I spent the last week of December writing a long, extensive list of goals for 2020. The goals encompassed all aspects of life. By January 1 I had 10 pages of personal, spiritual, professional, relational, financial and parenting goals. Some of the goals were task-oriented, others were more values-based. Either way, I was ready for 2020. Then came the pandemic, tanking TpT sales and a sudden move. So while my values-based goals have become more relevant, my task-oriented goals have become less relevant. I’ve had to adjust my goals and expectations, and with the uncertainty looming over the 2020-2021 school year, more adjustment is sure to come. So I’ve been…
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To-Do List, Summer 2020
Usually my to-do list at this time of year is full of NEW TpT resources that I want to complete and post for the new school year. But with all the uncertainty around COVID-19 and the possibility of extended distance learning, this year’s to-do list is all about updating OLD resources. I’m no expert at digitizing resources, and the whole process bums me out. When making reading workshop resources, I like to envision a lively, humming classroom full of collaboration and interaction. Imagining a bunch of kids staring at screens for hours on end is less motivating. Anyway, if you’re in the same boat as me, here are some resources…
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A Summer To-Do List That Honors Meaning Over Accomplishment
I love a good to-do list. Checking that box is satisfying, but sometimes the journey there is arduous and the result is…not worthwhile. A rigid to-do list quickly becomes arbitrary, something you complete because you said you would, not because it furthers your goals. Have you ever stared at the blank page (or newly-drawn bullet journal template) and packed it full just for the heck of it? Sometimes the unexamined thought going through my head is “What’s the absolute most I can accomplish next week?” rather than, “How can I pursue my most meaningful goals and simultaneously honor my values?” For teachers, the summer is a combination of much-needed respite…
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Visualize Your Ideal Reading Block Using the Time Management Matrix
A Time Management Matrix helps you prioritize tasks that are most aligned with your long-term goals. This leads to progress toward those goals and a sense of satisfaction. The matrix is a great way to organize your own time, but what about your reading block? The Time Management Matrix (Eisenhower Decision Matrix) can help you answer these questions about your reading block: How do I want students to spend their time? What do I want them to do daily? What should they do weekly? Monthly? What prevents them from meaningful reading, writing, etc? How can I support students through routines, expectations, and preparedness? Here’s how the Time Management Matrix might…
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A Time Management Matrix That Helps You Prioritize Your Long-Term Goals
You know the feeling you get when you’ve been working all week, and then you come up for air and realize you aren’t any closer to achieving your goals? The feeling you get when you’ve spent all weekend grading, then Sunday evening rolls around and you STILL don’t have lesson plans ready for Monday? A feeling of exhaustion without fulfillment or satisfaction? If the answer is yes, then your daily tasks and long-term goals may be misaligned. Sometimes our busyness prevents us from accomplishing our teaching (and life) goals. What’s a busy, burned-out teacher to do? Reflect on her time using the Eisenhower Decision Matrix–or as we’ll call it here,…
