The first attempt to construct the Panama Canal failed because the engineers did not provide for a way to remove debris as construction progressed. The second attempt added a rail system so that accumulated debris was not in the way of the work.
The Wrap Up Routine, described in “Executive Function: Blueprints for Learner Success,” is a bare bones maintenance routine that teaches students to set themselves up for success. The Wrap Up consists of:
- putting away all papers in their work area
- making sure all tools and school supplies are where they belong
- turning off all devices and
- plugging them in for charging
- carrying cases are either in use or ready in the charging area
- cleaning and resetting the workstation to be inviting for the next session
In my sessions with students, this simple routine IS the difference between being able to get to work immediately, or wasting time looking for items, retrieving supplies, or realizing that needed materials are not available at all. The actual effect on the learner, and myself if I’m being honest, is reducing reluctance to begin working. Making the learner responsible for maintaining their work area, keeping inventory of supplies and materials, and doing so consistently is yet another empowering practice toward independence. Maintaining a daily student work log that notes and gives credit for this seemingly minor task also supports a sense of achievement and ownership. The Wrap Up makes all the difference in the ongoing quality of work as well as the learner’s attitude toward each session.
Once the Wrap Up Routine is indeed a daily habit, the weekly filing of returned work and cleaning the workstation can be added. This task, when done consistently, either weekly or bi-weekly, not only offloads accumulated paperwork in storage areas, but keeps the student’s workstation and mobile office streamlined and orderly.
These two tasks, consistently performed, are the other end of productivity. They teach students that setting themselves up for success is not something that happens without effort. It connects them with their physical space in a positive way. As a life skill, it promotes the general principle of orderliness that serves well in all areas of life, especially work.
