“Everyone Has a Thinking Style”

Maintainers – Mascot: “The Penguin” The Penguin follows routines and is very predictable. Brain location: The basal (back) left hemisphere. This part of the brain helps us maintain systems and places an emphasis on existing routines. Children gifted in this area prefer a structured and “traditional” organizing environment. They are the natural masters of organization and need only be supported in what society rewards

them for doing.

Harmonizers – Mascot: “The Dog” The Dog thrives in packs with other dogs, and so the Dog style loves human company. Dogs are

known to bury bones and precious toys in the yard. By gathering toys and items of past experiences, Harmonizers tend to collect a great deal of stuff and have issues parting with it.

Brain location: The basal (back) right hemisphere. This part of the brain helps us develop a sense of harmony and connectedness. Children gifted in this area desire organization if it enhances their relationships and helps them

keep their environment peaceful. These children tend to focus on other people’s needs first and their needs and things second.

Innovators – Mascot: “The Horse” The Horse is unpredictable and likes to be free and unstructured but also can be extremely focused

in a particular situation and is the vehicle for covering wide distances both literally, in space, and imaginatively, in creative endeavors.

Brain location: The frontal/right hemisphere This part of the brain helps all of us envision possibilities, imagine, and also make real changes. Children gifted in this area have a unique “stacking” system for managing their environment and

need to have things out, right in front of them, as much as possible. They tend to live by the axiom “out of sight, out of mind.” Innovator children have a strong aversion to daily routines and repetitive maintenance tasks They need easy, “maintenance-free” and fun organizing strategies – nothing else will work!

Prioritizers – Mascot: “The Lion” The Lion wants to be the master of its environment, and its agility enables them to be quick to the

chase and hit the bull’s-eye time and time again. Brain location: The frontal/left hemisphere This is the part of the brain that helps us set and achieve goals. Children gifted in this area like order but prefer to delegate the tasks of organizing and maintaining

to others Prioritizing children tend to want to be in charge, give directions and make decisions to delegate. If organizing structures are minimal but functional, the Prioritizer will flourish.

Qualities and Traits of the Maintaining –Style Child – Penguin Cautious Practical Detailed Predictable Exact Realistic Factual Reliable Follows directions Task-driven Industrious Thorough Orderly Uncluttered Persistent

Maintaining Style: “Penguin” OverviewPurpose: To provide consistency, reliability, and stability for themselves and for others.

Organization of space: They like things to be “just so.” They are the quintessential organizers in the making whose motto is “a place for everything, and everything in its place.”Strengths: They are great helpers in labeling and putting things away. Maintainers also want to assist their family and friends on all tasks.Challenges: Not apt to try new things without a lot of preparation.

Maintaining Style: TimeCalendar: Needs to know what is expected of them and what they need to do at all times. Works well with a basic calendar. Provide plenty of room for them to write in activities, even on the weekends!To-do list: Enjoys making lists and checking things off when completed.Goals: Punctuality and doing it right.

Maintaining Style: HomeBedroom: Spends extra time to be sure belongings are neat and in order. Meticulous quality in arranging things, down to size, color, and function.Memorabilia: Takes good care of special possessions and keeps them for a long time. Things are well organized, clean and labeled.Strengths: Likes to use containers to hold cherished possessions. Maintainers are willing to give things away once they know the particulars about why and heave preplanned how much stuff they plan to keep.Challenges: Likes to have things just so and dedicates time alone, away from friends and family, to keeping order. Not very flexible about change and often unwilling to compromise their standards of quality to work with others.

Maintaining Style: SchoolHomework: Prefers working at the same time and place every single day. Dislikes being rushed and does not work well under pressure. Hands in assignments on time.Strengths: Loves details, is an excellent speller, and has neat penmanship. Willing and eager to follow directions.Challenges: Doesn’t like creative problem-solving. May have difficulty with assignments when directions are vague.

Qualities and Traits of the Harmonizing Style Child - Dog Adaptable Generous Caring Intuitive Cooperative Personable Devoted Sensitive Dramatic Sociable Emotional Supportive Empathetic Sympathetic Friendly Understanding

Harmonizing Style: “Dog” OverviewPurpose: To achieve harmony with people and things. Their surroundings need to be a bit more relaxed than the traditional definition of organizing, with easy maintenance systems in place.Organization of space: Crave a relationship with people and their environment that is harmonious, peaceful, and comfortable.Strengths: Sensitive and generous to the needs of others and passionate about wanting to be of service.Challenges: Has way too many things and does not dedicate time to handling their stuff. Being on time and acting efficiently is a challenge. They are more concerned with feelings than productivity.

Harmonizing Style: TimeCalendar: Needs something that is motivating, so it’s best to feature a photo of family/friends on the top of the calendar. Place it strategically, on their desk or bedroom wall. Personalize time for them. They can wear a fun watch

or have a great alarm clock that plays sounds of the ocean. Anything to make time less objective and more inviting will do!To-do list: It is effective if they can create one big list for each area, like homework, personal goals, or hobbies. Not a big list maker, like the Maintaining-style child.Goals: All needs and motives revolve around relating to others. Help them organize their time to be sure they take care of their own work and play as well.Strengths: Loves being with people, animals, or nature. Less concerned about time and more involved with engaging with others. Challenges: Has a challenge sticking to a schedule when little help is provided.

Harmonizing Style: At HomeBedroom: Enjoys a colorful, busy bedroom with lots of items scattered throughout. May have a lot of clothes, stuffed animals, plants, pets, fun pictures, or inspirational prints that make their space feel more alive and happy.Closets: Does well sorting by style and color.Drawers: Different drawers or stacking bins/baskets for different items by color and category. Not overly organized, but stacked horizontally.Memorabilia: Needs to have a structure in place so they know how long to keep certain things and when to give them away. Need to keep as much stuff as possible with easy access.Storage: The more attractive, the better. They’ll have fun if things look pretty. Sometimes it helps to color-code their boxes.Strengths: Enjoys helping others in performing tasks. Likes to keep a lot of special things around to remind them of happy times.Challenges: Needs a friend or an organizing best buddy to help them determine what to keep and where to keep it.

Harmonizing Style: At SchoolHomework: Thrives in a comfortable environment, where people are around. Deadlines need to be set and enforced, kindly, by others.Strengths: Social and helpful to their friends and kind to their teachers. Committed to working hard once they see how their work benefits or pleases others.Challenges: Have a difficult time getting assignments in on time. Tend to spend time at school socializing more than studying.

Qualities and Traits of the Innovating-Style Child - Horse Artistic Independent Assertive Inquisitive Charismatic Inspired Creative Intuitive Curious Inventive Daring Spatial Imaginative Spontaneous Impulsive Visionary

Innovating Style: “Horse” OverviewPurpose: To be creative, expand their horizons, notice new things and patterns, and cultivate a vision of the future.Organization of space: They need to have things out in the open as much as possible. They keep track of things they can see.Strengths: They are very creative, quick workers and when they want to accomplish something they do it with great passion and force. They are great at originating ideas. They are big-picture thinkers.Challenges: They have a hard time with follow-through and completion of details. They do not like to be told what to do and how to do it.

Innovating Style: TimeCalendar: If it is big and strategically place, they may use it. May need some support with follow-through.To-do list: Don’t even attempt it!Goals: Able to originate many new ideas in very little time.Strengths: Are hyperfocused when they are working on something they enjoy or are interested in. If inspired, they make the most of every moment.Challenges: Need to be reminded when things are due and of appointments that need to be met. Do not like to be disturbed by others.

Innovating Style: At Home

Bedroom: Prefers that personal belongings be left out. Need hooks for clothing and nets hung here and there to hold stuffed animals, toys, etc.Closets: Find it much easier to hang rather than fold because they are better able to see what’s there and it is easier for them to remember to use it.Drawers: Get rid of them! Use clear plastic or wire grid stacking boxes.Memorabilia: Tend to keep some of it, for no apparent reason, and then out of the blue, will toss it out and not look back.Storage: Visually store things in clear boxes with lids or wire systems so they can be stacked and seen. Make this as easy as possible.Strengths: Are good at space planning and organizing things in unique and personal ways.Challenges: They may need help purging annually and getting things organized consistently. They like to be left to their own devices much of the time.

Innovating Style: At SchoolHomework: Need your help to get things done with the right materials books, and files and handed in on time. May need to have two sets of schools books and have a homework notebook that has in one column, a date for what is due, and what it is, and another column listing the supplies.Strength: Are very creative and an inspiration to their classmates. Are funny and able to come up with original and uplifting ideas.Challenges: Tend to do things at the last minute and can lose important papers and materials. Also, they tend to think about projects ahead of time and then actually do them at the last minute.

Qualities and Traits of the Prioritizing Style – Lion Analytical Factual Assertive Goal-driven Calculating Logical Competitive Mathematical Decisive Objective Determined Tenacious Direct Thorough

Prioritizing Style: Lion OverviewPurpose: To set and achieve goalsOrganization of space: They like things to function well and want their things to be in a logical space. They prefer to delegate the organizing jobs.Strengths: Good at making the best use of their time. Tend to be hyperfocused and driven at accomplishing a meaningful goal.Challenges: They prefer not to do any organizing if possible. They will only do it if they see the value in it. They are also not that sensitive to people’s feelings.

Prioritizing Style: TimeCalendar: Has the ability to keep pretty much in their own head, but strongly rely on others for help.To-do list: Has the ability to keep pretty much of their to-dos in their head, but may have a master goal list going on.Goals: To get the most use of their time and get the most done.Strengths: Very good at time management, punctual-maybe a couple minutes early, functions at a high level.Challenges: Wants to make decisions and be in charge. Has difficulty accommodating to anyone else’s schedule.

Prioritizing Style: HomeBedroom: Prefers to have minimal things, but in order. Accolades may be welcomed on walls, and awards are predominately placed.Closets: Prefers to have a clean, aesthetic with matching hangers and everything in perfect order.Drawers: What little they own, they like to have easily accessible and have few but the best.Memorabilia: Tends to keep things that denote victory and success, like athletic or academic awards.Storage: Would like to spend their allowance money on tools and equipment. They want functional storage with a minimal of upkeep.

Strengths: A pristine, functional environment.Challenges: Want to delegate maintaining.

Prioritizing Style: SchoolHomework: Does whatever is necessary to meet goals, and works diligently in a quiet area with minimal distraction.Strengths: Is a goal-oriented student.Challenges: Managing emotions and feelings and being told what to do.