Any Teachers Here?

  • Thread starter Thread starter CallMeZoot
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CallMeZoot

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I teach high school, and wondered if there might be any other teachers here.

Any suggestions/tips for implementing GTD?

-For personal organization of teaching paperwork/responsibilities?
-For classroom/student organization?

chris.
 
Yes :)

I use GTD for my kids-stuff ... every single sheet with datas about the girls and boys wents to a tickler file system. I drop the sheets in brown postal envelopes, labeled names in top of the envelope.

A time-based tickler-file is for planning my lesson-stuff over the weeks.

As I am organized @home in GTD-ways, more and more of that can be found in my school-life :)

Cheers, Thorsten
 
I'm an English Teacher and manage a small language school.

I think most of the ways that GTD has helped me have been in general ways that would be the same for any profession, for example better prioritisation of what needs to be done each day, not forgetting to do stuff when in a particular place, more focussed project planning and follow up, etc.

Having said that I think the aspects of teaching that have most benefited so far have been

An improved filing system for better storage of teaching materials and student records.
Improved planning - better capturing of good ideas before I forget them, programming when I use them, developing materials for those ideas, and then actually using them.
Following through on needed improvements to classroom, with all the other things that need doing..

I'm glad you started this thread because I'm also interested how other teachers manage their teaching.

I would like in the future to develop a system for better record keeping keeping taps on students on an individual basis, and following up with next actions, and a system that reminds me during lessons. A problem for me is that for some reason I find that reminders on pieces of paper don't work in a lesson. They have to be written on the white board or on walls!

Hope other teachers share what works for them.
 
Just starting out

I teach science in the UK. I am/was a notorious hoarder of "things that may be useful" and so my desk has not seen the light of day in a long time!
I am still in the collection phase - most of my collection going into the recycling skip outside! I have found documents pertaining to students that have left and to courses that we no longer run.

Until I get a) the time and b) my own copy of the book (COME ON AMAZON!!!!) I am still sorting out my "folders". I have a large crate with real card folders, a drawer in a desk for reference, and my software resources all ready.

What has worked so far?
I *love* the two minute rule! I take stuff out of my "pigeonhole" - a cute name for a tray in the staff room for communications - and don't put it back. Anything that can be done (comments on pupils, requests for data) is dealt with there and then.

I have started delegating ... "Here are some old exam papers I have been hoarding. Do you want to see what's useful and skip the rest?".

I have a priority folder for things I need urgently (letters for students, appointment slips and the like) and refer to this in my notes.

My collection of ideas is currently two-fold. I have a notebook (paper version) and a PDA (Palm Zire). The notebook if literally for scribbling things down - almost like the old-style To Do list. I am trying this approach because I like the idea of moleskines, but the wife thinks it's a phase!! The notebook is idea for times when the Palm is not practical (outside, in the corridor, when the battery is dying!) and the filofax is too bulky (most of the time). I forgot about the filofax, didn't I? It's the "personal organiser" size with a large pocket on the front, a slip pocket on the back, and a huge zip around the whole thing. Eventuall it wil replace the notebook when I'm at my desk.

As for the software I use the standard Mac suite (Mail, ical) and sync to a PDA. This is running Agendus Pro (and I am trying Ag. Mail too). I also collect outlines for projects/courses in a mixture of Omnioutliner and Shadow. Shadow is good on the Palm for quick stuff (and lesson plans!), and I have the PC version on a laptop at work witht the ability to import into Omnioutliner at home.

Agendus is great for arranging things in an easily viewed format. I can also note what needs to be done in our form times, along with check boxes, but let it roll-over to the next day should the need arise.

A lot of stuff, I know. But has GTD helped? Yes. I normally lose things and spend ages looking for them. On Wednesday I found "an important piece of paper" in under 30 minutes (a record for me! I normally wait till I get home, launch Spotlight on the mac, and print it/email it again!)

Hope this helps, and isn't too offf-topic!

--
_Zippy_
 
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