Organization for high school classes is very important. Teachers expect students to manage their own materials as well as classroom handouts. The best way to organize for high school, in my opinion, is to use a folder system.
For high school, you will need:
- A binder with a zipper
- A pocket folder for each class (get different colors so each class has its own color)
- A supply bag that fits on the binder rings: include pencils, a sharpener, preferred writing utensils, a big eraser maybe
- some looseleaf paper (including some graph paper)
That’s really all you need. TJ will supply you with a planner, which will also fit inside your binder.
Label each folder with the name of the class to which it belongs. Put all of the handouts for classes in their respective pocket folders. Move the papers to the other pocket after they are completed, so you know to turn them in.
That’s really it — the simplest way to organize your items for your different classes.
By this time, you’ve been in school for at least a couple of weeks. I would like you to develop some good habits, which will help you to get good grades.
- Check your grades on the student portal once per week. I recommend you do this on Monday afternoons, as teachers are to have their grades updated and posted each Monday morning. Use this link: campus.dpsk12.org
- Make it a habit to enter the classroom, take your seat, and open up your planner to the current day. Most teachers will either mention homework or upcoming quizzes, or they will have it posted in the room. Find it and write it down. Or just have your planner ready–it will save you time for when your teacher says, “write this down.”
- Every day, check your bag for loose papers, and put them in the correct spot in your binder or folders. You should have folders or sections marked for each class. Every day, file these papers in the correct folders.
That’s it for this week. Check in with me, in person, and tell me how this is going for you.