Getting Things Done

Getting things done is a daily goal for all of us. If we are overworked, overstressed, and struggling to keep our heads above water, it is undoubtedly a struggle to get things done. No matter how busy, frazzled or on top of things you are- things are always arranged by priority on the "to do" list.

One man seems to have it all figured out and has devised a five step method to getting things done. David Allen calls his technique "Mastering Workflow." His five steps are: (1) Collect, (2) Process, (3) Organize, (4) Review, and (5) Do.

I found that I achieve mastery of work-flow when I input what I have to do into my iPhone calendar. No task is too small. For example, I calendar household cleaning. If there is something that I'd like to do, like go cross-country skiing, I enter it into my calendar. Dentists appointments, sports practice, or assignments due... they all go into my iPhone calendar. I check it regularly. When I have all my things to do in one place, it takes the stress away and I don't have to rely on remembering it anymore.


I have always been a very organized person. I feel clearer and more relaxed when I know my affairs are in order and manage my "to do" list. The first time I read David Allen's list, I had a hard time with the idea of collecting and capturing anything and everything that would have my attention into my calendar. Somethings, like combing your hair, just doesn't need to be put into your calendar! I felt like the five steps were severely breaking up the process of organization. It could be that I never broke down the process before, I just did it in my head. Kind of like Math, 1 + 1 = 2. The five steps are like breaking down, explaining and showing how one and one make two. I do review often (step 4), and find this to be a useful step in "mastering workflow."

Personally, I do not think that David Allen's process will help me. It is too broken down and forced for me to follow. I feel that I already have a good system of getting things done. I am able to stay on track, prioritize, and get things done by their deadline. I will not be following this five step plan, but that does not mean I won't use some of the steps presented. My process combines collecting, processing, and organizing together. I see my workflow mastery as a two step plan: (1) Collect/Process/Organize, (2) Review/and or Do.

On a side note, as much as technology makes our lives more productive, you cannot forget about the good ol' pen and paper. My favorite and most efficient way of keeping track of small details, deadlines, etc. at school was by using sticky notes and posting them to the front cover of my administrative binder that held all pertinent course info.  When a task was competed, I happily crumpled up the sticky note and tossed it. I have to admit that I don't get the same satisfaction when I complete a task on my iPhone calendar.

SIG: Trends in Pop Culture: Relating to Course Content

I am apart of a Special Interest Group ("SIG") with four other Secondary teachers. Our subject areas are Science, French, and Social Studies. Our SIG focuses on relating our course content to trends in Pop Culture.

Below you will find educational resources relating to French Pop Culture.

http://www.sports.fr/
http://www.cea.fr/
http://www.gaillacinfo.fr/
http://www.slate.fr/
http://www.jeunes-fc.com/
http://www.jeunes.gouv.fr/

Follow the link below to see other educational resources, contributed by my SIG members.

 http://www.delicious.com/stacks/heidiembury

Social Networks: How they fit into my life and the lives of my students and peers

Social networks make the hidden opportunities of the real world visible. By joining a social network, I am able to get things done much more efficiently than by relying on my everyday connections. When I join a social network, I am connected to my friends, my friends' friends, and the friends of my friends' friends. As a teacher, I was once afraid of using social networks in the classroom. However, social networks are increasingly becoming apart of our students' lives and students thrive using them. It only makes sense to use social networks in the classroom and engage students to learn the subject matter more meaningfully. As educators, we can design lesson plans that implement social networks to create a body of learners who are passionate and engaged about what they are learning. Teaching students that social networks can go beyond just the social realm focuses them towards their own professional growth through social media. 

http://www.commoncraft.com/video/social-networking

http://www.edweek.org/dd/articles/2010/06/16/03networking.h03.html

RSS Page Reflection - Part 1

I have entered into the world of RSS Feeds! I have always seen the square orange icon on web pages but never knew what it was for. I am very impressed with how easy it is to subscribe to RSS feeds and follow my favorite websites, blogs, etc. Below is a screen dump displaying my new RSS feeds I added to my Google Reader. Please note that my Google Reader is in French.

I have also commented on one of the blogs I follow, EduTech Today. See screen dump below.

This morning when I woke up, I enjoyed checking my Google Reader for the first time and seeing all the new postings on the blogs and sites I follow. I was shocked to read a news headline, describing the fires that had destroyed 20 homes in Reno, Nevada last night. I also enjoyed reading a French language note about omitting the "ne" in spoken French negation on another RSS feed.

I already feel more "in the know," than I did before when it comes to daily news. Before I relied on the T.V. morning news and radio channels in my car. Now, I have installed a Google Reader App on my iPhone. Not only am I getting more customized news and informational updates, I am getting them quicker and more efficiently on my mobile smart phone.

When I re-enter the teaching profession, I will be able to use RSS feeds to track my students' blogs, and other educational sites. What I learn from my current RSS feeds will also build on my professional knowledge and content area.

Web Pages vs Blogs

You surf web pages but you interact on a blog. Both blogs and web pages provide information, but you can add your own twist to a blog. A blog tells a journey. This blog was created for CEP 810. Over the course of the semester I will be blogging about Educational Technology. Follow me on my journey, and feel free to interact and share your own twist.