C. She is an academic & behavioral coach and consultant with over 10 years experience working with middle and high school students helping them achieve their own personal best.
Mastering good organizational habits and basic life skills is critical for young people, yet many of them reach middle and high school with no idea of how to manage their workload, time, and schedule. Jessica's simple, yet very effective coaching techniques help kids navigate the sometimes difficult transition from elementary to middle school and from middle to high school. She also works with seniors to prepare them for the demands (and freedom) of college life.
Here are a few of her tips for helping your child get and stay organized. (Products are available at Office Depot.)
*The key pieces your child should have to hold all school materials are:
1. A good backpack. This should be big enough to hold books, but small enough to fit in a locker.
2. A fabric binder (won't rip or tear) with poly pocket dividers - one for each subject. This is a 2 sided folder with a divider tab which can catch loose papers.
3. The Mead 5 Star pencil pouch. It functions like a mobile office and keeps everything the student needs handy. It even has a 3 hole punch attached.
*Create an at home "File Box". Jessica uses a cardboard box similar to a banker's file box. This box stays at home and has a file for each subject in the box. Examples: Old Tests that need to be kept, Projects in Progress, Book Reports. Your child keeps papers here he/she doesn't need on a daily basis and once a month weeds through and discards anything no longer needed.
*Managing Time: Help your child focus on completion of tasks. Older children should use a planner - and encourage them to use the monthly view as well as the weekly as this helps them grasp the "big picture."
Break big projects down into smaller "chunks" of time they can schedule in their planner to work on the project. This helps defuse overwhelm.
*Desk or no desk? Jessica believes kids don't necessarily have to be chained to a desk. Work with your child's natural rhythms. As long as they have a comfortable place to work and all their supplies are available and within reach, they are more likely to stay focused.
Avoid distractions like very loud music (music as "wallpaper" is ok), video games and cell phones.
I'll be interviewing Jessica as part of my teleclass series in late October - please join us!
The Time Has Come!!
One of the highlights of my summer was meeting and interviewing Jessica Herman of ABC. She is an academic & behavioral coach and consultant with over 10 years experience working with middle and high school students helping them achieve their own personal best.
