The Power of Reflection

“Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.”
― Søren Kierkegaard

 


Teachers are often rushed:  from class to class, from meeting to meeting, from school to home and back to school for a night meeting, and the list goes on.  One of the most powerful things about a holiday or summer break is that teachers get to take a "step back" and REFLECT on what has gone well with their lessons, with their classes, with their students.  REFLECTION then leads to mental planning, if not on paper at least with an idea tucked away in the teacher's mind, on how to do things better or different the next time around.  I invite you to go the link below for some thoughts on the importance of reflection for teachers.

http://712educators.about.com/od/teacherresources/a/Importance-Of-Teacher-Reflection.htm

“Learning without reflection is a waste. Reflection without learning is dangerous.”
― Confucius

 

Bringing Closure: Focused or Fragmented? (Pointers from Buck's Chapter 10)

Time is limited.  You do have the ability to choose how you use time. 

Work from an organized list.  The more you jump from task to task, the more time you waste.

To accomplish things of substance, you must have uninterrupted time. 

If you respond immediately to people who "drop-in" or drop uncompleted tasks on you to complete, you teach those individuals that you don't value your own time.  If you stick to one tasks list, people take note and learn to find answers on their own. 

Spend your time on significant things - not trivial things.

Maintain your focus by sticking with a project and placing other things on your list for later.

Delegate some things to others.

"Turn off the flood" of papers to grade by realizing that you don't have to grade everything you assign or all parts of what you assign.  Student response systems should be used to assess understanding instantly.

Examine your task lists for items you don't really need to do.  Purge those items from your lists. 

Each January, consider writing a "Christmas Letter from the Future," outlining your plans for focusing on things that matter during the coming year.  In December write the actual Christmas letter and assess what you have accomplished during the year.

Buck's Chapter 9: E-Mail, the Digital Reources Chart, and Other Electronic Timesavers

"Don't say you don't have enough time.  You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein." ~H. Jackson Brown

With email, Buck says to aim for an empty inbox every day, by making simple decisions about each email you receive. 

• Delete it.
• Do it.
• Foward it.
• Save it. (i.e. - in "Memos and Letters" inside "My Documents")

If you delegate by email, put yourself in the "bcc" line (blind courtesy copy) so you will have a copy in your inbox and remind you to follow up on the delegated task.

Make your sent folder you permanent record of communication.

Use a "spam filter" to block junk you do not want to receive.

Use email to send good school news to local newspapers. 

Check email only a certain times during the day.

Handle all emails in one sitting.

Delay checking email until mid-morning.

Use subject lines that describe your message.

Keep email brief and "front-loaded" with important info at the beginning.

Use a signature line.

Avoid printing emails.

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Buck suggests teachers construct a  digital resources chart - a spreadsheet with names of subjects across the top and a timeline down the side separating the school year into smaller time increments.  When the teacher finds a new resource, she can write the name in the appropriate cell for the subject and time of year and change the resource name into a hyperlink to the location of the resource on the internet.  The teacher can also link to PowerPoint presentations, tests, pictures, and videos housed on the computer or the internet. 

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Savvy administrators and teachers utilize the student information system software (i.e. - iNow) to its fullest.  On any occasion a teacher is writing out student information or data by hand, he/she should stop and inquire if the student information system software can generate a report with the same information.  As needed read help guides and call technical support.

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Use the internet to conduct timely research as needed.

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Use a blog to maintain a web presence and communicate with your class or with parents.  Many blogs are free, easy to set up, and maintain.

Organizing Your Computer: Tips from Buck's Chapter 8 in Organization Made Easy!

Buck offers pointers for organizing your computer.  I find his system a bit restrictive for me, but he has some ideas one can easily implement.

Keep the computer desktop clear of all but the following:  "My Documents"; Programs you use daily (Word, iNow, etc.); "Fingertip Files"; "Current Projects"; Your internet browser

Make folders in "My Documents" to mimic your paper filing system.

Know how to create, name, and rename folders.

Save documents in logical places.

In "My Documents" have subfolder called "Memos & Letters," where you file any type of correspondence.  Name the file as follows:  last name of recipient_few words describing subject matter.  I also suggest adding the date after another underscore.

In "My Documents" have a subfolder called "Monthly Ticklers," with folders in it labeled for each month.  In each monthly folder place documents that are used each year during that month (i.e. - August - opening of school parent letter, etc.).

On the desktop, have a file called "Fingertip Files" which should contain letterhead, fax cover sheet, purchase order form, and other files you use on a daily basis.  Quick access to these commonly used files will save time.

The "Current Projects" folder should be on the desktop.  Every item in this folder should be linked to your task list.  In your task list, put (CP) beside any task that has supporting material in the "Current Projects" folder.

Regularly back up files:  "My Documents," "Current Projects" and "Fingertip Files."

In your "repeating task system," include an entry to remind you to back up files, as well as an entry to remind you to check your "monthly tickler."

So Important! Teaching Students to be Organized: Tips from Buck's Chapter 7

"Perhaps the most valuable result of all education is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do, when it ought to be done, whether you like it or not; it is the first lesson that ought to be learned; and however early a man's training begins, it is probably the last lesson that he learns thoroughly." ~Thomas Henry Huxley, English biologist (1825-1895)

It is wise to teach students principles of organization.  These skills will serve students well throughout life.

Students should write down things as soon as they think of them. 

Students also need a signature tool, and a student planner works well for them.  Having a uniform planner for all students is recommended.

Tell students what to write and where to write it.  In dong so, you model the behaviors you want students to internalize.

Teach students to write assignments, projects, facts  on the current day's spot in their planners.  When students get home, they should dissect the information and break goals down into parts.  For projects like term papers, have students write the paper on the due date and work backwards recording each date that tasks (parts) associated with the paper are due.

The student planner is also a good communication tool with parents.  The teacher can write brief notes to the parent, and inform parents to check the student's planner each night or week, etc.

Teach students to empty their book bags totally every night. 

Papers to be sent to parents can be placed in the student's planner or a folder set up for the purpose.  Encourage students and parents to designate a place at home that students place papers for their parents' immediate attention.

Teach students to get everything for school ready the night before (including decisions about what to wear, etc.).  This practice will make mornings much more peaceful.

Teach students how to organize lockers.

Teach students to use one binder.  With dividers and loose-leaf paper, they can set up sections for each subject and hole punch anything that needs to be inserted.  Teachers will need to help students purge the binder at points throughout the year..  At the end of the year, teach students to recognize things that some things have temporary value and can be discarded, while others have lasting value as artifacts of a year's work or as material for scrapbooks.

Teachers throughout the school should come to a common decision about beginning-of-class procedures, how to head papers, use of binders, etc.  Consistency will make life easier for everybody.

Juggling Multiple Projects - More Insights from Buck's Organization Made Easy: Tools for Today's Teachers

“The secret of getting ahead is getting started.  The secret of getting started is breaking your complex and overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks and then starting on the first one.” ~Mark Twain

Projects involve multiple steps – not just one thing on a task list.

From start to finish, successful completion of a project focuses on 8 strategies:

1.       Defining the goal

·         The goal should be a statement in past tense.

·         Record in your signature tool; in a paper system on a page in the back of your planner; on a digital tool, in the task list preceded by the + sign (which indicates a goal with multiple tasks, not just a single task).

2.       Breaking the project into small steps

·         In paper system, define all steps of project from start to finish, or as many as you can presently describe.

·         In digital system, attach note to task with list of project steps from start to finish, or as many as can presently be described.

3.       Continually adding the next step to your task list

·         In paper system, place “G1” (1^st step of goal) after task in “to-do” list; when completed the “G1” indicates you should check goal page in back of planner for next step to add to task list.

·         In a digital system, place each task to the left of the + sign.  This lets you see the task and the goal it is linked to.

4.       Keeping necessary notes with the project

·         In paper system, place notes on the goal page in the back of the planner.

·         In digital system, place information in the note section of the task.

5.       Sticking with the project as long as possible

·         Continuity will make you more productive, rather than dividing your attention among multiple projects.

6.       “Bookmarking” the project

·         If you must pull away from the project, “bookmark” where you left off, in order to save time once you come back to the project.

7.       Dealing with supporting material

·         Task list will drive the project; you have to place the supporting material where you can access it at the proper time.

8.       Linking tickler files with the task list.

·         Link tickler files to letters of the alphabet (1A; 2B, etc.) Place supporting material in appropriate tickler file.

·         Use parentheses at end of task line to indicate, for instance, that you should check tickler file “A” for supporting material.

Each day when you get to school, check your task list (Outlook, for instance) and your tickler file for the day.

Once a project is complete, place planning pages and supporting material in a folder, if you need to maintain a “paper trail.”  You may want to print your digital notes, as well.  Organize everything neatly, and eliminate duplicates or unclear notes.  Put everything in a file folder, labeled with the name of the project, and place the file in your reference files.

With these tips,  you can build a reputation of “staying on top of things.”

Organization Made Easy: Tools for Today's Teachers - Pointers from Chapter 5

Buck’s Chapter 5:  Think It Through Once:  Handling Repeating Tasks

Because education goes in cycles (i.e. – school years), certain tasks repeat themselves at least annually.  

There are 3 possible types of repeating tasks systems:

·         Index cards dropped into tickler files

·         A list written and saved on a computer

·         Repeating tasks on a digital device.

1.        As soon as repeating tasks appear, enter them into your system for handling repeating tasks.  The system then does the remembering for you.

2.       Repeating tasks can be written on index cards and placed in the appropriate tickler files.

3.       It is also helpful to compose a chronological list of repeating tasks. 

4.       Those who store repeating tasks digitally can click the “recurrence” button and then indicate how often the task should show up on a list.

5.       As you read manuals (teacher evaluation, board of education policy, courses of study), enter into your repeating task list any tasks that must be completed at a particular time.