I know I am getting a bit ahead of myself, but I had a 40% off coupon, so I purchased the book: First Year Teacher's Survival Guide by Julia Thompson. Many a time I have been at the book store and flipped through the pages and thought it is a very thorough and well organized manual with lots of good resources and tips. I have been reading a little bit here and there as a break from the more intense information from my textbooks (sometimes textbook reading can be so strenuous!) I can not believe how detailed this book is! Even more, I can not believe all the little tasks are involved with teaching, it’s no wonder that all you experienced teachers live by lists!
I have always been a list maker- grocery lists, lists to remember what I need to take care of at work, lists when I am packing for a trip or preparing for an big event. But those are just occasional things. I also try to keep a date book with my schedule mapped out but somehow I just never manage to keep up with it on a regular basis. Reading this book, I have become increasingly aware of the fact that I need to fine tune my organizational skills before I start teaching. It seems that, in this field, it is not sufficient to be just good at organization and time management, you have to be diligent and become an expert at it or you risk being completely overwhelmed.
I decided that I am going to start making a list for almost everything. I found an old steno pad in my desk which has perfect columns for list making. I also received in the mail a school day planner from Nestle (a promo thing that came with coupons for Nestle products.) This thing is great because it has the entire month on a one page view, in a vertical list with each individual day listed and several columns for filling in daily tasks. I am going to use this to help me with time management. I have three courses right now, all of which are Independent study courses, so I will create a detailed schedule, much like creating units and lessons, which I will follow diligently for staying on track with class work and deadlines. I think this will be a good way to hone my mental organizational skills.
Space organization is another thing. I am usually quite good at planning this, less good at keeping up with it. I would be that teacher who puts off opening mail and sorting through it, or filing papers in a timely fashion. I would keep up with the essential things, like grading papers, keeping notes on important correspondence, school records and other required paperwork, but I would put off non-essential tasks, the stuff that doesn’t have a deadline. At home, I always have all my bills paid on time, but I have bags full of other random mail and papers which need to be filed that I don’t need to deal with right away, so I put it off until it becomes to large a job- then I am even less likely to deal with it! This procrastination has to stop now, before I take it with me to the classroom.
All in all, I think it’s a good idea that I purchased this book now, because it’s been a real eye opener and I have some work to do on myself if I want to have a successful career!
Watch out for making too many lists! I have a tendency to cross one thing off my list and add two more to the bottom of it. I never actually finish a list, I just start a new one!
ReplyDeleteAlso, I find that as a full time teacher, there's little time to actually read books about how to a better teacher. Read as much as you can right now.
As for the topic of procrastination..I figure it got me through college, it will get me through teaching. It seems as if each teacher has their area of specific procrastination. The teacher aross the hall from me has a super organized room...except for her desk. Others have organized desks, but have no idea where their grade book is. I guess we all have to let something go sometime or we'd all go crazy.
A tip from college that has come in handy in the real world: when you check your mailbox each day, stand by the recycle bin and get rid of whatever you can asap. It saves you the time of sorting through it twice (or three times, if you're like me and pile things up).
-Pigtailed Teacher
ps...I'd love to hear what you think of your new book!
Thanks for the tips!
ReplyDeleteI am sure I will be writing about things in the book. I am only 90 pages in and it's about 500 pages long! It seems like the author is a very experienced teacher who literally wrote down every little thing that she knows/ learned the hard way about teaching!
I am going on the presumption that this is my big opportunity to read all about teaching, even if much of it I can't put into application yet. I often wonder as I read these books if teachers even have enough time to think about the suggested techniques. It seems all good in theory, but I am sure it's a lot harder when the school year is in full swing! I am hoping some of it might stick and then pop up in my brain when I really need some help in the classroom:)
Getting organized is a never ending job. Just think of it as a continual process dictated by the curriculum that seems always to be in motion. I would suggest not to put off that little pile sitting in the corner. If it takes 5 extra minutes, do it. I am totally guilty of putting off the little things only later to kick myself. I have adopted the saying, "No time like the present." Having a place for everything helps. Storage in my school is so bad. It does not help with organization at all. I hate containers of this and that in the classroom. That clutter does not do much for the desire to become more organized. I have taught for more than 20 years and I am now learning to throw things out or give them to someone else. It helps when you move into a different classroom. Don't be afraid to ask your fellow teachers their tips too.
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