As a kindergarten student, your child will likely only be required to bring a composition notebook and folders to school, rather than a traditional 3-ring binder notebook. Selecting the appropriate size notebook for your child can help them organize their binders. Schools usually provide parents with a list of school supplies each child will need at the start of the school year during elementary and middle school. The list indicates the appropriate size binder and number of folders a child needs a depending on his grade level.
By the time a child reaches middle school, his binder is set up using dividers to separate the various classes he's taking. A child may have a divider for math, one for reading, another for science and one for social studies. These dividers are helpful in showing your child an organized approach to filing papers appropriately in their notebooks. As their grade level increases, they will likely need to incorporate more dividers.
Loose-leaf pages inside binders can often rip and require repair, so that they can be placed back into the binder in their appropriate section. Reinforcements help keep pages with ripped punched holes in place. They can be purchased at office supply stores and super stores. They come in a variety of colors, including fluorescent, which may encourage children to use them for notebook organization.
Pocket folders provide additional organization for a K-12 child's binder by giving them a place to put important papers that need to be signed or papers that aren't hole-punched. Folders can be purchased in a variety of colors and patterns. Some come with folders and fasteners.
Not every paper that teachers pass out to students is hole-punched, and this sometimes creates problems for students as they try to keep their binders organized. Small, binder-size hole punches are ideal for students to carry to school with them so that they can avoid the likelihood of losing pages. If a portable hole punch isn't available, keep one at home your child can access during homework time.