It would be cruel of me to mention the numbers 20 and 12 together. Not because I put any stock into the so-called Mayan Prophecies, but because I simply refuse to believe that 2011 is already set to take its final bow. I mean, come on, seriously? Are we really just three weeks shy of the end of the year? I would look back on 2011 and see how much of what I had planned for had actually been achieved, but it’s been a while since I did, indeed, map out my year in advance.
It’s true. Throughout my life I have had a hot-and-cold relationship with time management (hard to admit this in front of my boss, who reads every one of my blog posts). During the years when I was teaching, I was more on top of my time management than ever before or since, except when I was a stay-at-home dad with three small children in school and preschool.
Playing the blame game is a losing proposition, but I wonder if I might have become a better manager of my time had I realized early on that it—time—accelerates exponentially as we get older. Maybe I’d be a better time manager if I’d had better tools all along. Heck, I might have ruled the school had I been able to use programmable calendars, weekly homework assignment forms, and other lesson planning pages like the ones available today at themailbox.com.
So 2011 is coming to an end and 2012 is waiting on deck, ready to step up to the plate. But I know you’ll be ready. You have the tools, the creativity, and the work ethic to make sure that it’s a good year.
What time management tools do you rely on in your professional life as a teacher? What ones would you recommend?
Thanks for sharing!
Okay, I’ve been doing this for 12 years and I have yet to be described as “organized”. I’ve tried everything – color coded folders, Post-It notes, subject-specific binders, but to no avail. My survival tip for teachers is simply this – don’t leave at the end of the day until you’re set up for the next day. When I come in each morning, the copies are waiting, morning message is on the board, and manipulatives are organized and ready. I can start my day calm, collected, and organized. It’s a gift to my students and me.
Gail, it’s nice to know you’ve got your system and, despite years of battling the organization battle, you keep at it. Thanks for the comment!