Archive for the ‘75’ Category
Organize in Advance
January 1st, 1970
I am always surprised when the holidays arrive and I don’t have time to do some fun holiday activities. At the beginning of the year I think of all the wonderful plans I will have but then I get caught in the day to day happenings and then I’m surprised that the next week is a holiday. I have not given myself enough time to gather materials and set up lessons for the holidays and another year goes by with good intentions but little to show for it.
I didn’t have Google Calendar back then but I wish I did. It is so easier to access whether I’m at home or at school and can add events from either place. Then I get an email each day of what is planned for that day. I can also glance at the week or the month so that I know what is coming up. I actually put on certain dates when I need to buy materials and run off directions. This helps me be prepared on the day that I want to do the actual activity.
There are many different calendar sites online but I just prefer Google Calendar because there some events that I share with my husband. He doesn’t have to see all the things on my calendar and just sees the events that I need for him to know about. This keeps me from having a bunch of different calendars and trying to coordinate them all in one place. I really wish someone had told me about this a long time ago. I even color code different things on my calendar. I have them separated for personal, online events, both of us need to know, and educational things. I could add more categories if I needed to add them.
I have been trying this for about six months now and I’m really pleased with how organized it helps me be. I can schedule in preparation time as well as the actual event. I don’t feel as rushed to get things done in a timely manner and I can enjoy the activity instead of feeling overwhelmed.
No matter what kind of calendar you use, try adding in the steps that you need before the actual activity. This will help relieve a lot of stress as holidays get near. I believe organizing your activities in advance will help me be more successful in the classroom.
Original image: ‘Someone’s Lost Schedule Book‘ http://www.flickr.com/photos/88723106@N00/51024419 by: Alfonso Surroca
