Dear Loved Ones,
Have you found yourself looking down the long school supply aisle of options, wondering which one is better for you struggling student?
Honestly, every student has their own preferences, and it's an ongoing investment as strategies and systems are established over the school year.
Getting strategic with supplies will mean learning how supplies can support or challenge executive functions. Learn to pick the tools that best support memory, spark motivation, and encourage sustained focus.
Enjoy!
Does it even matter which supplies we get? Strangely, yes. Supplies are tricky, but useful. New supplies can spark a phase of interest and focus. Fidget-able (that's a word now, it just is) supplies can be a life saver during those annoyingly uncomfortable, emotion boiling, skin itching, teeth hurting moments of boredom.
Erasable
Struggling students learn best when they have the opportunity to work through all of the wrong answers, on the way to the correct one. Providing easy erase ability reduces the perfectionism that can be such a barrier. Not to mention how fun it can be.
Erasable supplies include white boards, plastic sheet protectors, plastic labels, sticky notes, large erasers, and Frixion erasable pens.
Changeable
Struggling students must adapt their organization systems as the school year unfolds. This means, we need flexible systems. For example, homework folder might have worked last year, but this year we need to keep subjects together. The alphabetical binder tabs seemed logical, but we need them in class schedule order. The binder worked okay at first, but the accordion folder works better later. Homework was done in the bedroom, but now outside is more helpful. You get the idea.
Changeable supplies include stickable tabs instead of built in. Go with packets instead of three ring binders. Try separate storage for each class rather than a single binder, as well as a portable homework supply case/bucket/bin. Â
Color
Struggling students require color to visually separate main ideas from details. Their brains tend to register everything they see, hear, and feel as important and equally relevant. The best use of color isn’t so much about categorizing, but more about visually separating ideas, time zones, spaces, priorities, and objects.
Color supplies include erasable pens, erasable highlighters, color tabs, color folders, and color sticky notes.
