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Self-advocacy

April 18, 2012 No comments

Last week as I was on Skype with a college student, she reported that she was planning on doing her research paper on a topic near and dear to her heart – ADHD and college. She had attended a four-year college but began to struggle, so she is home this year doing well at a community college. As we read an article about how colleges are expanding their programs to include students with learning and cognitive disabilities, I began to ask myself the question of what really happened to this young lady. Was it a lack of comprehension of the material or an inaccurate view of the professor’s expectations? Could we blame the struggles on weak executive function skills? I believe that any one of these could be a culprit, but the biggest problem for this and many other college students in my practice is the lack of self-advocacy.

I am talking about self-advocacy when a student can approach a professor, TA, or even a friend to ask for clarification of the material or simply to be sure of an assignment. It is very hard for students to say they are confused, but without that skill, college is a struggle. College moves at a very fast pace, so if one cannot immediately seek guidance when a problem occurs, then a person is quickly overwhelmed. From there, the student has no direction, falls further behind and anxiety builds. Finally, the student feels totally defeated and gives up.

Since starting to work with this student this year, we have brainstormed specific ways to approach professors for help. It is working effectively for this student, but her work has just begun.

We will touch on a few ideas to help your student be an effective self-advocator in our May tip, so stay tuned!

In the meantime, I would love to hear what you have seen with your own child. Does he/she know how to get clarification of information?

Troubleshooting the Binder

March 15, 2012 No comments

By Gillian Knoll, Thinking Organized Tutor

Now is the time of year when things start to accumulate: sweaters on the closet floor, pollen on the windshield, and for our students, papers in the backpack. They don’t call it “spring” cleaning for nothing. I had to laugh when I caught a glimpse of my middle school student’s homework folder peeking out of his bag. Torn down the spine, fraying at the top, splitting at the bottoms of the pockets—and of course, bursting full of equally torn, fraying worksheets, handouts, and notes—the poor folder looked exhausted! What happened to the shining beacon of hope that was his binder? He carries it on his back all the time, but I can tell it rarely sees the light of day.

There are all sorts of reasons why the binder falls into disuse, and they aren’t all that different from the reasons why our sweaters pile up in the back of the closet. Students are busier now than ever; there’s always something else that feels more pressing. But there is a tipping point when a handful of loose papers becomes a mound of crumpled ones: this is when important notes start to disappear and assignments are forgotten. Unfortunately this is also when the project of binder maintenance is most daunting for our students.

The trick? Prevention: avoid the mass of papers in the first place. Most students have the same reasons for not maintaining their binders regularly, and many of these obstacles are easy to troubleshoot! Here are the top 3 reasons our students struggle with binder upkeep, along with some simple fixes to keep those papers in check:

Reason #1: “There aren’t any holes punched in my handouts!”

I hear this one more often than any other, and I feel my students’ pain! The teacher hands out a packet of materials without any holes punched into the sides, so the obvious solution is to cram it into the backpack or a homework folder until “later.” In the beginning of the school year, a few of these floating papers looked innocuous, but by springtime, things are in bad shape.

The Fix: A portable 3-hole punch.

These are about the size and thickness of a plastic ruler (they even fit in the binder!) and they cost less than $5 at your local supply store: http://www.amazon.com/Swingline-Portable-Capacity-Translucent-A7074042R/dp/B001GXM15W. They aren’t as fancy or high-powered as the desktop hole-punches you have at home, but they’re perfect fixes for this problem. It takes mere seconds to slip a couple pages into a lightweight hole-punch, and the binder is already out and ready to welcome the new addition!

Reason #2: “There wasn’t any time at the end of class to file my papers.”

Sometimes papers come in as the bell rings, and the flurry of activity in the classroom can be staggering. With limited time to organize their materials, our students’ executive functioning and attention issues make it especially hard for them to focus on filing away the new paperwork. Wedging papers between folders or textbook pages can feel like the easiest option, along with that optimistic plan to “take care of it later”—whenever “later” is…

The Fix: Write it down in the assignment notebook.

When do our students take out their assignment notebooks during the school day? Is it at the final bell, during lunchtime or study hall, or perhaps those 5 minutes their math teacher always gives at the end of the class period? This is when they should file the loose papers from the day, and they can remember by recording the phrase “file papers” in the assignment notebook. Writing it down beforehand is a commitment, and pairing a quick file of the day’s papers with a student’s other organizational tasks will make it easier to remember, and easier to form a habit. Even if this is a weekly task, rather than a daily one, it’s still worth writing down (and crossing off!) once every week.

Reason #3: “There are too many papers to go through—I just can’t find the time.”

That small pile has become an epic heap, and it’s spreading. Papers are everywhere: crunched in the bottom of the backpack, wedged awkwardly between textbook pages, crammed into mislabeled folders…and probably all over the bedroom floor and desktop. Sometimes it just feels like too much. When we don’t know where or how to start, our instincts are, of course, to avoid starting.

The Fix: Baby steps.

There are so many things a student can do without devoting hours to an overhaul of materials. Psychologically and logistically, it is easier to start on smaller tasks. And sometimes, once a student is in a rhythm, he’ll want to do more! Here are a few easy ways to trim down that epic heap:

The 2-Stack Method: Trash vs. Keep

Take just a few minutes to sort pages into a trash pile and a “keep” pile for the time being. This way there’s less mess to deal with next time. Plus, it feels good to throw things away!

Choose only one pile.

If there’s a mess of pages spread between the bedroom floor, the desk, the locker, the backpack, the homework folder (…the sock drawer?), then just start with one location and file those papers. This will still feel like an accomplishment, something to cross off the list!

Sort papers by subject, but keep everything in a single pile for now.

If dividers and folders feel like too much to deal with, then just sort papers into small piles according to each subject in school. Once the papers are sorted, keep them in a single stack for the next “spring-cleaning” session, which should be a breeze!

Sometimes we look at a big mess and that’s all we see. It’s hard to know where to start when things get out of hand. Of course, our goal is always to prevent such occurrences, and small changes like buying a cheap 3-hole punch or writing a quick phrase in the assignment notebook can often accomplish this! And, when the going gets tough, small tasks are always more manageable than big ones. The encouraging thing about managing the binder is that it offers our students a tangible accomplishment. And with small tweaks like these, a healthy backpack is mere moments

Something I Hear…All the Time!

February 21, 2012 No comments

A tenth grade high school student came to see me yesterday because he was having trouble getting his homework finished and handing it in. Something I see all the time. So, I asked him what system he used for writing assignments down and keeping track of his papers. He said that he uses his memory for assignments and puts all paper in folders or just in his backpack. Also, something that I hear all the time. Well, I had my job cut out for me.

I introduced three alternatives for writing his assignments down:

Use a planner; that was immediately rejected.
Use the calendar on the computer; again rejected. He said that he likes to write work on his hand, so he always has it with him. Now, some of you might think that this is silly, but I agreed to let him try this because he will have a clear listing of his work and he came up with the idea.
Use a standard monthly calendar; he reported itis too annoying.. But, we agreed that he will use a small, not an 8×11, size monthly calendar to list long-term projects. This is not your standard way of listing work, but if it works for this student, then it will be extremely effective!!

Next, we tackled the issue of papers. Many students in high school don’t like carrying binders, that’s ok, as long as they choose something else. Because this student has trouble keeping track of papers, I suggested using spiral notebooks that have at least one pocket folder for any handouts. I even like using a spiral graphing notebook for math. He agreed to use one for math and one for history. He didn’t think he needed any others because he doesn’t need to take notes in his other classes. I’m NOT so sure about this, like what happened to taking notes in a literature class, but I left it for the moment. The final agreement was spiral notebooks in the classes that require note-taking and folders for all the other classes.

We have made a start; it is not where I hope this student ends up, but at least he said he would try. That’s all I can ask for now because without compliance, I cannot teach any skills. He is supposed to email me tomorrow to let me know how the new systems are working. Let’s see if he does and we will see how he progresses.

A New Year Means New Resolutions!

January 17, 2012 No comments

Some students, especially those with executive functioning weaknesses, have a rather unique view of material organization. Ellie, a conscientious high school student, kept every single piece of paper she received at school. Her backpack kept getting heavier and larger, and by the end of the year, she was toting around a rolling suitcase! Alex, an easygoing middle school student, showed a strong desire to please his parents (translated from “get them off my back”), although he admittedly didn’t understand the big fuss about sorting and filing papers. His method of cleaning out his backpack was to throw away everything, resulting in seemingly orderly binders. Alex panicked when he needed a study guide for an exam that he had thrown away. Poor Alex had to dig past coffee grounds, rotting vegetables and last week’s uneaten leftovers to find his much needed notes.

Nevertheless, a new year means new resolutions, and even if you haven’t been well organized yourself lately, now is the perfect time to help your child learn how to maintain important school papers. Pocket folders are a great tool for the disorganized student because papers don’t have to be hole-punched during school hours and therefore are less likely to end up crumbled in the bottom of the backpack.

If your child seems to be disorganized, then make a resolution to go through your child’s backpack every day. Help him decide which papers can be thrown away, which should be kept at home and which should be kept in the binder. Papers that will be saved should be neatly filed in date order. Once your child catches on to this system, you can pull back and monitor the daily clean-out, helping only when necessary. When you think he’s got it, reduce your backpack checks to once a week. Although the final objective is independent material organization, maintaining weekly checks prevents anxiety attacks and desperate late night calls to friends in order to find homework, studying materials and other necessary papers – as well as safeguarding against dumpster diving!

How to Manage End-of-the-Year Stress

December 27, 2011 No comments

As the year winds to a close, anxiety-producing situations abound. Say “Hello” to Emily, who doesn’t want to spend her whole winter break studying for exams or getting organized, despite the best intentions of her parents and tutors. Meet Jordan, who is frantically trying to produce the perfect college essay by the January 1 deadline or he won’t get into a good college and then won’t be able to get a good job and might as well just kiss his dreams goodbye. Meanwhile, Mom and Dad are struggling to organize the holidays on a budget, while balancing out of town visitors, teenage drama and their own careers. Is your blood pressure rising yet?

It’s true that a moderate amount of stress is normal and can even be a good thing. Some individuals work better under pressure, and enjoy the extra boost of energy that nervous tension can provide. However, everyone’s tolerance for stress differs, and the pressure that can enhance one person’s performance can cause undue anxiety for another. Warning signs that students are experiencing overwhelming pressures may include:

Muscle tension
Headaches
Changes in sleep patterns
Feeling overwhelmed, out of control or overly anxious
Unreasonable or unexplained anger

Learning to manage stress is a process that will help students cope with the rigors of not only academic life, but everyday challenges as well. It is important to learn to recognize the symptoms of being over-stressed, and develop techniques to manage pressure appropriately. Students who have practiced effective Thinking Organized strategies throughout the school year will find themselves better prepared and less likely to succumb to “cram-for-exams” panic. However, anyone can find himself behind schedule, and students can practice some basic stress management techniques to help get through this hectic time of year.

Thinking Organized time management strategies will help students schedule and prioritize tasks to maximize efficiency.
Remembering to take good care of themselves physically will help children perform their best. Exercise, sleep and nutritious meals keep body and mind healthy and productive.
Thinking Organized memorizing and studying strategies will help students prepare for tests with confidence.

Students who learn to manage the stress of responsibilities work more efficiently. Using a realistic study schedule that includes breaks and balance will optimize academic performance, and reinforce good coping skills for years to come.

The Terrible/Terrific Teens

November 15, 2011 No comments

It seems like one of life’s cruel paradoxes. Right when school work becomes most demanding, and really starts to count toward future plans, teenagers typically begin to resist parental involvement, particularly in their schoolwork. How can a parent encourage adherence to the Thinking Organized strategies with a resistant teen? It’s not easy, but here are a few tips that our parents have found useful:

Create a system of external rewards. As much as we would all like our children to be intrinsically motivated to organize their backpacks, clean their rooms and study ahead of time for tests, the reality is that there are many other enticing options available. Having a system of rewards works well for many teenagers, as long as the reward is something the teen really wants. Work with your student to establish a list of expectations and incentives, and he will be much more likely to make an effort at meeting the goals.
Back off a bit. As difficult as it may be, parents need to understand that most teenagers will not allow Mom or Dad to micromanage their schoolwork. Chances are, you’re just not going to be able to help as much as you might think necessary. Set your priorities on a few major items to monitor, and then let your teen do his personal best on all other tasks without interference. Often, your involvement is seen by the teenager as a lack of confidence in his abilities. By stepping back and allowing your child his independence, you are actually reassuring him that you trust him to know what needs to be accomplished.
Negotiate a deal. For example, as long as you maintain “B’s” or better in your classes, I will not check your assignment notebook or backpack. If you fall below a B in any class, then you have to let me help you organize your materials and study for the next test in that class. All children want to earn high grades, and sometimes giving them this option sounds more helpful than nagging.

Many of the parents with whom I work tell me that managing their children’s school work is damaging their relationship. When this becomes the case, it’s often beneficial to hire the assistance of a third party. A tutor can be more than just someone to assist with academics. An educational mentor can be involved in helping the student maintain organization with paperwork and assignments and manage time effectively. If the resistance becomes too great, involving a therapist can often help the teenager manage some of the difficult issues of the trying years of adolescence.

No one will ever tell you that the teenage years are easy on parents. However, with a sense of humor and a calm demeanor, you can continue to be a good role model and a sound support system for your child during these years.

There’s No Place Like. . .

October 17, 2011 No comments

The issue of “Where to Study” is just as important as “What to Study” and “When to Study.” However, this longtime parental dilemma does not have a “one size fits all solution.” The number of places that fit the bill for optimal studying is as varied as each one of us. Additionally, studying needs change as the child grows older and what worked for elementary school may not be appropriate for middle or high school. Therefore, we’ve interviewed a few of our parents and students and bring you a few responses:

Bobby, Age 8 (response provided by mom): I spent a lot of time choosing the perfect desk for my left-handed son, and stocking it with every school supply that I thought would help him. However, if I send him into this work environment that would be the envy of most children, he will get busy rearranging his pens or using the colored pencils to draw amazing pictures or any number of other activities that do not relate to his academics. The only place where I can be sure that Bobby is doing his homework is right next to me. I save homework time for myself to do bills, open the mail or catch up on other paperwork. In this way, I can keep Bobby on task without driving myself crazy.

Jessica, Age 20: My dorm room is the worst place to study. My roommates always have something more exciting planned than schoolwork and between the snack breaks and catching up on the daily gossip – I get nothing done. The best place for me to study is in a quiet place in the library. The first floor of the library is for socializing (a great place to meet boys). However, you can reserve small study rooms which are completely silent, or venture to the corners of the higher floors where you will only find serious students who also do not want to be interrupted.

Michelle, Age 12: I like to study in my mother’s office. She doesn’t have T.V., but she does have a fancy computer and lots of different color pens. I don’t like to study where it’s too quiet, and in Mom’s office I can still hear the family in the rest of the house. It’s a great place for me to concentrate.

Jacob, Age 16: Rhona Gordon had a great idea that works for me – Starbucks! Their wireless internet is faster than my school’s, the coffee keeps me awake and I feel motivated to stay until I accomplish the goals that I have set for myself.

Ben, Age 10: (response provided by dad): Ben is a pistol! I love studying history with him because he has such funny and unique responses. Sometimes I find that I get him distracted because I get more involved teaching him what I remember instead of helping him stay focused on his homework. So generally, he goes in his room to work. When he has a test to study for, he will let me help him make a study guide or flashcards. When he has a project, he usually runs his ideas past me before sending me to the store. Other than that, I try to stay out of his way.

These are a sampling of the ways our students study best. However, don’t let the list die here! Please click here to let us know what methods work well for you or your child. It’s possible that your ideas might help someone else find their perfect studying spot.

New Study Explores the Science of Auditory & Visual Learners (from NPR)

September 19, 2011 No comments

NPR recently aired a study entitled Think You’re An Auditory Or Visual Learner? Scientists Say It’s Unlikely in which psychologist Doug Rohrer from the University of South Florida claimed that there was no scientific evidence supporting the commonly-held belief that individuals can be classified as visual, auditory or kinesthetic learners. Wow, what an uproar! Hundreds of professionals, parents and teachers responded to this article with a variety of strongly worded opinions.

However, the article also quotes Dan Willingham, a psychologist at the University of Virginia, who emphasizes that it is important for teachers to instruct with each of the different learning styles in mind, “mixing things up” in order to maximize attention span.

Dr. Willingham’s philosophy is a concept that is very familiar to the staff at Thinking Organized™. The third “building block” of effective executive functioning in Rhona Gordon’s book and practice is “learning styles.” She has long maintained that no one is strictly a visual, auditory or kinesthetic learner. In fact, to be a good student, it is necessary for an auditory learner to take notes from a text book, or a visual learn to listen to a lecture. While a student may have one learning style that he or she prefers, it is very important for parents and teachers to encourage the child to practice a variety of methods for understanding, organizing and remembering information.

But we’d like to know what you think? Are learning styles a valid and proven method for inputting information in the most efficient way possible, or do you believe that, like Dr. Rohrer states, “until such [scientific] evidence exists, they shouldn’t be used”? Click here to give us your thoughts on this on-going debate.

College Bound

August 15, 2011 No comments

This is what you’ve been working toward. Your baby is going off to college. The dream of a guest room or home office you always wanted is about to come true, and you’re going to have full-time access to your car again (not that it matters because you’ll soon be making the choice between tuition and gas).

If your student has executive functioning weaknesses, or just can’t seem to stay organized, it will be very helpful to have some systems in place before the big day. Aside from the lengthy list from the college of what to pack and not pack, consider helping your student with some of the basic structures for success.

A system for organizing papers: Reinforce the need for your student to keep up with all academic paperwork. Purchase a small sturdy file box and set up folders for each of your student’s classes, plus separate ones for important papers such as health insurance, meal plan, computer information etc…
A system for documenting assignments: Encourage your student to choose a way to track assignments before school begins. Some co-eds prefer the electronic method of a cell phone or computer. If this is the case, try to establish the structure now. Will they be using a software program that reminds you of obligations daily? Will they be able to print a schedule or list of requirements?
A system for transporting books and notebooks: Many college students want to move beyond the backpack to something more sophisticated, such as a big tote bag. The method is optional; the important thing is to decide how the student is going to carry materials to class, the library and back to the dorm.
A system for planning time: The choice of a calendar is an important decision, and sometimes two calendars are necessary. If the student wants a monthly or yearly calendar to see long term obligations, a second calendar for daily obligations may be necessary. Even if the student plans to use a software program to manage time, a second calendar to divide long term projects or future events will be helpful.

Like an Olympian preparing to compete on his first day, the planning and practice that takes place prior to the event can make or break the final outcome. With the right structures in place, next summer your child could be celebrating his very own academic “gold metal.”

New Study Implicates Environmental Factors in Autism (The New York Times)

July 15, 2011 No comments

The New York Time Article: New Study Implicates Environmental Factors in Autism

I recently came across this interesting article about a new study that focused on environmental factors and autism. While the study makes a few very broad statements, it is definitely food for thought and offers good advice by stating: “We need to not just study the environmental factors, but the relation between the genes and the environment.”

How do you feel about the implication of environmental factors in autism?