During the past week, I presented to two groups. One group was located more than a 1,000 miles away. The other was less than 20. One group was comprised of school leaders. The other was school students. What they both had in common was the desire to learn more about how to organize their surroundings and manage their time.

My thanks to The Leadership Committee for English Education in Quebec for their invitation to present at the Leadership for School Improvement Workbook. Participants commit to six days of professional development, three in April, and the remaining three in August. Graduates of the workshop are also able to return for sessions which were added to the series since their participation. The workshop was held at scenic Auberge du Vieux Foyer. In addition to the pictures on their website, here are some I took during my stay:

One of our topics was using a “Signature Tool” as a place to trap and organize everything which needs to be handled. We explored the advantages of this tool being digital. We used  Toodledo, and not only explored the website on our laptops, but downloaded the apps for tablets and phones. Before lunch, we were moving emails to the to-do list and even adding tasks through voice input. Note: In October 2018, I left Toodledo in favor of Remember The Milk due to changes made by a new owner.

Raymond L. Young Elementary School

Only a few days later, the location was much closer to home, and the audience much younger, but the topic was the same. Students in the 5th and 6th grade at Raymond L. Young Elementary School learned about their own “Signature Tool.”

The school issues student planners at the beginning of the year. These young people learned how to use their planners not only to keep up with assignments and tests in school, but how to keep up with responsibilities in all aspects of their lives. They learned about breaking big projects down into manageable steps, setting goals, and managing the paper flow at home. You can read more about this workshop on the school’s blog and take a look at this Smilebox.

Dr. Donna King, Superintendent of Talladega City Schools, was on hand to welcome me. Thanks also to Bob Crisp of The Daily Home for covering the event. A special thanks to principal Pattie Thomas for the invitation and hospitality, and to the faculty, for whom “A Good Place to Learn and Grow” is not just a motto; it’s the way they do business.

Every good things you do…for your students, for your family, for your community, or for yourself…it all happens through the dimension of time. That one is true no matter your age.

As you think back on your own life, when did time management click for you? What person or event made a difference in how you approach organization and time management?  Feel free to leave a comment.

If you likes this post, why not share it with a friend? Click one of the social sharing buttons below.