When did these organization skills get taught?

[Anonymous]

OP here, I am only 36 as well so I thought it had been replaced by a more digital version. I have talked to dd about binder organization but, struggle along side her when her notes are incomplete especially for Math. I don't know what Math hygiene is but, I do remember folding my page in half and working down each part to show my work. I was curious if this introduction would have happened during COVID. Thanks for all the constructive responses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here, I am only 36 as well so I thought it had been replaced by a more digital version. I have talked to dd about binder organization but, struggle along side her when her notes are incomplete especially for Math. I don't know what Math hygiene is but, I do remember folding my page in half and working down each part to show my work. I was curious if this introduction would have happened during COVID. Thanks for all the constructive responses.

Is math hygiene showing your work in a legible manner?

[Anonymous]

My private didn’t really it to me, so my mother enrolled me in a class called “where there is a will, there is an A” when I was in 5th grade. I thought it was so stupid at the time, but in retrospect one of my most important classes of all time. My child is in a very high performing charter (BASIS) that focusses the entire 5th grade on these skills, and it is amazing how much that inherent knowledge frees up the kids to learn in future years.

Executive functioning is a very important skill, it is your job as a parent to make sure your kid learns it, if you haven’t outsourced it properly, either do it or do the work yourself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I remember when I was in school turning in my notes for a class and got a participation grade based on how thorough and neat they were. Also, having to organize binders by subject. This was all in Middle School. My DD who is now in 8th still hasn't learned any of this. My dd is in AOB schools if anyone has specific comments but, I am curious if they even teach this anymore.

My son's school taught him how to organize binders by subject, how to use a planner, schedule, etc, in 5th grade.

[Anonymous]

My kids were taught these skills throughout lower school - all privates (St Patricks, STA, Potomac).

[Anonymous]

DC are now in HS, but this was part of their ES/MS in their Catholic school.

TBH is drive me crazy some ES years that the math folder had to be yellow and the English one blue until I realized this was an easy way for teachers to teach upper ES kids organization. In MS they could pick any color folder but learned Cornell (sp?) notes. They had a assignment notebook from early on to track assignments and due dates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kids today don't learn it and it's a joke!

I'm not that old - I'm 42 - and so many of the mid-to-late 20-somethings in my office don't have these skills either. Not sure when the skills stopped being taught in schools.

We hired an executive functioning/skills coach for the kid we struggled with the most and it was the best money we've ever spent on that kid! We were able to teach the skills to our other kids without issue, but this one was more resistant. He happily listened to what the coach said and implemented her tips & tricks without any pushback (much of the same stuff we'd preached).

He was a low B-C-low C student before learning the skills and an A-B student afterward. He wasn't studying effectively and didn't have the proper organization (lots of doing the work but forgetting to take it to turn it or taking it to turn in but not turning it in, arrrgh!)

Kids need those skills more than they need the stupid cursive, which there's such a big push to bring back. I have 3 kids now in college and all 3 have encountered professors who insist on hand-written notes instead of typed notes because the professors find the typing distracting. My oldest said she couldn't believe the deer-in-headlights look some classmates had because they hadn't taken handwritten notes in so long.

My 6th grader needs this desperately. Where do I find one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our PK-8 private started teaching this in 3rd grade. I remember my DC signing the song the teacher taught them about being organized and prepared.

I found the lyrics:

What are you going to do?
You've got a frown on your face,
And you're singing the blues!
You're not organized,
You are not prepared,
You're not listening,
And your mind's not there.
You don't have plans, and you don't have goals.
Your homework's unfinished,
And you've been told.
You need to get your act together
'Cause you don't have a clue.
You've got the Study Skills Blues!


Now, you see what to do.
You've got a smile on your face,
And you're lookin' cool!
You're so organized,
You are so prepared.
You're listening carefully,
And your mind is there.
You've got plans, and you've got goals.
Your homework is finished;
You don't have to be told,
You've got your act together,
'Cause you followed the clues.
And you're not singing the Study Skills Blues!

That is a song of shame; it doesn't teach anything.

[Anonymous]

Well Fairfax County wants to move to equity grading, or “standards based grading” which means kids won’t be assessed on things like note-taking, handwriting, neatness, organization, notebooks, etc.

[Anonymous]

Wasn’t there a thread here last week about a special needs kid’s mom (adhd) who was furious that the teacher was trying to teach organizational skills? And she got an exemption to go around it?

[Anonymous]

For DD it was a focus in 6th grade at Holton

[Anonymous]

My 6th grader needs this desperately. Where do I find one.


Pushing this thread up again. Does anyone have any suggestions for an executive functioning coach or class etc. my 8th grader definitely needs!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I remember when I was in school turning in my notes for a class and got a participation grade based on how thorough and neat they were. Also, having to organize binders by subject. This was all in Middle School. My DD who is now in 8th still hasn't learned any of this. My dd is in AOB schools if anyone has specific comments but, I am curious if they even teach this anymore.

We have this at our kid's school (Christ Episcopal School). Learning note taking/organization of notes has been a lifesaver for my kid who struggles with organization and order. This is so helpful in high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our PK-8 private started teaching this in 3rd grade. I remember my DC signing the song the teacher taught them about being organized and prepared.

I found the lyrics:

What are you going to do?
You've got a frown on your face,
And you're singing the blues!
You're not organized,
You are not prepared,
You're not listening,
And your mind's not there.
You don't have plans, and you don't have goals.
Your homework's unfinished,
And you've been told.
You need to get your act together
'Cause you don't have a clue.
You've got the Study Skills Blues!


Now, you see what to do.
You've got a smile on your face,
And you're lookin' cool!
You're so organized,
You are so prepared.
You're listening carefully,
And your mind is there.
You've got plans, and you've got goals.
Your homework is finished;
You don't have to be told,
You've got your act together,
'Cause you followed the clues.
And you're not singing the Study Skills Blues!

wtf

[Anonymous]

This started in elementary school and expectations increased throughout middle school, independence of skills being expected by high school- or at least very minimal assistance needed. Became more of this is what’s expected by 11/12 grade.