How to Organize Student Notebooks
Sifting through crumbled papers to find an assignment or picking through stacks of notes to locate the ones needed to complete homework is enough to drive any student mad. Organization is a common area of student struggle. It is easy to allow the notebook to become a dumping ground for old assignments and clutter. While it can be difficult, keeping an organized notebook is a highly beneficial practice that can lead to improved academic success. To help your students reach their potential, assist them in organizing their student notebooks so that the academic material they require is always right at their fingertips.
Instructions
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Attach a pencil pouch in the front of the notebook. Students commonly need pencils and pens to complete their academic assignments. Placing a pencil pounch in the binder ensures that they always have one at hand.
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Place the student's planner behind the pencil pouch. An academic planner will help the student keep track of his work. Many schools provide these tools for student use. If the school does not, instruct students to purchase a planner from their local office supply store. As students will use this planner several times a day, it should be stored where it can be easily accessed.
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Put an ample supply of loose-leaf paper behind the planner. Loose-leaf paper is used for everything from assignment completion to note taking. While placing the paper in the binder, remind the students that they need to open the rings to take out sheets of paper, instead of ripping the paper out of their binder, so that they do no tear the holes and can use them to place the paper back in the binder later.
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Label dividers to create a distinct space for each subject. Use standard dividers to create your subject sections. The creation of sections allows students to sort assignments by class, making papers easier to find. After creating the necessary sections, instruct the student to keep the course materials for each class in the labeled section.
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Use a permanent marker to label the front pocket of the notebook as "Homework." Setting aside a space specifically for the placement of homework makes it easy for the students to file their homework assignments as they receive them throughout the day. The pocket makes it possible for students to simply pull the papers out of the front of their notebook once they get home and get to work on completing their studies.
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References
- Photo Credit blue binder image by timur1970 from Fotolia.com
