If you have heard me speak at a school event or have been following our blog for a while, you know we’re big on organization. Binders are our bread and butter because they lay the foundation for student success. While it’s easy to see the benefits of an excellent organizational system as a parent or an educator, it can be challenging to convince students that organization matters. However, student commitment is integral to organizational success. In the sections that follow, we provide a full-proof method to persuade students that organization matters.
Selling Point #1: Make Your Job Easier
Our metric for an organization system’s effectiveness is the five-second rule. If a student cannot find a paper or file one away in five seconds or less, the organization system isn’t working. Now, let’s flip this into a selling point for why a student needs an effective binder. Most students don’t enjoy looking for missing items. Utilizing our unique binder system eliminates this problem, meaning more free time for students. Additionally, students tend to enjoy receiving credit for the work that they do. Calculating the total missed points from late assignments is a quick way to quantify a student’s need for a binder. “Selling” organization to students based on increased free time and increased recognition of their efforts has a much higher likelihood to succeed.
Selling Point #2: Insurance Is a Good Thing
In December and again in May, we hear students complain about cumulative exams. While it is true that finals and midterms rarely improve a student’s average, successfully managing one’s margin is a great way to ensure finals week success. The second selling point, therefore, is that organizational systems provide insurance against an unpredictable finals week. Students who keep a tidy, organized binder can take advantage of all extra credit opportunities, turn in all assignments on time, and maintain better relationships with their teachers. All of these minor things add up to insurance during final exams. For example, a student who always turns work in on time and shows responsibility through his or her pristine binder is much more likely to have an 89 rounded up to a 90. Insurance is a good thing, and binders are the most effective way to get it.
Selling Point #3: Impressions & Conflict
In my first meeting with any student, I always ask what they want more of and what they want to avoid. With stunning consistency, almost all of the students I work with say, in one form or another, “I want more freedom.” Most students want to be left alone and not be bothered about school by parents and sometimes teachers. But freedom is costly; students must take on more responsibility to have more freedom. This is where binders enter the picture. Binders convey commitment, and they show parents that the student is “on top of it.” Organization decreases anxiety for everyone in the household. Framing better organization as a means to gain more freedom is one of the best ways to get students to adopt and maintain better organizational habits.
We hope these selling points help you keep your student organized and thriving. We firmly believe organization is the foundation upon which all academic success is built. For more information on our unique executive functioning skill curriculum, please check out our blog page. Tired of fighting with your student, who you know is not achieving what they could? Let the experts help. Reach out to learn more about our exclusive one-on-one academic coaching services.
