You know my feeling about Post-it Notes: Resist the urge. Don’t do it. Sure, Post-its have their uses (annotating text, the occasional forced prioritization of three things you ABSOLUTELY MUST DO TODAY, coffee cup coasters), but in general, they do not make for a...
My New Year’s Resolution: Email Recommitments
Rumor has it I’m considered an expert on this productivity stuff. . . calendars, time management, to-do lists, what-have-you. But it doesn’t mean I’m perfect. Far from it. . . In fact, my dear friend Hilary likes to lovingly remind me of my famous Sunday...
Introducing . . 100% Digital!
You all know by now that I’m decidedly neutral on your whether or not your organization tools are screen-based or paper-based; I just care you that you have them and you use them. Index cards, commercial planners, iPads, Outlook, Google, apps…Just have ‘em, use ‘em,...
Getting the Most out of Google Tasks
More and more teachers are getting into Google, and more and more districts are converting from Outlook to Google. So, let’s talk for a moment about Google Tasks. I’m not going to lie, Tasks is not my fave Google feature, and I think it actually gets a little buried...
Quick Quiz: Are you Time-Oriented or Task-Oriented?
Educators plan for their weeks at school in so many ways. The possible formats…Outlook… Google…Word…a hand-drawn list…are endless. Even still, teachers always seem to split into two camps. . . Those motivated by time and those driven by tasks. Are you time or...
Google: Going the Extra Mile
I recently connected with Ann Bevan H., a middle school leader at a great school in Chestnut Hill, MA. She let me in on how her school takes Google usage to a whole new level. What Beaver Country Day School thinks is so cool about technology is the way it is used to...
A Together School Leader and A Together School!
I recently spent time with the founding teachers of a charter school in Washington, DC. I was struck by the intentionality of the school leader, Mekia L., in setting up systems for Togetherness that will last her school, staff and students for years to come. Here’s me...
E-mail–Hate or Love it—It is Here to Stay!
E-mail. . . You may have noticed its absence as a topic on our blog. This is not because e-mail isn’t a big deal — in fact, we have an entire book chapter devoted to it. But I know that once we open the e-mail can of worms, well, there is no going back. And for...
Getting the Most out of Google
More and more, I’m seeing schools and districts shift from using Outlook to Google for their productivity and communication software. Many teachers appreciate this shift because of Google’s easy synchronization to smart phones and universal access. Out in the...
The Brain Fry: How to Make Better Use of Your After School Time
Meet Drew. He’s a great guy. Drew is in his fifth year of teaching second grade in Washington, DC. I met Drew when he attended a Together Teacher workshop in Philadelphia in the summer of 2011. He captured perfectly why being an organized educator matters: “Being...
