Getting Things Done

The five stages are:

1. Collect
2. Process
3. Organize
4. Review
5. Do                                                                                                                                                                                               

• How did you organize your process? (are you using paper and pencil, a phone, a piece of software)? Currently, I use a combination of things to get me through the process of "Getting Things Done." I use a small paperback planner for my personal engagements, with minimal work engagements (such as after school meetings, social events and vacation days). I use a paper calendar at work to document IEP dates, school activities, meetings, vacation days. I also use the Zimbra calendar (work email) to make a electronic copy of the paper desk calendar at work. This works for me right now. I am able to view appointments and things I need to accomplish from home and I can share the IEP calendar with IEP team members. The calendar also notifies me when I need to work on something or a reminder to begin a task. I also use lots of post-it notes, color coding things helps me get things done in my classroom and in my personal life. I use red or orange for things that are really important and white or yellow for things that are less imperative at the time.                                                                                     

• What was it like for you going through the process the first time? Going through this process for the first time usually begins at a new semester or school year. It can be very daunting, lots of paper and lots of things to change, adjust or cancel. Its definitely difficult to keep track of all my "to-do's" in a traditional paper form.                                                                                                                                           

• Do you think that this process will help you? Why or why not? I definitely think this process will help me, the bigger issue is trying to find a "green" way to do this. I would like to use Google calendar since I can sync it on my phone, but I am unable to access Google at work and I need to use something that would be available to me at home and work. The process is something that I already use and do in order to complete tasks. When I took the assessment for GTD, it said I was already doing the steps it takes to complete the process.                                  

•  Do you think you will continue this process? If not, what will your process be? Post-it notes help me tremendously, and I do not see myself replacing that with a form of technology at this point. At this point I will continue this process until I can get something that can connect my personal and professional "to-do's" all in one area.

Social Networking

After being involved and exploring some of the social networking sites, I am more aware of the possibilities of how this can help me network professionally and personally. The LinkedIn site helped me reconnect with MSU spartan graduates that I have not been in contact with in several years. I was able to see where they are teaching currently and what their careers have provided for them. I could also see this to be a useful tool if you were looking to change career fields or change job positions (within teaching-changing districts). I joined the MAET Facebook group and the MACUL group for MSU, but I am still awaiting confirmation of both of those groups. I currently use Facebook for personal networking and minimal work related networking. In terms of social networking on Facebook with work colleagues, it is important to not post anything you would not want anyone to know about you, so keeping it simple and keeping the privacy settings high. On the other end of the spectrum, it is a great tool to keep in contact and up to date with work colleagues and what is going on in their lives outside of work. I enjoy social networking, even though you can get caught up in it for endless amounts of time it is a useful tool for me and my peers, personally and professionally.

Compare/Contrast: Webpages and Blogs

Webpages:

Webpages are traditionally a place where a business, school, organization etc. can post information and/or sell products. They are accessed through a web browser such as the most popular, Mozilla, Internet Explorer or Safari. People usually go to webpage when they are searching for information or want to purchase something. People sometimes use the web to go to their work/company Intranet where forms and information may be stored. On the web you can search for information using search engines such as Google or Yahoo. Web users can search for anything from a research article to shopping. Web pages can be unsecured and unreliable. For example its important to know what website your going to visit and how your going to use it so other web users cannot retrieve your confidential information. A few different website types are: '.com'-commercial, '.edu'-educational, '.org'-organization. Web pages can change, but in a different way that blogs change. Webpages may update information whereas blogs will add new stories/articles and more comments may be added.

Blogs:

Blogs are constructive and collaborative in the nature of which they are developed and used. A blog is a place where a person can write/explain/discuss/share about any topic they are interested or passionate about such as their career, shopping, news, cooking, crafts, hobbies. On a blog you can make comments and read through personal experiences with a specific topic. A blog is a collection of writing that is focused on high interest topics that can is organized by date. You can follow blogs with a membership to the blog site and some "bloggers" (authors of blogs) may even allow you to comment on their blog.  Blogs and webpages can both be found on the internet and accessable through a variety of blogger sites such as Google's Blogger, WordPress or Blogspot.