School organizational skills are a must for ADD or AD/HD children. My 10 year old son is ADHHHHHHHHD, and a student in 5th grade. In our school district, 5th and 6th graders are now considered middle school students, and the students change multiple classes throughout the day. The school provides an expandable binder and student planner for a nominal fee. This binder works well for many students, but not so well for my ADD son. This is the first year my son has received low grades, all because he lacked the organizational skills to turn in his homework on time.

He would do the homework, but either misplace the paper or simply not turn it in to the teacher. I find it unacceptable to fail a grade for doing the work but not turning it in. Papers became crammed into his folder or back pack. Many were lost in his desk or bedroom in the process. So mom did some research and I made him, a cool school binder. Many ADD people are visual learners and do well with bold colors to catch their eye and attention.

I bought a binder that has a front panel which allows papers to be placed inside, to design the cover. I placed a colorful Gecko on the cover and wrote at the top Evan’s Cool School Binder. On the inside panel of the front cover I placed a copy of the homework schedule I implemented for him while at school.
Basically the binder consists of 4 plastic Avery Folders. The red one is for any homework papers needing to be completed at home. When he finishes his homework he then places the completed paper inside his green folder titled completed papers. Then there is an orange folder for Important School Messages, and a Blue folder for final graded papers to be filed at home after parental review.

His school planner fits neatly inside the front of the binder. Now everything is in one place. Everything has a place and everything in its place is one of my favorite motto's. If you elect to have a place for items, it is imperative that you utilize the space and know where your items are located.
Evan now places his unfinished homework inside the red folder. Red means stop and finish your homework. When he completes his homework he then marks the assignment off his binder and places the finished papers inside the green completed papers folder. Green means go turn in your homework. Any notes to and from school, parents, or teacher go inside the orange folder. Orange is an alert color and hopefully will alert the student to pass on important papers. Finally the blue folder is for graded papers parents need to review and file at home.

The schedule I typed up and placed inside the front cover is a simple reminder to check folders and turn in homework and important messages from home or teacher. Here is an example of the schedule. In the morning check green folder and hand in completed papers. Look inside orange folder for notes or signed school papers and turn in to teacher. The afternoon schedule is similar to the morning one but reminds Evan to place all homework inside the red folder until completed and then it will be placed in the completed papers folder.

My son loves the binder. Now when he arrives home from school he brings me the binder and inside is his planner. He hands me any school announcements or teacher notes. Together we call the school's homework hot line and make sure all of his homework assignments have been accurately written on to his student planner. As he completes each homework assignment he crosses a line through on his planner and initials his book, then he places his finished homework in the green folder for completed papers. So far in just one week’s time we have had only one missing homework assignment. I will update on the success of Evan’s Cool School Binder in a few weeks, if it is still intact.

Does anyone else have a similar plan being used for an ADD or ADHD child? Please feel free to post in our free ADD forum and share your homework frustrations and successes with everyone. We are all in this together and good ideas that have worked for others may work for anyone of us.