When homework times rolls around, a cluttered or disorganized work area may be daunting to the child with ADHD. The first order of business in helping your ADHD child succeed in school is creating a clean, calm area where your child is able to stay on task. Here are some ways you can establish a favorable workspace for your child so that he or she may have the best chance at managing both ADHD and homework:

• Provide assignment notebooks and color-coded folders. By organizing each class in a separate notebook and/or folder, it’s easier for the ADHD child to keep everything straight.
• Help your child clean out book bags, backpacks, and the work area every day. Do not let things get out of hand before you sort through them. Sit down with your child daily and organize paperwork together.
• Have a place for everything. Designate a space for filing, pencils, paper, pens, office supplies, and so on.
• Offer several tools in and around the workspace to keep track of time. The workspace should include a clock, timer, calendar, weekly assignment log, and white marker board.
• Find a sturdy notebook or planner for your child to keep track of assignments, needed materials, and other reminders or notes.
• Suggest that your child compile a checklist of frequent mistakes such as punctuation errors or mathematical miscalculations. The child can use this list to proofread his or her own work.

As you can see, the best workspace for the ADHD child is one that helps the child cope with his or her symptoms of distractibility, hyperfocus, and impulsivity. Your child may need training in organizational skills for several years before he or she develops good administrative abilities.