Teaching the Organized Disposition Student

LEARNING CHARACTERISTICS
Organized Disposition people prefer subjects and activities that are structured by nature; have sequential, ordered components; offer routine and drill; and give opportunity to take notes and be organized. They learn best when the teaching materials and techniques used are logical and sequential, allow the use of workbooks, and involve planning, scheduling, and due dates.

IDEAL CURRICULUM
Classifying living things, diagramming sentences, and learning to alphabetize are examples of subjects that are structured by nature and have sequential, ordered components. Workbooks and worksheets are examples of materials that offer routine and drill. Developing timelines and outlines are examples of activities that involve logical arrangement and organization. Multiple-choice tests and fill-in-the-blank questions are examples of techniques that provide opportunities for note-taking and memorizing. Some of the traditional methods used in classrooms such as book reports and research papers work well because they involve due dates, planning, and scheduling of time.

HOMEWORK HELPS

Provide a quiet space away from disorder or chaos.
Allow the student to have a consistent routine for homework, including a scheduled time.
Help the student memorize by being available to practice with flash cards or listen to the student recite.
Remind the student to highlight information in textbooks (if allowed to mark the books) or to outline or use information mapping when studying for tests.
An open-classroom type of setting might be too chaotic for this student. Ask the teacher to allow the student to have a routine or place the student in a more structured classroom setting.
It is easy to take this learner for granted and provide only workbook-type activities. As long as a lesson is organized and sequential, adding some fun can enhance learning for this child.
Involve this learner in methods and materials that add a creative dimension and broaden the learning experience. This learner needs a break from the routine and rote assignments, just as much as the other learners.

MOTIVATORS
Organized Disposition people people are motivated when they are acknowledged for being organized, neat, productive, efficient, and punctual. They are also highly motivated by the chance to set goals, by personal approval, and by “good job” comments, stickers on papers, and grades.