Putting a Kid's Life In Order
by Barbara Mahany
Chicago Tribune, Sunday, August 7, 2005

Every once in a while, along comes the book you swore you would have conjured up if only you'd had a magic wand. Voila: "The Organized Student: Teaching Children the Skills for Success in School and Beyond," by Donna Goldberg with Jennifer Zwiebel (Fireside, $14 paper).

This plain-logic, indispensable 263-page volume is the pressed-between-covers version of the organizational guru to whom you would haul your discombobulated kid, if only you could find him or her somewhere under the mound of papers and socks and stuff that clog his or her black hole of a bedroom.

From reminding parents not to roll their eyes at the poor kid, to stripping down the backpack and showing how to get it supremely organized, this might be the go-to book for the half of the population that knows and loves at least one not-so-organized youngster. And get this: You might even declutter your own not-so-perfect life.

On distractions: "The number of distractions available to young students has increased exponentially, and their academic performance is suffering because of it. Without some training in how to handle the new paper flow, workload and schedule, a student is lost."

Copyright 2005 Chicago Tribune Company

A Primer On Hitting the Books
by Pam Lilley, Special to The Plain Dealer
The Plain Dealer of Cleveland, Wednesday, August 3, 2005

FROM THE SELF-HELP SHELF: The Organized Student (Fireside, $14) by Donna Goldberg with Jennifer Zwiebel.

Binders and labelers and folders, oh my! To get to this column, you may have waded through more than a few advertisements for back-to-school sales.

Seeing the color-coded, multipocketed organizing products, perhaps you feel optimistic that this is the year your child finally will get it together. Unfortunately, a positive attitude and new pack of highlighters will get your kid only so far.

If you really want to start this year off right, pick up a copy of Goldberg's book. A former school librarian, she understands the habits of students, the expectations of teachers, the structure of schools and, most important, strategies for organization.

With photographic illustrations, Goldberg discusses the pros and cons of various organization systems and advises how to help your child find one that works best for him. Lists of questions for consideration are included.

The point she emphasizes often is that the student must be involved in the process to fully understand and adopt the new habit. With luck and perseverance, these skills will last throughout the school year
and beyond.

Copyright 2005 Plain Dealer Publishing Co.