Getting Things Done (GTD)

I have been a “list” person since I was young. I still use a paper and pencil to write out my to-do list, that way I don’t stress out to remember the things I need to complete. I also have a daily planner that I write in for course planning at work as well as for personal use. I recently got a smart phone (Blackberry Storm), and I started utilizing the calendar feature to add reminders for my events. As for my “inbox”, I am going to set up an actual tray in my classroom and one at my apartment for papers that need my attention. Along with this new addition to my GTD process, I will use an application on my phone for an electronic to-do list. This way, I won’t have random pieces of paper with listed to-do items, but can group them with my calendar events on my cell phone, also known as “collecting”. A downside of this system for me is that I cannot have my phone out during the school day. This is the primary reason I use the pencil and paper format, it is easily accessible and appropriate at work.

When thinking of the other elements in the workflow process, I believe that prioritization and organization are strengths of mine. Therefore, deciding which tasks to take on first with my new system should still be adequate. I tend to do the quick, “2 minute” tasks as they come to my attention, yet procrastinate more on projects that take much longer to complete. I am confident that my electronic task reminder, to-do list, and inbox will keep me in line during the next month of this course. I’m hoping to continue this process afterward, but not sure if I’m going to remember to go through all 5 steps for every task and project. I will, however, need to constantly review what tasks and projects I have and have not completed.

Social Networking

The only social network I belonged to before entering CEP 810 was facebook. I joined the site in 2005, when it was first becoming big and you had to have a college or university e-mail address in order to join. It has only served as a personal network for me, linking up with old friends from high school, new friends from various places, and now even my mom has an account. I use it mainly as a source to manage my digital pictures, keep up on what my friends are doing (also known as “facebook stalking”), and sometimes update my status. I have noticed over the past year or so that many businesses, musicians, celebrities, organizations, etc. have facebook pages. So, the website is no longer just for stalking your friends, it is a useful networking tool where people can learn of upcoming events, share ideas, form or join groups, and communicate easily with others.

After learning about the positive attributes of social networking for professional reasons, I want to be able to expand mine to include sites other than facebook. I joined the professional networks LinkedIn and Classroom 2.0, in hopes that I connect with other teachers, both new and experienced, to learn how they use technology in their classrooms. I hope to somehow integrate a social network, along with many of the other productivity tools I have recently learned of, in my classroom.

The Differences Between Traditional Websites & Blogs

After exploring Blogger and other Blog websites, I can see many differences between these websites and traditional websites. The biggest of these would be the interaction and personalization of the author and other readers. On traditional web pages, readers will see information, pictures, etc., but usually do not have the option to comment, tag, or share. There are also many different websites to create blogs through Blogger, Edublog, etc. As a teacher, blogging can enhance my communication and collaboration with my students and their parents, where my traditional teacher web page just illustrates basic information.

Hi, I'm Ms. Sanders.

I teach 9th and 10th grade math.