Organization & Time Management Strategies

By: Carmen Willings
teachingvisuallyimpaired.com
Updated June 12, 2025
Organization is not just a practical tool—it’s a skill rooted in the Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC) that we teach to our students who are blind or have low vision. Modeling strong organizational habits reinforces their value. For TVIs, being organized helps prevent lost time, protects materials from damage, and ensures smooth service delivery across multiple schools and students.​

Getting and Staying Organized

The start of the school year is a natural time to get organized, but it’s equally important to maintain that organization. If systems begin to unravel mid-year, take time to reassess and reorganize.
Tips:
  • Develop a system that works for you—digital, physical, or hybrid.
  • Use a VI Program Handbook as your “go-to” reference. Keep it updated.
  • Prepare a start-of-year checklist to ensure critical tasks are completed:
    • Confirm caseload and student enrollment
    • Review and update IEP goals
    • Print and refresh data collection forms
    • Verify assessment tools and materials
  • Purge and reorganize key areas at set times (Start of year, Mid-year, End of year, etc.).
Areas to Organize:
  • File drawers (student files, print copies)
  • Flash drives and/or Google Drive folders
  • Online platforms (district systems, shared drives)
  • Instructional and assessment materials
  • Assistive technology (AT) and low vision inventory

Schedules & Appointments

Use multiple systems:
  • Printed Weekly Schedule: Keep a visual layout of your recurring student sessions.
  • Planner or Calendar Book:
    • Pencil in routine service times
    • Circle or cloud out-of-routine meetings (IEPs, assessments, etc.)
    • Track daily mileage and log totals for reimbursement
    • Write in IEP due dates and reevaluations along the margins of each month
  • Digital Tools:
    • Set reminders and calendar invites for meetings
    • Use school communication portals for messaging with students and staff
Managing “No Shows”:
  • If a student cancels (NS), cross out their name and log the visit for mileage.
  • If a student or staff member has a pattern of no communication check the student's attendance before driving to the school, text or call ahead of visits, on at least a quarterly basis, ask teachers to inform you of field trips, class parties, assemblies, or testing days.
  • Encourage students (especially those on the standard curriculum track) to notify you via school messaging systems if they'll be absent or unavailable.
Tip: Always have backup tasks ready in case of cancellations—e.g.: Assessment scoring, report writing, material preparation, updating records or your handbook, etc.

Planned Weekly Schedule

During preplanning, build your weekly schedule based on:
  • Student bell schedules
  • Case manager and teacher availability
  • Student course of study:
    • Schedule students on the standard curriculum first (more rigid schedules)
    • Then schedule students on modified programs (more flexible times)
Additional Considerations: Coordinate with the district to prioritize high-contact service on Federal Count Days, as these may affect funding. Stay in regular contact with teachers to anticipate interruptions such as:
  • Assemblies
  • Testing windows
  • School events
Lunch & Flexibility: Check your program’s policy on lunch breaks:
  • Some districts allow TVIs to work through lunch and leave early
  • This can be helpful for caregivers or balancing personal commitments

​Key Organizational Practices

  • Paperwork. Use a consistent checklist and organize materials by student, topic, or type
  • Time Management. Combine paper and digital planning methods for optimal flexibility
  • Student Communication. Encourage responsibility through appropriate tech tools
  • Flexibility. Prepare for the unexpected with backup tasks and flexible workspaces
  • Modeling ECC Skills. Maintain organized physical and digital workspaces as a teaching tool

Printable Resource

Organizational Strategies for TVI's Handout Available on the Premium Printables page.

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“For every minute spent organizing, an hour is earned.” - Benjamin Franklin