Kids have changed! Being prepared, productive and effective is no longer a concern, and students need help with essential life skills like independence, organization and task initiation. 

Increase Student:

• Independence
• Organization
• Responsibility
• Task initiation, success and completion
• Self-regulation
• Personal pride

The Product:

For use with students in grades 3+. Consists of two checklists that guide students through effectively and efficiently preparing themselves for class and going home at the end of the school day without external support or intervention.

How I Use It: 

I like to copy the cards on cardstock paper and laminate them so students can use dry-erase markers to check tasks off as they complete them. Checklist location, entry point, number of expectations, and deciding how to chunk all depend on individual student needs. I recommend explicitly teaching and modelling your expectations for students and beginning their independent practice by chunking your expectations. 

NOTE: Beginning in Grade 5, I make the closet area out of bounds for students during instructional times. This forces students to plan, effectively organize themselves and their belongings to be successful in the classroom and take responsibility for the outcome of their actions (or lack thereof). This also serves as excellent preparation for middle and high school!