student spends an abnormal amount of time looking for materials and assignments in their desks or bags
When students have ADD/ADHD
When students have poor home support
When students have trouble remembering what their work is, what they had to do, and what they completed
 

How do I do it:

Have a student, a select group of students, or your entire class organize their materials in their desks and bags once a day
Set up a standard routine and teach your students how to organize, for example using folders and putting work to do on one side and finished work on the other side, etc.
Help students having difficulty organizing their things and provide one on one support, showing them how to do it and then having them show you
Try a visual checklist for students that are more visually oriented, like those on the Autism Spectrum or those with ADD/ADHD