An App for Organizing My Life

What is the need? 

I admit I am not organized. I do not know how to organize documents to place in correct folders, how to take down and save notes with the use of technology and to give myself reminders on my phone to stay organized. In order to help my students stay organized, the teacher needs to learn and model the behavior first. The need is what resources can I use to organize my notes, reminders, and schedule all at once.

The problem?

    Subscribing to Technology for Teachers and Students has allowed me to learn more about Google Calendar and the diverse technology resources to help make life easier to plan for myself. With Google Calendar, I was able to learn how to set events/times. Another feature has allowed me to set personal and academic goals for myself to stay focused on the task. I can do this with the students as well. Picking up these scheduling habits made everything not only possible but easier. With interviews, events, and personal and professional commitments, I am now well equipped to handle all different things coming my way and now do not feel as overwhelmed and stressed out. I was allowed to customize my calendar by color so that way I could distinguish what type of events were coming up.
This will help students stay organized and be responsible for their scheduling when creating events for school, occupation and extracurricular events.

 I have to take the responsibilities of organizing my life in my own hands and discovering the most convenient and easy way to organize my busy life. My schedule is jammed pack with family time, my job, social life, graduate courses, appointments, and my time. However, much of these important events would get stuck in the “brain.” I would write the events in my agenda book but forget to write events down which had consisted of many blank pages. My brain was full of storage.

Why this is important for the future classroom?

            There are many activities I have noted in my calendar which I was not sure where to place. Many of these events did not have due dates such as errands, shows to watch or leisure events. Instead of having these minor events spinning in my head, I created an optional calendar in which I can do when my life is not hectic. I also learned that I could sync any sports times and religious holidays on my calendar by going under settings. Not only was I able to sync my Google Calendar to my phone from the computer but my Apple Watch as well.

            Using Google Calendar in the classroom will be practical to create time slots and reminders for myself and students for upcoming school events such as meetings, test dates, phone conversations, professional development days, scheduling guest speakers and much more. Students who attend schools that are Google Schools can take advantage of Google Calendar to organize their everyday lives (sports, music), school assignments and can set reminders for homework due dates. There is also a section in which an individual can create goals. Students can even sync their calendar with their cell phones.