More thinking.......

So I used my great lesson plans on powerpoint for the last week and a half and it was a huge flop. I found that I am just not organized enough to pull that off. I had thought to have the list with all the stuff needed in the binder behind it. Didn't work. I found that I didn't print everything I needed. Or the things I printed were not what I was looking for. So I got messed up. Ugh!!!  So I think I'm going to do a major overhaul. I'm starting a new unit in almost all my classes so it's a good time to start something new.

It's the next morning. I got distracted last night and never finished this post. But, I continued to think about it all night long and I think I've come up with something.

Here are the things that I need:

• I need to be able to access lesson plans both at school and at home 
• I need to have a to-do list that I can access both at school and at home because sometimes I do things at home at night
• I need to have a hard copy of lesson plans at school because I can't always look at the computer
• I need all electronic stuff in one place so I don't have to search for it when I want it
• I need to know what I'm doing every class and to easily put my hands on supplies I need for that. 
• I also need to know what's coming so I can plan ahead for labs, activities, etc. 

Here is what I have (or have attempted): 

• I have an electronic planbook that allows me to attach files and keep everything I need for a lesson in it
• I have a binder that has all my individual class information for each class
• I have binders that I started to use for each unit in each class
• I have Google Keep - both personal and school related
• I have a planner with the classes printed on it
• I have a smallish notebook 

Here is what I'm thinking of doing: 

1. All my plans with all the related files go in my electronic plan book. 
2. At the end of the week, I make any curriculum adjustments to next week and print everything out for next week. 
3. Originals go in the unit binders
4. Copies for the coming week are made
5. Plans are noted in the planner so I can for labs/activities/computer/etc. 
6. Ongoing to-do list kept on school Google Keep and in my smallish notebook (this I will carry back and forth to school). 

This will require a few things, namely some new routines: 

• At the end of every day, I will have to update the electronic plan book to keep track of exactly what was covered in each class and what happened.  This should take no more than 10 minutes or so. 
• At the end of every week, I will need to clean out my class slots so that I can fill them for the following week. For this, I will need to figure out a way to store extra copies for students that were absent ***
• I must keep track of what and how things will be graded. I usually make these decisions as they are working on something and then forget by the time I actually get to grading them. So I need to decide what and how to grade something and note it on the master/key.  I actually should keep a note on this in the unit binder so I know next year. 
• I have to get strict about grading/planning. No goofing off. I have to have a plan on what to get done when and stick to it no matter what. 
• I have to take the time every day or week to do what is necessary to keep me organized and on track. I can totally do this, I just need to make it a habit. 

*** Had a thought as I was typing this. I have the folders with their names for each class. When they are absent I will put papers in there. It will only take a minute and then I will be sure they have it. 

Okay, feeling good about this. It's not so much changing what I do, it's more about refining it and making these things habits. So I'm going to start setting things up this weekend - I have 5 days to get it all organized and put in place. Once I have it set up, I will stick to this for the remainder of the year and make things habits. 

Wow, that took a lot....off to get things started.