My Birthday Boards :)

Yes....today is my birthday! Yay, me! It has been a good, quiet, lazy day. They are rare and I am thankful for the opportunity to lay around, read, and just be with my kids. My mom made me a cheesecake, my husband got me a Wonder Woman coffee mug and a new mystery/crime novel, and my crafty daughters made me some cool stuff! I can't wait to share it with you :) I am waiting on permission to share a book with you. It is the best "teaching manual" I have ever run across. I have been teaching almost 10 years and it is stuff I wish someone had told me! It is a good source for renewing procedures, practicing new ones, and reorganizing (something most of us have on our New Year's list of to-do's.) Please stay tuned and i'll let you know something as soon as I do!

My girls made these cool cork/black boards for me! Also, a calendar behind glass :) I love the vintage frames they put them in! My children are a true blessing!

Chapter 3 - The Upcoming To-Do List

O.k.....First I must apologize for the time lapse between chapter 2 and 3. I got all giddy after the award nominations and lost my mind! :) I hope that I am back on track! O.k....here I go!

• What is it? It is a long-term sorted list of your to-dos that will lead to weekly or daily lists. It is a combination of deadlines and would-like-to-dos.  This list is for work that needs to happen at some point but not have a specific date to be completed by. I equate this to a yearly overview of your lessons or themes for the year (or a pacing guide of sorts). When you sit down with a large 12 month calendar and pencil in chapters to be covered or topics to be covered. I did this for the first time last year and it made a huge difference! I am embarrassed that it has taken me this long to begin doing that! Maia suggests that you pencil in things like PD or vacations in the dates when you want to BEGIN preparing for them. For example, if you know you are leading a PD in December...you might pencil the begin to prepare date in mid-October. I am going to attach an (MS Word  Excel) 12 month calendar HERE....in hopes that you can download it and begin setting your year in motion! The rest of the chapter gives examples of people's calendars who have set them up in various ways. Being teachers...we are pretty familiar with long-term planning. Hopefully the calendar link will work to give you something to begin with :) I have a calendar I like better than the one in this link...it is in my own computer files...but I cant figure out how to attach it! If you know how...fill me in :) Thanks, once again, for listening to my ramblings!

Chapter 2 - The Together Teacher

Hello all...sorry it has taken me a day or two to get back on track! Chapter 2 basically tells us that we need to consolidate our multiple calendars and have one comprehensive calendar (which is defined by Maia as a calendar that lays out all of your time commitments and deadlines in one easy-to-read calendar).  Your comprehensive calendar can be electronic (such as ICal), web-based (like Google calendar), or a paper one (of which I have zillions)! She says it is important to take advantage of programs that allow you to have recurring events so you don't have to put in dates over and over. I have found that alerts or reminders can be very beneficial...if you are as scatterbrained as I am! This chapter walks you through 3 different people's choices of calendars. Maia suggests the following criteria for whatever type you chose:

• Easy and efficient to use
• Portable enough to be with you at all times
• Readily available wherever you are (such as accessible from work or home)
• Visually pleasing to you

Maia suggests that when you determine your favorite type that will work best for you...you should gather all calendars, notes, reminders, etc. and set aside some time to consolidate all of it.  She suggests putting in the "hard deadlines" or things that cannot be adjusted or changed in first. Then move on to the "soft deadlines" which are more like "to-do's" without specific times. She also says you should add time for "not working" or personal time (which is an area that I am sorely lacking!)  Most of this chapter is examples and tips for helping you decide which type (web-based, electronic, or paper) is right for you. I think I have hit the high points. Questions? Comments? I look forward to the next chapter :)

Chapter 1 - The Together Teacher

Chapter 1 - Rules over Tools...I like this book because it is not preachy. It gives you options and doesn't ask you to go buy anything. It gives you general ideas and lets you taper those ideas with what works for you. Maia gives you 10 "rules" (which I look at as more of a guideline for success):

• 1.  Get everything in one place. (Basically, don't spread your info to the winds! Don't have 5 different calendars with different info on each...one for work...one for home...kids...etc.  I am guilty of this!) Have your info in a portable form that can be synced (ie. web-based program to smartphone, etc)
• 2.  Take it with you. (Make your personal calendar portable. Don't try to keep everything in a 3 in binder! Make sure you can take it with you at all times.)
• 3.  Write everything down.  (Write everything so that you leave space in your brain...we only have so much room in there!)
• 4.  Make it bite-sized.  (Be specific but not wordy...instead of "field trip"...be more specific without being wordy...as in "field trip to Rainforest Adventures, 1-3 pm...send parent reminder")
• 5.  Keep like items with like items.  (Don't mix big to-dos with little to-dos...."clean out closet" should be in a separate area away from "make Dr. appt.")
• 6.  Create a trigger for what you put away.  (Make a note to yourself when you file away an important e-mail that needs later attention (so it doesn't get lost), or other things that can't be dealt with immediately but needs "sooner rather than later" attention.)
• 7.  Mind your energy levels.  (We all know if we are "morning" "afternoon" or "evening" types of people. Save your energy-laden tasks for the times when you are at your best. Do things that don't require as much mental energy for your "down" times).
• 8.  No tool is forever.  (Ain't it the truth!  Jobs, duties, students, work situations, and everything changes. Be ready to change your calendar/tool as other things change.)
• 9.  Own your schedule.  (Be aware of things in your schedule that don't change...ie. work times, time for grading, planning, phone calls, progress reports, and other non-negotiable demands and pencil them in first).
• 10.  Pause to plan.  (Make time each week/month to sit down and write down what needs to be done. Don't forget to schedule in time for family, exercise, and just plain FUN.)

This is, of course, a much abbreviated version of this wonderful first chapter. Maia goes further into each of these "rules". I just wanted to give you an overview and hit the high points.  Let me know what you think....and if you want me to continue sharing this book :)    Teri

Check it out on Amazon!

The Together Teacher (I wish...)

Hi all...I have come to the conclusion that the books on my night table are not going to read themselves! I have so many books and electronic gadgets on my nightstand that something truly needs to be done before "Hoarders" comes knocking! LOL I LOVVVVEEE to read and one of my favs is professional development! I truly love learning new strategies and hearing how others organize and conduct their classes.  I just today received a book in the mail called The Together Teacher.  It is by Maia Heyck-Merlin. It looks right up my alley! Here is a link to their blog (and website) with lots of downloadable forms and calendars:  The Together Teacher     I am going to "endeavor to persevere" and read a chapter a day and blog about it in hopes that someone else (possibly who is behind on their reading as well) will take away some handy organizational tips without having to read the whole thing...who knows! I am having trouble using the CD Rom that came with it with forms on it. I am waiting for an e-mail from the company. Well, just missed a "live chat" with the rep while writing this! LOL I'll try again tomorrow! Anyway, let me know if you have read the book...or would be interested in hearing about it! Bye for now!