So Much to Do

You have undoubtedly said this to yourself, if not once, many times.  The expectations you have for yourself are high, yet there doesn’t seem to be enough time to get things done.     Two words for you:

Priority (what do you value most)  and Delegate.

Let’s talk “priority” first.   The question you must ask yourself is “What is important to me, what are my values?”  I know you may be thinking “WHAT is She talking about?” just listen for a moment- That which is most important to you is reflected in everything you do, the quality and the amount of time it takes you to complete… So go ahead and answer the question.   What do you value?  What is important to you?  Make a list and then prioritize the list.  Put a circle around your top 3 values.  VALUES ARE NOT THINGS BY THE WAY.. THEY ARE CONCEPTS/WAY OF LIFE GUIDELINES.  For example perhaps you value the concept of family, integrity, and/or honesty. 

Now make a second list—this is the list of all your activities for the day..get really specific..I mean everything.  Write it down and add the (approximate) length of time it takes you to do each task.

Clutter "Step out of your classroom"

Have you noticed what your classroom looks like?  No really, I know you are in the room all the time, but have you really looked at it lately?  A huge part of student success has to do consistency, modeling and organization.  Stand in the doorway of your classroom and scan the room slowly.  You are looking for purpose and ease of use here.  (Good time to Tap)

• Have you designated specific areas as sources of information?  How do those spots look now?

• Are there clutter spots in the room? Don’t forget to look at your personal  work areas.

• Are the materials posted on the walls up to date? Easy to see or read? Supportive of the material you are covering now?

Now go stand in the back of the room, and scan the room again.   You are looking for purpose and ease of use.    Sit in one of the students seats, what do you (they) see?

Is is time to de-clutter?

Classroom management begins with organization and maintaining it.  Just found this blog site with great ideas  http://www.nerdynerdynerdy.com/2012/08/my-classroom-tour.html

The First Day of School ..So much to do

It seems like there is a long list of tasks that one must complete in order to be prepared for the day.   Checking off  every item on the list is more of a challenge for some then it is for others.   There is no question that one must be prepared no matter what position you hold, but what stops you from completing those tasks…is it apathy, poor time management,  rebellion or perhaps fear?   You probably have no clear idea of what is holding you back.   You may feel stuck, unmotivated or even spend time beating yourself up and letting those negative messages begin to play in your head.   Stop, Tap* and change the channel (stop the negative thought, you do have that power) to a more proactive thought.  Then ask yourself these two questions:

Is that task really necessary? If it is not, cross it off the list. Maybe it didn’t really belong there anyway.

What is the worst that can happen when I complete the task?   I know this may seem like a counterproductive question but something is stopping you and this particular question will get to the root of the problem.

*TAP- gently tap on the center of your chest, about 5 inches below your collarbone.

Brainstorm-the teenage brain

Just finished reading ” Brainstorm-The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain” by Daniel J Siegel, M.D.   I highly recommend it to parents and teachers. By the way, teenage as Siegel defines it, is ages 12-24.  The book is based on science yet I found it so practical, down to earth and truly enlightening.

“The power of the adolescent mind emerges from …brain changes, which permit us to solve problems in new and innovative ways.  ……Adolescence is a golden age for innovation because it is during this time of growth and change that the brain’s developmental shifts in the reward centers and the cortex encourage creative thought and drive adolescents to explore the world in new ways.”  pg 94