--- title: How to teach your high-schooler organization skills description: To become more independent, teens need to learn organization and time management. Here are 7 ways to teach your high-schooler organization. slug: at-a-glance-7-ways-to-teach-your-high-schooler-organization-skills author: Amanda Morin reviewer: Jenn Osen-Foss, MAT published: '2019-08-05T15:31:42.231Z' thumbnail: https://cdn-images.understood.org/p0qf7j048i0q/5tuqJXPfQB21zNyJevu09o/0f6a17b365e0ce46ac11376cc4a105c8/G1097812032.jpg source_url: https://www.understood.org/en/articles/at-a-glance-7-ways-to-teach-your-high-schooler-organization-skills lang: en --- # How to teach your high-schooler organization skills To become more independent, teens need to learn how to organize and prioritize what’s happening in their lives. This is an important step as they get ready for college or the workplace. Here are some ways you can help your high-schooler learn organization skills. ## 1. Teach multiple ways to prioritize. - **Goal:** Find organizational tools that fit your teen’s needs and skills. - **Example:** Projects can be organized by due date — or by time needed or how hard (or easy) they are. ## 2. Teach how to divide and conquer. - **Goal:** Keep deadlines for long-term projects from creeping up. - **Example: **Show your teen how to break projects into smaller, more manageable pieces. Use cue words like “first,” “next,” and “last” to help categorize the tasks. ## 3. Designate a place for study materials. - **Goal:** Teach your child to keep all needed tools in one place. - **Example:** Encourage your teen to keep pens, paper, computer, calculators, dictionaries, and other supplies together. No more hunting for an eraser! ## 4. Model organization skills. - **Goal:** Learn how to be organized by seeing the skills in action. - **Example:** Keep a family calendar and a to-do list to model planning ahead and making lists. ## 5. Use a whiteboard. - **Goal:** Make things easier to visualize. - **Example:** Your child can make to-do lists, map out thoughts for an assignment, or just write down things to remember. ## 6. Give your teen a planner. - **Goal:** Encourage kids to manage their own schedule. - **Example:** With a digital or paper planner, your child can keep track of where to be and when. Your child can practice arranging and rearranging available time. ## 7. Ask about the plan of attack. - **Goal:** Make sure your teen knows how to prioritize the steps for getting an assignment done. - **Example:** Don’t assume your teen knows how to get an assignment done. Ask for an explanation of the plan. You can help refine it, as needed. Does your child need other resources to help get organized? Find [simple tools to help teens get organized](https://www.understood.org/en/articles/tools-tips-teen-organized). Learn about [organizational coaches and how they could help](https://www.understood.org/en/articles/organizational-coaches-what-you-need-to-know). Discover [smartphone solutions to help your teen with organization](https://www.understood.org/en/articles/video-apps-for-teens-with-organization-issues). --- ## Explore related topics and articles - [How to teach your middle-schooler organization skills](https://www.understood.org/en/articles/how-to-teach-your-middle-schooler-organization-skills) - When kids go to middle school, they have more homework than when they were younger. Their social calendars also get busier. To manage these demands, they need to learn organizational skills and how to prioritize time. Here are some ways to teach your middle-schooler organization. 1. Teach how to di - [How to teach your grade-schooler organization skills](https://www.understood.org/en/articles/how-to-teach-your-grade-schooler-organization-skills) - Many kids struggle with basic organization and time management. You may need to work with your grade-schooler on these skills. Here are seven ways to teach your child organization. 1. Recognize wants vs. needs. - Goal: Sort out and prioritize what your child wants to do vs. what your child needs t - [Tools and tips to help your teen get organized](https://www.understood.org/en/articles/tools-tips-teen-organized) - When teens are disorganized, they can get overwhelmed by school. Multiple classes, deadlines, and projects in middle and high school can be tough to manage. Organization strategies can help teens be more efficient and boost their confidence. 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