Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Teaching disorganized students

Ana Homayoun tutors disorganized teenagers:

She requires her clients to have a three-ring, loose-leaf binder for each academic subject, to divide each binder into five sections — notes, homework, handouts, tests and quizzes, and blank paper — and to use a hole puncher relentlessly, so that every sheet of school-related paper is put into its proper home.

Students must maintain a daily planner; they are required to number the order in which they want to do each day’s homework and draw a box next to each assignment, so it can be checked off when completed.

Homework must be done in a two-hour block in a quiet room, with absolutely no distractions: no instant messaging, no Internet, no music, no cellphone, no television.

While some girls need help getting organized, at least three-quarters of her students are boys.

Giving Disorganized Boys the Tools for Success (New York Times)
Having seen many a college student struggle (and fail) to find a needed piece of paper in a bulging folder, I applaud any effort to develop better organizing skills. But I'm puzzled: the parents of the high-schoolers described in this article can afford private tutoring ("high-priced," the Times says) but cannot teach these skills themselves?

comments: 2

Lee said...

Ahem, Michael ... my experience has been that it's very difficult for parents to teach anything, at least overtly, to teenagers.

The_Myth said...

"How dare you criticize my precious snowflake!!!"


At least that's the attitude I've observed....