Third grade organization expectations

[crl]

Ds will be starting third grade next week. We just got a supply list (have never gotten one before at this school so that's new for us). It includes six different colors of folders and three different colors of notebooks. Plus she will be providing a seventh folder for homework. I labelled all them per her instructions and one is for "unfinished work" and the rest are for specific subjects. The three notebooks have corresponding colored folders so there is overlap there.

Now, ds has ADHD. So organization is a definite weakness for him. I cannot imagine that he will be able to keep track of all of these folders, much less keep all of the right materials in them. Is it likely all these folders will stay in his desk and he will only be transporting the homework folder? Or is it likely he will be transporting multiple folders?

I know that color coded systems like this are used a lot now. I was surprised to see this for third grade. (FWIW, this teacher had not taught third grade before. She has taught first, fourth and fifth. She is very well-regarded.)

She also wants a pencil box with 24 crayons, 12 colored pencils, regular pencils and scissors in it. I assume this will be staying in his desk?

I have struggled the past two years to keep ds on top of one folder and a pencil box with two pencils, one sharpener, four crayons, one pair of scissors, one gluestick, and one eraser. Experience taught me to pare it down to the bare, bare, bare minimum necessary to do his homework. And every time he finished homework, I had to say, did you put your supplies in the box and put your box away? Did you put your folder in your backpack? Your homework isn't done until you have put things away properly. Even doing that he would lose things. And then I would refuse to look for them or replace them and he would have a fit. It was horrible.

I am stressed out imagining this year will be a thousand times worse if his teacher thinks he can keep track of all this stuff.

Anyone have insight into whether this complicated of a system is typical for third grade? Anyone have suggestions for coping with it with a kid with ADHD? Part of me wants to just let him deal, partly so he will understand that he has to do it himself and partly so the school will get the picture of just how much of an issue this is. (The school refused to even do the testing to determine if he is eligible for an IEP last year and we have a 504 plan instead.). Part of me feels like if he really can't do this, it's not fair for me not to help. Argh.

Thanks for reading my diatribe. And for any thoughts you have.
Catherine

[JElaineB]

This sounds very similar to the system DS used in third grade last year and is using in fourth grade this year (combined age classroom so he has the same teacher this year). The only thing he brought home on a regular basis last year was the homework folder (every day) and a weekly journal with a letter he wrote to us (parents) each Friday. I just asked him how it worked, and he said they keep the folders and notebooks in their desk, and when it is time for a particular subject his teacher will say "take out the science folder" or whatever subject. I think the color coding is probably a way to help both the kids and teachers make sure they all have the correct materials out at the same time. The pencil box with other supplies (markers, scissors, etc.) also stays in his desk.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I bet you'll never see the folders, except the homework one. That's how ds1's school is. When it's math time, the teacher will have the kids get their yellow math folder and notebook out and at the end if the class or day, they'll put stuff that is t homework but needs to be finished in the unfinished wirk folder.

Ds1 has an ADD dx and struggles to get good marks in "organizes materials" though. :). He gets good grades but it takes a bit of patience. It's in his plan that he needs that extra support.

[kristenk]

DD is going into 3rd grade, but has dealt with custom color folders for a while. In 1st and 2nd grade, she had a binder that she brought home every day. The binder had a couple of folders in it. The pockets on the folders were labeled. One pocket was "sign and return" for notes, etc. Another one was for homework. Another one was for completed/graded papers. ALL homework was supposed to come home in the homework pocket in the binder. (Granted, it didn't always go in the right pocket, but it did come home in the binder.)

The other color-coded folders stayed in the class. If the math folder was blue, the teacher would tell the students to take out their blue math folders when it was time for math. Same thing for science or social studies. The only time I saw those folders was when were at open house or when they came home at the end of the year.

DD has had labeled pencil boxes with crayons, colored pencils, glue sticks, pencils, etc. for two years now. The pencil box and its contents STAY AT SCHOOL. Even if you have the option to have your DS bring them home, just opt to keep them at school. Build another supply box at home. It will only cost a few dollars and chances are that you already have a lot of the stuff that you'd need.

Did that help at all?

[crl]

Thanks. If all these folders stay at school, that's a lot better. Both easier for him to manage and more obvious to the school if he is struggling to do it.

And we will definitely leave the pencil box at school; I was guessing that's where it would stay. I'm actually going to need three then I think, one for school (done), one for home (done) and one for his backpack because I am planning to do homework with him at the library three days a week this year before picking his sister up from daycare. Will need an extra pair of scissors, but we already have enough of everything else to do three. And I guess it's the teacher's problem to deal with ds if he has trouble keeping track of so many pencils and crayons and such. She may be a lot more successful than I have been! Teachers have special powers after all. :)

Thanks, hopefully this will play out as you all are describing.

Catherine

[erosenst]

DD is in third this year, and has used a similar system since 1st. She was in a 2/3 split, with the same teacher, last year - so am sure it will work the same way this year. Only the homework folder comes home. It's special folder that, in addition to having two pockets inside, has a clear place to slide stuff in (?) on front and back where paper can be slid in. The front spot is for notes to the teacher, one inside pocket is for things to keep at home, the other inside pocket for things to return to school, and the back clear pocket for things like a monthly calendar. The pencil box is never needed for homework, and stays the desk. Having a duplicate at home wouldn't be necessary - all that's needed is access to a pencil and eraser.

They also have an assignment notebook (again, started in first grade) where they write down what needs to be done each day/night (directly from the board). If there are specific things your DS needs help remembering, perhaps you can help him develop a similar system that he can check off each day.

Good luck -

[hellokitty]

I totally get your anxiety about this. DS1 is also entering 3rd grade and is a bit of an absent minded professor. However, they have been using the folder method that you described, since first grade, and as other posters have said, the only folder that comes home is the homework folder and then the poetry (reading) folder maybe 1x a wk. I am anxious too, since I know that 3rd grade is when the teachers don't baby the students as much. I feel like it will be trial by fire, I'm taking a wait and see approach and reminding myself that it's probably more common than not for kids this age to not be that organized, so my son won't be the only one who is flaky.

[kbud]

We've been using that system since kindy. We are in 3rd now too. Only 1 folder comes home and one side is marked keep (papers to keep at home) and a return (homework to complete and return). It seems to be a good system.

[bigsis]

My DD is in 4th grade now. Last year, she was expected to keep things organized. She did *not* do a perfect job. I think that they start off the organizational responsibilities in 3rd grade as practice for a lifetime of it. But don't expect perfection---by any stretch of the imagination. I expect they will take a few years of practice.

[lalasmama]

DD is heading into 3rd grade, and has an ADHD diagnosis that is well controlled on medication. Thankfully, she rocks at the organization skills, and I think it's because it's the only way that she's ever been able to make "sense" of things.

For homework, her teacher provides a laminated manilla folder. It comes home Monday, and goes back Friday. The rule, though, for DD, is that it comes home on Monday, any homework is done, I pre-sign the reading log (because she does her reading time at after-care and it's non-negotiable, so I know it gets done there), and then the folder goes right back into her bag on Monday, and stays in her bag until Friday. We keep a "supply bucket" on her desk at home, which contains pencils, crayons, white glue, glue stick, markers, a ruler, and scissors. (Knock on wood, she's never tried to cut non-appropriate things!)....

As far as the ADHD thing goes, DD responds REALLY well to a strict routine with visual reminders, so this year we're going to make some checklists (large print, half-sheet size of 4-5 items per day) for things that need to be done each day. For example, Thursday nights will say:
(1) Spelling test practice.
(2) Library book.
(3) Homework folder.
(4) Bag at door.
That way, every night she can look at her reminders, and see what needs to be remembered. It allows her some responsibility and some self-reliance. ADHD doesn't mean our expectations for her are any less, it just means (in our family's opinion) that we need to provide her a way to learn to do things how her brain works. If she sees something daily, reads it daily, she's able to build it into a routine for herself, and will later be able to verbally recall what the list says. That takes it off SO and I and places the responsibility on DD, who's the one in school ;) SO, teacher, and I all agreed last year (in 2nd grade) that DD was the one who was in school, and that it was her job (within reason) to keep track of what she needs for school, including remembering her homework folder and library books. Honestly, it was so nice for me to hear an experienced mother and teacher of 20 years saying that DD was old enough to be taking responsibility for her education in these kind of organizational ways!

Some kids do very well with very "strict" organizing. Having a red folder for reading, yellow for writing, etc., could help him keep things together easier, and make it easier for him to find things. I'm going to say I'm 99% positive that your DS will be bringing home 1 specific folder for homework, not one for reading, one for writing, one for math, etc.

Good luck!

[SummerBaby]

DD1 us also entering rhird grade, and also has ADHD, and is on medication, which helps her tremendously with attention, not so much with organization. Basically, she is a mess. They used the multi-colored folder system in second grade. The colored folders stay at school, only the homework folder comes home. Because DD is such a mess, it worked better for her to keep all her supplies on the windowsill, away from her desk. Then she could get up and take out just what was needed. Even with that, all of her folders were dog eared and doodled on. We actually incorporated that into her 504 plan. Also, according to our school psychologist, medication doesn't help with organization issues, so it has to be expressly taught. DD has visual reminders and checklists to help her remember where everything goes. She did fine with the folder system and the checklist. Also, as part of her 504 for this year, either the teacher or the aide in the room will help her check to make sure she has all her assignments down.

Do you have a 504 plan for your son? At least in our school, I found the process very helpful- DD was observed multiple times by the psychologist, from there we came up with a bunch of accommodations that definitely have helped her. Second grade, with the medication and accommodations, was by far her best. Good luck!

[crl]

We do have a 504. It was based on our private psychiatrist's recommendations, our input and his teacher's input. They refused to do any testing or observation of their own. It was written at the very end of the year last year. It includes a check in by the teacher to make sure he understands how to do his homework, preferential seating, etc. He has not had the colored folder system before so there is nothing in it about that.

(He is not currently medicated. We did a trial of meds and it went quite badly so we decided to discontinue altogether and re-evaluate as needed.)

Thanks everyone!
Catherine