{"id":152837,"date":"2025-07-13T12:00:38","date_gmt":"2025-07-13T17:00:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/?post_type=podcasts&#038;p=152837"},"modified":"2025-07-13T03:20:59","modified_gmt":"2025-07-13T07:20:59","slug":"how-a-daily-binder-routine-teaches-students-the-skills-behind-academic-success","status":"publish","type":"podcasts","link":"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/truth-for-teachers-podcast\/how-a-daily-binder-routine-teaches-students-the-skills-behind-academic-success\/","title":{"rendered":"How a daily binder routine teaches students the skills behind academic success"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3>What if teaching students how to get and stay organized could unlock their full academic potential?<\/h3>\n<p>In this article + podcast episode, I&#8217;m talking with Mitch Weathers, who calls this \u201cstudentness.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-152906 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/truthforteachers.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Mitch-Weathers-headshot-round-512px-500x500.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"164\" height=\"164\" srcset=\"https:\/\/truthforteachers.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Mitch-Weathers-headshot-round-512px-500x500.png 500w, https:\/\/truthforteachers.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Mitch-Weathers-headshot-round-512px-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/truthforteachers.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Mitch-Weathers-headshot-round-512px.png 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 164px) 100vw, 164px\" \/>Mitch is a veteran teacher and the creator of a classroom routine called <a class=\"\" style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\" href=\"https:\/\/organizedbinder.com\" target=\"_new\" rel=\"noopener\" data-start=\"1614\" data-end=\"1664\">Organized Binder<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>He has developed a really simple, sustainable way to support kids with executive functioning\u2014and it doesn\u2019t involve adding more to your plate. His approach is built around a physical binder, but the real power is in the daily routine that teaches students how to manage their time, tasks, and materials.<\/p>\n<p>I think you&#8217;ll find practical strategies you can use right away, whether you\u2019re teaching elementary, middle, or high school\u2026and whether you use paper, digital tools, or a mix of both.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1600\" data-end=\"1716\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-153008 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/truthforteachers.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Daily-Binder-System-333x500.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"333\" height=\"500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/truthforteachers.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Daily-Binder-System-333x500.jpg 333w, https:\/\/truthforteachers.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Daily-Binder-System-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/truthforteachers.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Daily-Binder-System-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/truthforteachers.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Daily-Binder-System.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 333px) 100vw, 333px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Listen to episode 329 below,<br \/>\n<\/strong><strong>or subscribe in your podcast app<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none;\" title=\"Libsyn Player\" src=\"\/\/html5-player.libsyn.com\/embed\/episode\/id\/37383445\/height\/90\/theme\/custom\/thumbnail\/yes\/direction\/backward\/render-playlist\/no\/custom-color\/672c5b\/\" width=\"500\" height=\"90\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\"> <\/span><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\"> <\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: center;\">Sponsored by <a href=\"https:\/\/educateandrejuvenate.com\/sp\/summer-2025-event\/?aff=121\">Educate and Rejuvenate<\/a><\/h5>\n<h3 data-start=\"1600\" data-end=\"1716\">How executive functioning skills underlie academic success<\/h3>\n<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\"><strong>ANGELA: So Mitch, for teachers who are new to the concept of executive function, what are the core principles they should know about how it impacts student success?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>MITCH: That&#8217;s a good question. And I try to stay away from overly academic-sounding definitions of executive functioning.<\/p>\n<p>I talk about this in my book as well, but there&#8217;s a school that coined this phrase, &#8220;studentness.&#8221; They reached out and said, &#8220;We&#8217;ve committed to developing studentness in our students.&#8221; They really want to equip kids with the foundational skills needed to access any content. These are the skills that set the foundation for learning and support the content we&#8217;re teaching.<\/p>\n<p>When we look at what really sets students up for academic success, it&#8217;s not just the content. I&#8217;m not saying the things we teach aren\u2019t important, but it&#8217;s an order of operations. Developing executive functioning skills\u2014or this sense of studentness or student agency\u2014is primary. The stuff we&#8217;re teaching comes after.<\/p>\n<p>The challenge is that in the classroom, we don\u2019t always have the luxury of that order. I still have to teach fifth-grade math or ninth-grade science. So I have to find a way to honor the order of operations, but do it concurrently with the content. That\u2019s where the idea of studentness comes in. It\u2019s about helping students not only understand what they\u2019re learning, but how to jump into their learning with agency and flexibility.<\/p>\n<p>For me as a learner, I never really felt that. I often felt like a passive participant in my education. Paulo Freire talks about the idea of being a passive object in your education instead of an active subject. If we can help students become active subjects, then the learning is truly theirs. They know how to engage. That\u2019s where executive functioning and studentness come in.<\/p>\n<p><strong>It does. And I see what you mean about the jumping in. I feel like it&#8217;s a really good phrase to think about because that&#8217;s one of the issues that we see a lot in classrooms, is that kids hold back. They want the hand-holding.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>They need everything explained to them individually.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Right.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8220;How do I get started? What do I do next? Now what?&#8221; You&#8217;re tying it into that.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>And some of that comes from fear of failure. But often, it\u2019s just, \u201cI don\u2019t know how.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>If you watch students, you\u2019ll sometimes see them looking around the room thinking, \u201cEveryone else seems to know what to do, and I don\u2019t.\u201d But when they get repeated practice with executive functioning skills and begin to own them, that sense of agency starts to develop.<\/p>\n<h3>Organization is a key part of executive functioning skills<\/h3>\n<p><strong>How does organization tie into this?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Oh gosh, it\u2019s foundational. Picture the overstuffed backpack or the desk crammed with papers. When students learn how to get and stay organized\u2014and I emphasize that distinction\u2014they experience a sense of calm.<\/p>\n<p>I had a student who was totally committed to being disorganized. She just would not follow any of our routines. One day I finally said, \u201cLet\u2019s just take your stuff and organize it together using the class sample binder.\u201d Within ten minutes, she had everything put back together. When I walked over to check on her, she looked up at me, patted her chest, and said, \u201cMr. Weathers, I actually feel better.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>That moment was so powerful. There\u2019s something grounding about being organized. Once you are, you feel better. You\u2019re more efficient. You\u2019re more effective. You tend to enjoy your work more. That\u2019s especially true with learning. Organization supports task initiation and task completion. If I know where my materials are and I\u2019m accountable for them, I\u2019m more likely to follow through. And that spills over into other skills like self-monitoring and self-regulation.<\/p>\n<p>Organization might actually be the best place to start when it comes to developing executive functioning skills.<\/p>\n<p><strong>I relate to that. Some people can\u2019t even focus if they\u2019re in a messy environment. I have a friend who can\u2019t cook unless the kitchen is clean first.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Not everyone\u2019s brain works like that, but it\u2019s true that even those who don\u2019t \u201cneed\u201d organization still benefit from it. Things are easier to find, and you\u2019re not wasting time searching for materials.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Absolutely. And I want to emphasize what you said about individual learning styles. Some people do make a mess while they work, and that\u2019s okay. But if they know how to reset and get back to a clean starting place, there\u2019s empowerment in that. Knowing how to return to an organized state is a valuable skill. That\u2019s what we want to help students develop.<\/p>\n<p><strong>So let&#8217;s get into what that looks like in the classroom. How can we as educators create an environment that supports the development of executive function skills, especially for kids who struggle with organization?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Yeah. First, let\u2019s say this loud and clear: executive dysfunction is real. And you can see it. That\u2019s one reason I like starting this work in the analog world\u2014because you can actually see the disorganization. That messy book bag? It\u2019s a gift. It\u2019s visible evidence we can respond to.<\/p>\n<p>The key word is environment. Executive functioning skills aren\u2019t taught the same way we teach math or reading. They\u2019re best learned through modeling and daily practice. Over time, students begin to internalize the skills and make them their own.<\/p>\n<p>Paul Tough, in <em>How Children Succeed<\/em>, says that if we can shape environments in ways that support executive functioning, we set kids up for success. So when I talk with educators, I ask: what\u2019s the environment you\u2019re shaping? It could be a classroom, a bus, a front office, or a district. What changes can you make to help students practice these skills?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Let\u2019s talk first about general classroom management and environment, then we\u2019ll get into the notebook.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Perfect. So here are three key components: clarity, modeling, and routine. If I\u2019m a fifth-grade teacher with a lot of curriculum to cover, time is tight. I might want to build executive functioning, but when? That\u2019s why I advocate for embedding it into your routine.<\/p>\n<p>Start by clearly modeling what you expect. If we\u2019re focusing on organization, have a class sample. Keep it updated daily. Let students reference it.<\/p>\n<p>Then establish a predictable routine. The subtitle of my book is \u201cCreating Safe and Predictable Learning Environments.\u201d I really believe in the power of predictability\u2014especially for students whose lives outside of school might be chaotic.<\/p>\n<p>When a student enters a predictable classroom, it lowers their anxiety. Their affective filter goes down, and they\u2019re more open to learning. If our daily routines are consistent\u2014how we start class, how we transition, where we put our materials\u2014students get repeated practice with executive functioning skills. And they do it while engaging with the content.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s the key: it\u2019s embedded. It\u2019s not something extra. It\u2019s part of what we\u2019re already doing. It\u2019s sustainable, and it has a small time footprint.<\/p>\n<p><strong>How is that different from what teachers might already be doing? Because I feel like routines and consistency are things most teachers have heard before. But what you&#8217;re describing is more intentional\u2014it specifically models the executive functioning skills kids need.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Exactly. And you\u2019re right\u2014there\u2019s often overlap. When I work with teachers, I start by identifying what they\u2019re already doing. Usually, they\u2019re already using some routines. But when we become really clear and consistent\u2014like, \u201cThis is how we start. This is how we transition\u201d\u2014and when we implement that collectively as a staff, we see big changes.<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s also an effect on cognitive load. Think about middle school. Students go from one class to the next, maybe seven or even ten different classes a day, each with its own teacher, expectations, and routines. That\u2019s a huge cognitive load.<\/p>\n<p>So what if we streamlined expectations? What if every class had the same start routine or the same expectations for how to organize materials? We\u2019d reduce cognitive load and give students more mental energy for actual learning.<\/p>\n<h3>Using the Organized Binder method to help build the skills needed for academic success<\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"239\" data-end=\"424\"><strong data-start=\"239\" data-end=\"424\">You&#8217;ve developed a process and a notebook to help students with organization and executive function. Can you give us an overview of your system and how it helps kids stay organized?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"426\" data-end=\"577\">Yes. It\u2019s called Organized Binder. It came out of my own teaching practice. I never intended to share it or be in a position to talk about it publicly.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"579\" data-end=\"863\">My students were struggling. I taught ninth-grade science at a large public high school in Northern California, and most of my students were multilingual learners. As I got to know them, I realized they were fully capable, but something was missing. They didn\u2019t know how to do school.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"865\" data-end=\"1217\">I had just finished grad school, went back for my credential, and did a master&#8217;s in cross-cultural pedagogy. So here I was, the person who was supposed to know how to teach these kids\u2014and I didn\u2019t. One day, it hit me: they don\u2019t know how to do school. And truthfully, I never felt super comfortable in school either. I was always a passive participant.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1219\" data-end=\"1475\">So I started trying things. My question was, \u201cWhat\u2019s going to help you succeed?\u201d If I found something that worked, I kept doing it. If I couldn\u2019t make the connection, I dropped it. I was a new teacher and na\u00efve enough to try things without overthinking it.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1477\" data-end=\"1727\">What emerged was this focus on clearly establishing routines. Lisa Delpit says we need to make explicit that which is typically implied in classrooms. That stuck with me. How could I make my expectations so clear that I didn\u2019t even need to use words?<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1729\" data-end=\"2084\">I wanted students to see, visually and nonverbally, how we begin class, how we transition. I became obsessed with this process. And I noticed I was relying too much on verbal instructions. That\u2019s an equity issue. If a student is translating everything I\u2019m saying while the kid next to them isn\u2019t, there\u2019s a barrier. So I started shifting to visual cueing.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2086\" data-end=\"2479\">That\u2019s where the Organized Binder started. It\u2019s a physical, color-coded binder with tabs, and each part of our routine corresponds with a tab. So if a newcomer comes in midyear, they just watch the routine and follow along. The binder becomes a visual anchor. If you have 30 students, you have 29 other visual models in the room, flipping through their binders. It becomes a community routine.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2086\" data-end=\"2479\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-152911 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/truthforteachers.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Organized-Binder-Daily-Routine-352x500.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"352\" height=\"500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/truthforteachers.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Organized-Binder-Daily-Routine-352x500.jpg 352w, https:\/\/truthforteachers.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Organized-Binder-Daily-Routine-720x1024.jpg 720w, https:\/\/truthforteachers.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Organized-Binder-Daily-Routine-768x1092.jpg 768w, https:\/\/truthforteachers.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Organized-Binder-Daily-Routine-1080x1536.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/truthforteachers.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Organized-Binder-Daily-Routine.jpg 1252w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 352px) 100vw, 352px\" \/><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2481\" data-end=\"2816\">One of the key steps in that routine is modeling and practicing organization every single day. Anything a student creates or receives goes in the table of contents. I model that with my own binder\u2014digitally or under a document camera. I introduce the lesson while students record the entry. We keep the log updated throughout the unit.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2818\" data-end=\"3059\">What I started noticing\u2014aside from the fact that fewer assignments were getting lost\u2014was a shift in how students felt. That sense of overwhelm was replaced with calm. They\u2019d tell me, \u201cI actually feel better.\u201d And that made a huge difference.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3061\" data-end=\"3335\">But what\u2019s interesting is that it wasn\u2019t the students who first validated the system\u2014it was my colleagues. Other teachers started hearing students talk about it, and they showed up at my door asking if they could use it. The ninth-grade team ended up adopting it schoolwide.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3337\" data-end=\"3528\">Now I work with schools across the country, and I\u2019ve even had former students reach out as teachers, wanting to implement the system in their own classrooms. That\u2019s been incredibly rewarding.<\/p>\n<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\"><strong>Wow.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Right? And I visited a school where students had ten different classes a day plus lunch. I thought it was a typo on the bell schedule. That\u2019s a sprint. And while I feel for the teachers trying to manage that schedule, think about the students\u2014especially those making the jump from a self-contained classroom in elementary to this whirlwind in middle school. That\u2019s a major transition, and it\u2019s no wonder students struggle.<\/p>\n<p>If we can create unified routines across classrooms\u2014expectations for how to start, how to prepare, where to put things\u2014we reduce that mental load. And students start building executive functioning skills through repetition.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3530\" data-end=\"3726\"><strong data-start=\"3530\" data-end=\"3726\">A lot of students with organizational difficulties feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of tasks. What strategies from your system help them break down larger tasks into more manageable steps?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3728\" data-end=\"4043\">Two main tools: the agenda and the table of contents. The agenda helps with time management. Every day, we preview what we\u2019re doing, what\u2019s coming, and how it all fits together. That predictability reduces stress. We revisit the agenda every single day, and over time, students begin to internalize that sequencing.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4045\" data-end=\"4365\">We also map out bigger chunks of time\u2014projects, units, deadlines\u2014so students start seeing the path forward. It\u2019s similar to what project-based learning does: laying out the plan clearly and revisiting it often. Even outside of PBL, just saying, \u201cHere\u2019s what we\u2019re doing today, and here\u2019s where we\u2019re headed\u201d helps a lot.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4367\" data-end=\"4595\">The table of contents supports organization. If a student has a strong work ethic but everything is shoved in a backpack, they\u2019re still going to struggle. But if they can organize their materials, they\u2019re more likely to succeed.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4597\" data-end=\"4874\">Ideally, families get involved too. We send home a bilingual family guide with the student binder. Parents love it. It helps with conversations like: \u201cWhat did you do today? What\u2019s due tomorrow? What\u2019s coming up next week?\u201d And it keeps things clear, without adding complexity.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4876\" data-end=\"5010\"><strong data-start=\"4876\" data-end=\"5010\">So break down the notebook system for people who\u2019ve never seen it before. It\u2019s a daily routine that aligns with the binder, right?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"5012\" data-end=\"5168\">Yes, exactly. The binder is the tool for participating in the routine. And as students follow that routine, they\u2019re practicing executive functioning skills.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"5012\" data-end=\"5168\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-152907 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/truthforteachers.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Organized-Binder-A-Front-386x500.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"386\" height=\"500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/truthforteachers.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Organized-Binder-A-Front-386x500.jpg 386w, https:\/\/truthforteachers.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Organized-Binder-A-Front.jpg 612w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 386px) 100vw, 386px\" \/><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"5170\" data-end=\"5431\">It\u2019s a physical binder with color-coded tabs A through H. Each tab corresponds with a step in the routine. For example, Tab A is gold and used for goal setting. Students set goals every six to eight weeks, with a daily action step. We revisit them consistently.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"5170\" data-end=\"5431\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-152909 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/truthforteachers.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Organized-Binder-C-Front-386x500.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"386\" height=\"500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/truthforteachers.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Organized-Binder-C-Front-386x500.jpg 386w, https:\/\/truthforteachers.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Organized-Binder-C-Front.jpg 612w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 386px) 100vw, 386px\" \/><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"5433\" data-end=\"5598\">Tab C is green and looks like a calendar. That\u2019s where we log the daily agenda. It\u2019s where students can see what we\u2019re doing today, what\u2019s coming up, and what\u2019s due.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"5433\" data-end=\"5598\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-152910 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/truthforteachers.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Organized-Binder-G-Front-386x500.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"386\" height=\"500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/truthforteachers.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Organized-Binder-G-Front-386x500.jpg 386w, https:\/\/truthforteachers.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Organized-Binder-G-Front.jpg 612w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 386px) 100vw, 386px\" \/><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"5600\" data-end=\"5812\">The table of contents is the third step in the routine. Every day, students list any handouts or work they\u2019ve done and file them in the correct spot. This helps them keep track of materials and reduces overwhelm.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"5814\" data-end=\"6067\">There\u2019s also a toolkit section\u2014this is where we store reference materials that students might use throughout the year. It\u2019s like a real toolkit. If you use a screwdriver, you put it back when you\u2019re done. Same concept here. Anything reusable goes there.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"236\" data-end=\"538\">So anything throughout the course that I\u2019m going to add as a teacher\u2014or anything I want students to be able to reference throughout the year\u2014goes in the toolkit instead of the table of contents. It helps students differentiate between what they\u2019re currently learning and what they can go back to later.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"540\" data-end=\"810\">And again, learning to get and stay organized is a really important distinction. Often, students see it all as just \u201cstuff from school.\u201d But if they can understand: this is the material I\u2019m working on, and this is a tool I can come back to when I\u2019m stuck\u2014that\u2019s powerful.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"812\" data-end=\"1211\">I always enjoyed moments like this time of year when I\u2019d say, \u201cTurn to your toolkit, number one. Look at those notes from August.\u201d They\u2019d all flip to it, and I\u2019d stop the class and say, \u201cI\u2019m excited about what we\u2019re learning now\u2014but do you realize what just happened? Those are your notes from four or five months ago. You knew exactly where to find them. That\u2019s huge. Don\u2019t forget you can do that.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3 data-start=\"812\" data-end=\"1211\">The importance of explicitly teaching structures and strategies for staying organized<\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"1213\" data-end=\"1593\"><strong data-start=\"1213\" data-end=\"1593\">That\u2019s a great example of being explicit with students about what we\u2019re doing and why. It\u2019s not just something we do for the sake of it\u2014this is a reference tool they can go back to. I think that\u2019s so important. Elementary teachers often have systems for organization, but by the time students get to middle or high school, there\u2019s this assumption they should already know how.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1595\" data-end=\"1825\"><strong data-start=\"1595\" data-end=\"1825\">And that is absolutely not the case. There is nothing about a 12, 13, or 14-year-old that makes them inherently organized\u2014unless they\u2019re naturally wired that way, or they have a very structured home, or parents who modeled it.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1827\" data-end=\"1925\"><strong data-start=\"1827\" data-end=\"1925\">Maybe they\u2019ve had a teacher who taught them, but most kids don\u2019t figure this out on their own.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1927\" data-end=\"2316\"><strong data-start=\"1927\" data-end=\"2316\">I\u2019m especially thinking about how girls are outperforming boys in school right now. This is a big part of it\u2014girls tend to be better at playing the game of school, being organized, developing executive functioning. A lot of times, organization is coded as \u201cfeminine\u201d in our culture\u2014like women are expected to be fastidious, and boys are allowed to be messy. \u201cBoys will be boys,\u201d right?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2318\" data-end=\"2400\">But you have to have these skills to succeed in school, in life, in your career.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2402\" data-end=\"2522\"><strong data-start=\"2402\" data-end=\"2522\">And we have to give kids this structure. We can\u2019t expect them to figure it out on their own\u2014not even in high school.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2524\" data-end=\"2733\">Right. You\u2019re preaching to the choir. I\u2019ve asked thousands of teachers, school leaders, and parents about executive function, and I\u2019ve never met one who thinks it\u2019s a bad idea for kids to develop these skills.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2735\" data-end=\"2745\"><strong data-start=\"2735\" data-end=\"2745\">Right.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2747\" data-end=\"2792\">But historically, we\u2019ve left it up to chance. We just kind of hope they figure it out. I\u2019ve tested this in rooms full of educators\u2014sometimes hundreds of people. I\u2019ll ask, \u201cRaise your hand if, when you were younger, a caring adult sat down with you, gave you a calendar, showed you how to use it, held you accountable, and helped you develop the skill.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3123\" data-end=\"3250\">There might be one or two hands. And usually, they\u2019re women. I pause and ask, \u201cWhy aren\u2019t we explicitly teaching these skills?\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3275\" data-end=\"3488\">There are certain things we only learn by doing them. That\u2019s executive function. That\u2019s why we have a daily routine. It\u2019s repetition. That\u2019s how students build habits. And we can\u2019t expect mastery without practice.<\/p>\n<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\"><em>Why are we doing this? <\/em>If everybody here agrees that this is a good idea for students, why aren&#8217;t we embedding it? I&#8217;ve thought a lot about that. I&#8217;ll just mention this real quick\u2014first, there&#8217;s the time crunch. Where am I going to fit it in?<\/p>\n<p>Second, there&#8217;s something called the zone of genius. It&#8217;s not my term, but I love it. My mom taught second grade her whole career, and I taught ninth grade. When I\u2019d visit her classroom, you could feel it\u2014this was her zone. She was amazing with those kids. But me? I could last maybe five minutes. Sweaty, smiley second graders would come up to hug me, and I\u2019d think, \u201cOh my gosh, I\u2019m dying!\u201d Give me a fifteen-year-old with attitude\u2014that\u2019s my zone. I feel at home in that space.<\/p>\n<p>But when it comes to teaching executive functioning skills\u2014remember, they\u2019re not \u201ctaught\u201d in the traditional sense\u2014if it\u2019s not your zone, you know it. Many teachers want to help students build these skills, but they don\u2019t know how. And they\u2019re also dealing with that same time crunch.<\/p>\n<p>I can\u2019t tell you how many veteran teachers have come up to me after a talk and said, \u201cThis is everything I\u2019ve always known I need to be doing. I just haven\u2019t gotten around to it. I do parts of it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And the beauty of this system is that it\u2019s embedded into the routine. I can implement a routine and keep a class model. That alone can make a huge difference. And for school leaders listening, here\u2019s something important: teachers can struggle with executive dysfunction, too. That class sample can be a lifeline.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Yes, yes, absolutely. <\/strong><strong>Because most of us are not taught these skills, even in teaching college.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Right.<\/p>\n<p><strong>I had a classroom management course, but it focused mostly on behavior. Nothing about how to organize a classroom. How to manage materials. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>As an elementary teacher, I had a lot of stuff. <\/strong><strong>How do I manage papers? Email? That\u2019s actually one of the reasons I created the <a href=\"https:\/\/join.40htw.com\/\">40 Hour Teacher Workweek<\/a>. Teachers are expected to be productive and organized without ever being shown how.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>And then we wonder why students aren\u2019t able to do it. If we\u2019re drowning in papers, how can we expect them to stay organized?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>And we shouldn\u2019t assume that a \u201cgood\u201d teacher has this mastered. So many teachers are amazing with kids but struggle with organization. Sometimes it\u2019s executive dysfunction. Sometimes they\u2019ve just never had a system that worked. That\u2019s what I like about your method\u2014it\u2019s simple. It doesn\u2019t take a ton of time.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Right. We\u2019re not being precious about the binder. We\u2019re not making it decorative or time-consuming. It\u2019s functional. And it actually helps the class routine flow better.<\/p>\n<p>It gives structure to the beginning and end of class, which frames everything in between. And it doesn\u2019t take much time at all.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s the key, because we don\u2019t have enough time as it is.<\/p>\n<p>So this really supports what teachers are already doing. We\u2019ve all sat through PD that, even if it\u2019s great, requires you to rework everything. And if you\u2019re already overwhelmed, it ends up on the shelf.<\/p>\n<p>What I love about this is we can work with a district or school, and it\u2019s just micro-adjustments. You\u2019re probably already doing some of it. Now we\u2019re just doing it together. It\u2019s realistic.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Two quick logistical questions. First, how do you incorporate digital assignments into this system?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Very easily. It\u2019s even easier to show, but I\u2019ll explain it the best I can. Think of your LMS\u2014Google Classroom, for example\u2014as the digital version of the book bag. Just having a Chromebook doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019re organized.<\/p>\n<p>With paper, I can see the mess. Digitally, not so much. But it works the same way. Each unit has a table of contents. That same naming system shows up in Google Drive or Classroom as folders. If we\u2019re in Unit 9, there\u2019s a Unit 9 folder. The table of contents might list 20 items. Four or five might be digital\u2014those are in that folder. Every assignment has a number. Students write that number on the paper version, and anything that\u2019s digital gets highlighted in a certain color, like orange.<\/p>\n<p>That tells students: this is still part of your portfolio, it\u2019s just stored digitally. It\u2019s not two separate things. It\u2019s one system.<\/p>\n<p>I love seeing this in classrooms\u2014students with binders open, Chromebooks open, toggling between the two seamlessly. The analog system actually helps inform their digital organization.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m not anti-digital at all. But there\u2019s power in that tactile, \u201cknowing is in the doing\u201d experience.<\/p>\n<p><strong>My other question is, how do you respond when a student either does not bring their notebook to class that day, they forgot, or if they have lost it altogether?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Of course, there are going to be days when kids forget stuff. That\u2019s just part of life\u2014we all do that. For those one-off situations, I\u2019ll just speak from my own experience, and I say the same thing in teacher trainings.<\/p>\n<p>Okay, here\u2019s a piece of paper. Let\u2019s write what we call the kickoff, which is how we start, and then at the end, we reflect on what we\u2019ve learned throughout the lesson. You\u2019re going to write it there and do the same thing as usual. You\u2019re still participating in the routine. Then when you get home or bring your binder back, we\u2019ll quickly update it and put it in so your portfolio stays complete.<\/p>\n<p>If it\u2019s a recurring issue\u2014if certain kids or classes are showing a trend\u2014then I recommend keeping the portfolios in the classroom. That way, they can\u2019t be lost or forgotten.<\/p>\n<p>I tended to do that. Space can be a challenge depending on the classroom setup, but most of the time\u2014whether in elementary or high school\u2014it\u2019s not a big lift. Usually, one little bookshelf will do. Each period houses their binders there, and we use a separate folder\u2014what we call the homework folder\u2014that travels to and from school. So if something gets lost, it\u2019s just that one or two things they took home to complete.<\/p>\n<p>And I like that model because at the end of every class or school day, we take just a few seconds to say, \u201cOkay, back to that agenda or calendar we talked about earlier\u2014what do you need to be successful tonight?\u201d You don\u2019t need your whole binder. Do you need notes? A reference? Great\u2014grab that, put it in your folder, and bring it back tomorrow.<\/p>\n<p>Ideally, we keep binders in the classroom\u2014at least at first for some classes\u2014and others can take them home once they\u2019ve shown they can manage it.<\/p>\n<p><strong>I like that. I like the idea of just bringing the folder back and forth, thinking about what you need that night, and bringing it back.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Yeah, communication to and from home is really simple that way. Very simple.<\/p>\n<h3>How to get started with this routine<\/h3>\n<p><strong>What&#8217;s a simple starting point that teachers can implement right away to see improvement in their students&#8217; executive function and ability to stay organized?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I get that question a lot\u2014where do I start? Honestly, you can start anywhere with this routine. My book is written for people at schools that don\u2019t use Organized Binder and don\u2019t have those materials.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s who I wrote it for. What are the strategies? How could you do this? My encouragement is always: let\u2019s get organized first. Once I get organized, then some of the other things aren\u2019t necessarily easier, but they become more realistic.<\/p>\n<p>And it can be very simple. Just one step of your daily routine\u2014every time you start class, look at the table of contents: \u201cHere\u2019s where we are. Okay, we\u2019re going to add these two things today.\u201d That helps introduce the lesson and builds that predictability we\u2019ve been talking about.<\/p>\n<p>That would be my suggestion\u2014start with a table of contents. Contact me if you need an example. There are pictures in the book, too. But that\u2019s where I\u2019d begin.<\/p>\n<p><strong>I want to close out with the Takeaway Truth. What is something that you wish every teacher understood about executive function and organization for students?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I don\u2019t want to presume that people don\u2019t already know this, but my sincere hope\u2014especially after the pandemic\u2014is that there\u2019s been a shift. If there\u2019s any silver lining from that experience, it\u2019s that I\u2019ve seen a real increase in interest and understanding around these skills and habits. Before, I sometimes felt like I was on an island saying, \u201cWe have to teach these skills.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s been a global shift because it was a global experience. But even with that, my hope\u2014my truth\u2014is that someday we\u2019ll be as committed to developing studentness in our students as we are to teaching the content. The time and finances we pour into assessments and technology\u2014I hope we start investing just as much, if not more, into developing the learner. The whole child.<\/p>\n<p>That doesn\u2019t mean the other things aren\u2019t important. But I want this to be seen as equally important\u2014if not more. That\u2019s my one call to action or truth for your listeners.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What if teaching students how to get and stay organized could unlock their full academic potential? In this article + podcast episode, I&#8217;m talking with Mitch Weathers, who calls this \u201cstudentness.\u201d Mitch is a veteran teacher and the creator of a classroom routine called Organized Binder. He has developed a really simple, sustainable way to &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/truth-for-teachers-podcast\/how-a-daily-binder-routine-teaches-students-the-skills-behind-academic-success\/\">Continued<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":153009,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","categories":[9,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-152837","podcasts","type-podcasts","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-classroom-management","category-truth-for-teachers-podcast"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Truth For Teachers | How a daily binder routine teaches students the skills behind academic success<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/truth-for-teachers-podcast\/how-a-daily-binder-routine-teaches-students-the-skills-behind-academic-success\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How a daily binder routine teaches students the skills behind academic success\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"What if teaching students how to get and stay organized could unlock their full academic potential? 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