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How to Tackle Your Time and Skyrocket Your Productivity: 3 Step System

Goals and Motivation, Instructional Coaching, Organization, Teaching Tips, Time Management

You know that old Rolling Stones song that goes like this…(imagine me singing) “tiiiiiiime is on my side, yes it is!” If not, it’s a good one. You should listen to it.

Although the song says it should be true, it sure doesn’t always feel like time is on my side.

Sometimes I just wish I had a personal assistant (one at school and one at home), a private chef, and one of those Google self-driving cars. Or maybe I just need a magic wand to help me get it all done.

Ya know what I’m talkin’ about?

Well, since I’ve got some big goals on my list this year, and magic time giving wands don’t really exist, I knew I needed to get some systems and structures in place to help me really make the most of my time this year.

So I sat down, grabbed my notebook, and started working out a plan for myself.

The plan is pretty simple really, just 3 steps – List It, Map It, Block It.

Taking this bit of time to really think things through and get everything laid out on paper, has really helped me see my weeks and days more clearly, and therefore helped me be more productive with my time. And better productivity means more time with my Sommie dog!

Alright, enough chit-chat. Let’s start tackling some time!

STEP 1 – LIST IT

First things first. We’ve got to List It all out. And don’t be shy here.

On a daily and weekly basis, what are all of your need to-dos, want to-dos, or even forgot to-dos? Just list it all out on this handy printable. Everything from getting ready for school, to coaching prep, to food prep, to PD prep. You might want to put in a pill right out there to help you stay focused. A lot of safe options on BuyModafinilOnline and a lot of people swore by them!

STEP 2 – MAP IT

OK I know, we’re not stress free yet. Because now you may be staring at this giant, scribbled out list and thinking “Ahh! I seriously have too much to-do!” Don’t freak out, we’ll sort through it. And remember. This should not be a giant task-list. There should also be want to-dos for yourself, and your priorities and goals. Like going for a run before school, reading that professional learning book that’s been on your shelf for months, or going out for a coffee with friends.

OK? OK.

Now look at your list again. Is there anything on there you may be able to cross off? Delegate to someone else? Yes, there are a few. Find em.

Next, look at the items that are left, and highlight those that you really want to make sure you have time for on your schedule.

Got it? OK. Now categorize these most important to-do’s by day, priority, or project. For example, you may frequently have a lot of copies to make, or errands to run, or a big PD coming up. Separate each of these into a different category.

This is your Map It step, and will help you carve a clear time tackling path.

STEP 3 – BLOCK IT

Great job! Let’s keep going. We’re just about there.

Now that you’ve mapped out your to-dos, it’s time to block it! Time blocking is a proven time management strategy that will help guide your decisions and how you manage each day. This is where you officially claim your time and align your actions with your goals and priorities.

So take a look at the to-do categories you just mapped out, and find the ideal time slots in your week where it would make the most sense to plug them in.

Use this as your “Ideal Week” template. Keep it somewhere as a reference tool. It will help you plan out each week a bit more quickly, and guide you in what to say yes or no to when deciding what to take on.

And for long range time blocking and goal mapping, you can use this ready to go calendar!

I know I said there were only three steps, buuuuttt…there’s actually one more…

STEP 4 – WORK IT!

Now that you’ve put this awesome plan into place, you’ve got to take action!

Do everything you can to follow-through and maintain the commitments you’ve just made to yourself, and your goals and priorities. Work hard to defend it, and remember this isn’t a perfect process, so revise and adjust as needed.

For the ultimate planning tool that follows this exact system, check out the Time & ToDo Planner!

And for a few free printables to get you started….

If you’d like to add the Daily Schedule and Portrait Calendar to your tool-box, you can find them in my shop.

YOUR HOMEWORK

First find 20-30 minutes of time this week, and block it off on your calendar for “time tackling.” Then…

List It
Map It
Block It

And BOOM! You’ll be well on your way to better productivity and less stress.

Let me know how it goes, or what questions come up, in the comments below.

PS – If you have friends who may need some time tackling tips and tools too, I would greatly appreciate if you shared this post using the buttons below. Thanks!!

Stories from the Field: Interview with Natalie Chustz

Goals and Motivation, Instructional Coaching, Teaching Tips, Time Management

One of the requests that came through loud and clear on the MsHouser Annual Reader Survey, was to hear more “stories from the field.” Or an opportunity to learn from the experiences of real coaches doing the real work of coaching, day in and day out.

I’m right there with you, and I want to learn more too!

So I was so, super excited to kick off this new “Interview with a Coach” addition to the MsHouser blog, with an interview with Natalie Chustz.

Natalie is a second year instructional coach in a private school setting. Natalie is so easy going, friendly, and a total learner and we had such a fun time chatting. She really spent time to prepare for this interview, in an effort that the info she shared could “help a coach out there somewhere” – Natalie’s words :)

Here are some specific take-aways from our conversation:

How Natalie transitioned into instructional coaching
How Natalie works with her Director (during a time of transition)
Why it’s always important to continue to see yourself as a teacher
The importance of building relationships early on and how Natalie does it
How Natalie uses social media to connect with other coaches

Have any thoughts in response to this coaching convo? Let us know in the comments below.

And if you have any follow-up questions for Natalie or would like to connect with her further, here’s where you can find her:

Twitter: @natalieschustz
Email: nchustz@aesgators.org

Thanks so much for being a part of this conversation!

Talk to you next week,

PS – If you have a quick sec, I’d really appreciate if you used the buttons below to share this post! Thanks a million.

Looking Ahead into 2016 – What’s Coming Up

Goals and Motivation, Instructional Coaching, Organization, Teaching Tips

Oh man, oh man. A lot has been going on behind the scenes here at MsHouser Headquarters, and I’m so super excited for the plans I’ve been crafting up for 2016. And those plans I’ve been crafting up, are really for you! More on that in just a sec, but let’s first take a quick look back at the accomplishments and celebrations of 2015:

The number of MsHouser readers has grown to over 3,900!!! Everyday I get friendly emails and comments from the community, which is just so great.

We (Luke and I, but mostly Luke) redesigned the site with a fresh, new color scheme.

The Time & ToDo Planner, my first physical product, was launched and successfully funded through Kickstarter. This was one of my biggest and most celebrated accomplishments of the year. And I know many of you are making full use of it, so I’m thankful I chose to invest the time and energy into this project.

I finally got around to updating my Resource Page this summer. This is chock full of many of the helpful resources I use in both my professional and personal life.

The first MsHouser Annual Reader Survey was created and shared on the blog. With an overwhelming 763 reader responses collected, I learned so much about what’s working for the MsHouser community, but also what I can do even better…and that’s the exciting part!

After spending A LOT of time sifting through all the data collected, check out what I learned:

Lastly, many of you expressed with double exclamation marks…Don’t stop sharing!!

Don’t worry team! I’m going to keep this train going! And I’m going to keep it going strong.

As we look ahead into 2016, here are the highlights of what’s coming up:

INTERVIEW WITH A COACH/TEACHER SERIES

Many of you really enjoyed the post where I shared a “Day in My Life.” There were also several comments in the reader survey asking for more posts such as these. Well…I thought it would be really interesting to highlight other coaches and teachers, and their tricks and tools. What do you think?! I know, I’m excited too.

I’m looking for a few coaches and teachers to highlight in these posts. So, if you’d like to have a little chat with me and be featured on the site, please shoot me an email and let me know!

**I’ll also be opening the blog up to a few Guest Posts this year. If you are interested in providing value to the MsHouser community through your experiences as a coach or teacher, please contact me about being a guest author!

A WALK THROUGH A COACHING CYCLE SERIES – WITH VIDEOS!

When I was tallying up how many of you wanted more videos of coaching in action, there were a lot to mark down!

And sure, why not! I’ll be putting together a series of blog posts with videos, walking you through a full coaching cycle. I haven’t decided on the month I’ll release these yet, but it will likely be for the next Academic Year.

2016-2017 ACADEMIC TIME & TODO PLANNER

It’s coming(!!), and it’s going to be pretty awesome. We learned a lot after the first ever production and launch of the Time & ToDo Planner last year, and have been working hard on making this year’s planner even better.

The expected launch date is mid-April. You can sign up at timeandtodoplanner.com for additional info and updates.

A DIGITAL BOOK

Say what?! Yep, you heard me right. After five years of blogging, there is a ton of info on the site, but it’s not really organized in a way that’s super user friendly. And there are many of you who are new to coaching, and looking for a clear and well organized road-map for getting started and getting better. I think a book (with lots of visuals of course) is going to be a really helpful solution and resource for many of you.

If you have thoughts on info to be included, formatting, or anything else, here’s your chance to let me know! Please share your ideas in the comments below.

I may have a few other ideas up my sleeve, but these are the big ones I wanted to throw out there for now.

So much to look forward to, for sure!

I’m here to help make 2016 a fantastic year for you, and I hope you’re as excited as I am for these plans that will unfold throughout the year.

And remember, don’t forget to let me know:

What ideas/info would you love to see included in the Digital Book coming out this year?

Want to be a featured coach/teacher on the blog?

Thanks again and check you next week!

10 Great Gift Giving (and Getting) Ideas for Educators

Goals and Motivation, Organization, Teaching Tips, Time Management

Happy Holidays! It’s a SNOW DAY(!!) here in Denver, which has really got me in the holiday spirit. I’ve got my eggnog latte in hand, feet kicked up, and a fire blazin’. So if you’re looking for the best gifts for your friends and family you can go to sites as ForSale.plus to find the best products for the holiday season.

As I was checking through my holiday gift list, I got to thinking about the Gift Guide I put together a few years ago and thought, “Hey! I should do another one of those!”

So here it is, 10 gift giving (or getting) ideas for educators…

1. Time & ToDo Planner 2016

I’m planning on putting my planner together next week, and am psyched! We weren’t able to print a bound version of the planner for the calendar year, but are excited to have a digital version available AND the colorful academic planner!

We’ll print it for you on thick, smooth paper with a full color-bleed, and ready to bind on your own. No hassling with printing or forking over a bunch of money at a print shop!

If you already have a planner, or won’t be in the market for one until the next school year, we’re looking forward to releasing a bound version of the Time & ToDo Planner with some featured upgrades to the existing design.
Get the Time & ToDo Planner!

2. Tea Infuser Mug

I’m normally all about coffee, coffee, coffee, but am changing it up this year with an option for the tea lovers. I’ve just been venturing into the world of Yerba Mate, and this little guy has been a handy way to brew a yummy mug at school.

3. Frixion Erasable Pens

Oh man. When I first discovered these pens, I had no idea how I had ever gone so long with out them. I mean, you can write in pen, AND erase! So cool. They’re the only pens I can use with my planner, since I’m frequently switching things around in my weekly schedule. You’ve got to try them!

4. Gold Pen/Pencil Pouch

I carry my pencil pouch with me everywhere. It holds all my erasable pens, some wash tape, and whiteout. This would be a great, inexpensive gift for a teacher friend.

5. NeuYear Wall Calendar

I just ordered this calendar, and it’s sweeeeet! I plan to use it to map out my big goals and plans for the year. It’s large and in charge, so I’ve posted on the wall in my home office so it’s always staring me down, and reminding me of where I should be headed. No excuses!

6. Swell Water Bottle

I always have to throw a water bottle in the mix, and this one is my new fave. It comes in a great size and shape to easily fit in your bag, and the color and style options they offer are super cool.

7. Arc Notebook

How about a new Arc Notebook for your Coaching Kit and/or planner? Levenger has come out with some nice new options, and I’ve always loved this quilted one from Staples.

8. Adult Coloring Book

When Luke ordered one of these a month or so ago, I kind of thought, “Huh? You ordered a coloring book??” But then I checked it out further and they’re actually really neat. They’re supposed to be especially helpful for stress, so the next time you’re having a stressful day at school, maybe just whip out your coloring book at lunch to help you bring it down a notch or two.

9. Instacart

There may not be a better gift you can give a friend, or yourself, than the gift of time. That sounds kind of cheesy, but really it’s true! Instacart has saved me a good two hours each weekend on grocery shopping, and I love it! It’s becoming available in a growing number of areas, but if they’re not where you’re at yet, maybe you can think of another way you can do some outsourcing in 2016 and save yourself some time.

10. Audible Subscription

Give the gift of learning! I’ve read/listened to so many great books on Audible, and mostly while on my commute or walking Sombra! Listening to books is a terrific way to sharpen your saw and maximize your time.

Hope this post gave you a few good ideas.

As we wrap up this week and head into a few weeks off from school, I’m wishing you warm snuggles by the fire, golden champagne, and all the joy and happiness this season brings.

Thanks so much for sharing some of your valuable time with me this year, and I’m looking forward to a great new year!

A Guided Reading Observation Template

Instructional Coaching, Organization, Teaching Tips

Hello! How was your Thanksgiving Break?! Mine was pretty good overall. I was sick for a few days, but still managed to make time for some holiday decorating AND our long awaited home office project. Luke busted out his woodshop skills and built us the coolest desk ever! It’s L-shaped, so now we both have a super organized and inspired space to work in.

Productive blogging, product creating, and efficient planning here I come!

I know our super cool L-shaped desk isn’t the intended topic of this post, but I’m just so dang excited about it, I had to share.

Alright, moving on!

Yesterday afternoon, during my coaching convo with Olivia, I was giving myself a big pat on the back for the handy observation template I had created and was referring to. As we were chatting, I realized just how helpful it has been!

Olivia is brand new to guided reading, so I knew I needed to really “break it down”…or translate a guided reading lesson into small, concrete steps or parts.

In a small group PD session right before the start of our coaching cycle, I was able to walk her and a few other of our new teachers through the basic structure of what a guided reading lesson looks like. I created an anchor chart that looks like this:

I then used this same structure to create an observation form.

Download Here

I shared this with Olivia at the start of our coaching cycle, so she and I were on the same page for where we were headed and what I would be looking for. She was on board!

Then I made a few copies and popped them into my Coaching Kit.

This observation tool has been really helpful in my classroom visits, because I have a handy reference for exactly what I’m looking for. I’m also able to refer to this together with Olivia in our debriefs, as we discuss what worked well and what we might want to tweak the next time around.

Maybe you can use the tool directly, or just adjust it a bit to better meet your needs. Either way, hope it helps you with your work!

Thanks so much for being a part of the MsHouser community, and I’ll see you next week!

PS – If you have a quick sec, I’d really appreciate if you used the buttons below to share this post! Thanks a million.

6 Tips for Effective Meeting Facilitation

Instructional Coaching, Organization, Teaching Tips, Time Management

Pop quiz time. Ready?

What is the number one, most valuable resource for coaches and teachers?

a. Coffee
b. Time
c. Post It Notes
d. Technology

And the answer is (I’ll bet you guessed it)…b!! TIME! (although maybe this could have been tied with a)

As you know, we really need every single minute of it to get done everything we need to get done in our busy days.

So there’s nothing worse than when our time is wasted.

And you know what one of the biggest culprits can be? Meaningless Meetings.

Sure, meetings (planning meetings, PD meetings, business related meetings) are an essential part of working in a school. But if run poorly, they can be a huge waste of time.

But good news! As coaches there’s something we can do about this.

We facilitate lots of meetings, so let’s make sure the ones we’re responsible for leading are meaning-FULL, not meaningless.

I thought it might be helpful if I walked you through a case study of what it can look like to put this plan into action.

OK. So earlier this week I facilitated a curriculum planning meeting with our fourth grade team. Here’s how I went about making sure I had all my ducks in a row and the meeting was a meaningful use of this team’s time.

1. Identify Outcomes and Create an Agenda

To help me identify an outcome for our time together that felt supportive to the team, I sent out an email the week prior to meeting with them. After I received their response, I was able to create a purposeful agenda aligned to their needs.

2. Provide Helpful Resources

I always try to think about what resources (books, videos, examples, planning templates, etc.) would support teachers in the work they’re setting out to accomplish. In this particular case, I thought it would be helpful to give them a planning template they could use to help them with the logistics that go into planning a Celebration of Learning.

3. Use Google Docs

In curriculum planning meetings, there’s frequently a good amount of collaborative work and thinking going on. Google Docs/Drive makes it super easy for me to capture this work and share it with the team afterwards.

4. Listen First, Talk Second

I have lots of thoughts and ideas I’m excited to share with teachers in planning meetings. But I zip it up, and listen first. Then I can guide the discussion as needed with follow-up questions or suggestions.

5. Track Time and Keep it Tight

As the facilitator, it’s my role to track time and keep the team’s work on track. Since we only have 45 minutes for these planning meetings, this is super important. Including the estimated amount of time for each part of the agenda helps with this.

6. Identify Next Steps and Follow-Up

Don’t forget to leave 5 minutes at the end of your time to review what was covered and identify next steps. AND set a time/day for when you’ll follow-up.

And BOOM! You’ve got yourself a meaning-FULL meeting.

If you have an upcoming meeting to facilitate, hopefully you can use these tips as a roadmap to get you started and check your work.

Have a question, or maybe a tip I didn’t include? Share it in the comments below.

Enjoy your weekend and I’ll talk to you soon!

P.S. If you liked this post and found it helpful, I’d GREATLY appreciate if you helped me spread the word using the share buttons below. Thanks!

What Coaches and Teachers Can Learn from Peyton Manning

Teaching Tips

You might not know this, but the Broncos and Peyton Manning have a BIG game coming up this weekend.

Yep. It’s us vs. the Packers, two 6 and 0 teams going head-to-head, Peyton vs. Aaron Rodgers. And guess what…the Packers are going dowwwwn!!!

I know what you’re thinking – okay Kristin, settle down now. We get that you like the Broncos and Peyton Manning. But what the heck does that have to do with coaching and teaching anyway??

Well, a whole gosh darn lot actually. Peyton’s work on and off the field provides some great insight into leadership traits that reach beyond the football field and into schools and classrooms and the work we do everyday.

In fact, Peyton’s spoken about these traits before, referring to them as ‘Game Changers.’ So let’s take a look at what they are and how we can use them to inspire our own work.

1. Learn to Thrive on Being Uncomfortable

Isn’t is great when everything is going just swimmingly?

Well, yeah.

But then what happens when it doesn’t?

Your principal wants to observe you, you just found out you have to facilitate a giant PD, or you were asked to work with that tricky teacher in the building…and all of a sudden, you become very, very uncomfortable.

It happens to Peyton all the time. An interception, a sack, an arena full of screaming football fans. But do you see him fall apart and hide behind the Gatorade table? Nope.

Because he knows that when he’s uncomfortable, he’s getting better.

So let’s take a lesson from Peyton.

Instead of running from those uncomfortable situations, let’s run towards them. Bring it on!

2. Devote Yourself to Intense Preparation

This is a big one for Peyton. Even though this is his 18^th season in the NFL, he still works his
be-hind off like it’s his first year. Peyton reviews tape intensely, works out like a madman, and works to figure out all the variables so that on game day he is as ready as possible for whatever the opposing team may bring into the stadium.

And that’s how it should be for us too, especially since we have such a high stakes game to play everyday.

Make sure your lessons are tight, copies are made, and all materials are accounted for.

Make time to plan for your coaching convos – think through the focus questions you want to ask, anticipate what your coachee might say in response and how you’ll direct the conversation from there. Identify a small, actionable next step that will really make a difference

3. Be Prepared to Adjust

The reality is, that no matter how well planned you are, things won’t always go just as you had envisioned. And you’ll need to adjust.

The ability to adjust, is the ability to be responsive to whatever you may have observed or anything that has changed in the moment you’re in.

This is a skill, and it’s a good one to practice. Trust your instincts, your professional judgment, and make smart “in the moment” decisions to move your team (students/teachers) and yourself forward.

And this applies to bigger picture stuff too. There may be a change in leadership or a new curriculum to roll-out. Things are always changing, especially in education, but that’s ok.

We’re prepared to adjust.

4. Invest in a Coach

Since Peyton’s been playing so long, you’d think he wouldn’t need or want a coach anymore right? Nope.

As Peyton said in his Leadercast talk, “As soon as someone stops wanting to be coached, taught or mentored they are in trouble. The landscape of the sports field changes, just as the landscape of your business. Coaching keeps you on the top of your game.”

Say it Peyton!

And coaches, don’t forget – we need coaches too. Do your best to seek this out. Ask for feedback, learn from others, and keep working to get better.

5. Become a Master Observer

As coaches, we have the unique opportunity to visit several classrooms each week. To see different teachers deliver different lessons, and then watch how kids engage in the work.

As teachers, we have the special opportunity to be a part of a classroom full of unique learners, sorting through all kinds of different work and learning.

And there is so much to learn from each of these moments.

You just have to pay attention.

When you become a master observer in this way, as Peyton is, constantly seeking to figure things out, you’re able to gather so much super valuable “data” that will help you be a better leader for your team.

6. Build Relationships and Instill Trust

“Trust does not come from the position occupied by the leader. It is earned by example and over time.”

Oooo. That’s a tweet-able. Tweet tweet.

Building relationships and instilling trust is the foundation of all the work you do in classrooms and with teachers. Without it, you don’t have much.

So, what do you think – are you one of the Game Changers in your school?

Let me know which of these traits really hits home with you in the comments below.

For me…I’m not sure I’m Peyton Manning status yet, but I’m going to keep working at it.

And you better know I’ll be rocking my Peyton Manning jersey at school today, and also screaming loudly for a Broncos victory this weekend.

Go Broncos!!

P.S. If you thought this post was fun to read, and others might enjoy reading it as well, I would really appreciate it if you shared it with your friends using the buttons below. Thanks!

P.P.S If you don’t like Peyton Manning or the Broncos…say what??!! But ok, fine. We can still be friends. Maybe just not this weekend :)

A Fun Initiative for Staff and Students

Teaching Tips

I’m back from fall break this week and headed into 2^nd quarter. We usually go somewhere on a mountain adventure, but this year we opted for a stay-cation and it was just great. Long walks with the puppy Sombra, sunny patio sessions, and a little shopping time. Ahh….

One of the cool things about our calendar, is we have a PWL day (Professional Work and Learning) after every break. So instead of diving straight back in, we have a day to come together as a staff and do some work.

When we get together on these days, or on Wednesday PDs, we usually always kick things off with an initiative.

Initiatives are a terrific structure for building community and relational trust, while also warming everyone up for some learning.

I thought I’d share the initiative our fourth grade team put together for this week, so you can use it too!

An initiative is a bit different from an “activity” in that there’s always a clear learning target or purpose for what you’ll be doing. It’s also followed by a debrief at the end, giving everyone the opportunity to make connections between the initiative and the bigger picture of the work you’ll be doing moving forward. (I’ve provided some example debrief questions at the end.)

So start your planning by identifying a target and post it on a chart to refer to during the opening/framing, as well as the debrief. The target can be flexible for this initiative, but here was ours:

Since teachers/students will be rotating through three different “stations” for this initiative, you’ll want to have everyone number off and get themselves into groups. We have a pretty large staff so we had two of each station set-up, so the groups weren’t too big. Each group had 5 minutes at each station.

To set-up each station, post the station number next to the station task card. There are a few materials to prepare in advance, which you can check out using the task cards (printable and ready-to-go!) below.

STATION 1 TASK CARD DOWNLOAD

STATION 2 TASK CARD DOWNLOAD

STATION 3 TASK CARD DOWNLOAD

Okay! Once everyone has rotated through each station, circle everyone up for a debrief.

Here are a few debrief questions you can throw out to the group:

What felt challenging?
How did you persevere or work through these challenges?
What connections can you make between this initiative and the work we’ll be doing today/this week/this quarter?

Now with this initiative complete, teachers will be ready to dig into any work planned with a refreshed mindset and a little extra oomph of energy.

I hope you’re able to use this at your next staff or classroom meeting!

If you have other great ideas for community building initiatives, please take a sec to share it in the comments below.

To fun times with initiatives,

P.S. If you liked this fun initiative post and want to help me spread the word by using the links below (or just shout it out on Twitter!), I would totally appreciate it!

P.P.S. Here are a few more fun initiatives!

4 Ways to Organize Your Coaching Life Using Google Drive

Teaching Tips

On my way into school this morning, I grabbed myself a Pumpkin Latte with almond milk to celebrate my favorite season of the year, Fall(!!), officially being here. The leaves are starting to turn and the temps have dropped just enough for me to be able to break out my new, navy J-Crew puffy vest. (just wore it today btw and it looks super cute!)

On the school front, my first round of coaching cycles are wrapping up and fall break is next week.

Around this time of year, every year usually, I get a bad case of the organizing/cleaning/purging bug. Old notes, computer files, my planner, the windows and carpets at home…watch out. I’m coming to get you.

One of those disorganized, I’m coming to get you items on my radar this year was my Google Drive.

I love my paper planner, my erasable Frixion pens, and my washi tape file folders, but I also have a few go to digital tools I love and use often. One of them being Google Drive.

I love me some Google Drive.

It’s my favorite tool and secret weapon for bridging the world of paper and tech in an organized and efficient way.

As I was sorting, purging, and organizing my Drive earlier this week, I thought it might be helpful to share four ways you can get more organized using this online tool.

1. Create Folders and Subfolders

First, get your folders set-up. How you structure your folders will be the backbone of your whole system.

No folders = random documents everywhere = BAH!!

Here’s a peek into how I structure mine.

In case you’re wondering, what goes in my planning kit and what goes online…I like to keep my coaching log online so it can be easily shared with my coachee (more about sharing in a bit…). I also keep an online observation and debrief tool for each coachee ready to go in their folder, as I sometimes prefer to record notes on my computer, based on the complexity and length of the lesson I observe. For grade levels, I upload major planning documents I may need for shared planning and a log of agendas.

2. Color Code

I color code my calendar, my planner, and pretty much everything else in my life, so of course I’m going to color code my Drive!

Color coding is a great way to visually organize your folders and sub-folders. Just right-click your folder of choice and select the option “Change Color.” You can select one of 24 different options.

3. Take Advantage of Google Sheets, Forms and Sites…Oh My!

There’s a whole wide world of cool tools beyond the standard Google Doc, just waiting for you to take advantage of.

To start, I use Google Sheets as my go-to tool for collecting and organizing data from teachers. For example, I currently have a spreadsheet set-up to help me gather student info from teachers so I can quickly add student names and info to our district assessment system. When a student needs to be added, teachers fill out their info using the shareable link, and I can then get it sent into the district…super quick and easy!

And Google Forms are a super cool way to collect feedback after PD sessions. I just create an Exit Ticket Form which teachers fill out immediately after PD, then I can organize and view all the responses using a Google Sheet to determine what teachers appreciated, their commitments to next steps, and what we can do to improve. Boom!

Oh, and if you’re feeling like you’re really up for having some fun, you can work on creating a whole SITE for your school! How cool would that be?!?

4. Share!!

This one got a double exclamation mark because it’s one of my favorite features of Google Drive, and what really got me hooked in the first place. I love sharing! It supports collaboration, communication, and efficiency for coaches, teachers, principals, husbands and wives…everyone!

Here are a few ways I take advantage of the share feature on Google Drive:

coaching logs shared with coachees
goal setting forms shared with coachees
- NOTE** If you use any of the planning forms in the Simplified Coaching Planning Kit, you can easily upload them to Google Drive
observation and debrief notes
planning agendas
planning meeting notes
curriculum planning forms
spreadsheets to collect info

And lot’s more!

When sharing, you can either enter the names of people you want to share the doc with, or send folks a “shareable link.”

And that’s that! Hopefully you picked up a few good tips that will help you get your digital life a bit more organized.

Sometimes it’s just the small step of choosing one thing/place to sort, purge, and organize that can help you feel way better and more in control.

Thanks for reading, and if you happen to have fall break coming up, enjoy!

P.S. If you liked this post, I’d GREATLY appreciate it if you’d use the buttons below to share it with your buddies!

A Goal Setting Tool Made Just for You

Teaching Tips

Do you know what you want to get better at this year?

Like specifically?

Have you taken the time to honestly reflect and evaluate your practice as a coach? What you’re feeling really good about, and any areas where you could probably work to be better?

I know what you’re thinking: “But I have too many other things to do Kristin! I don’t have time to goal set. C’mon now!”

Or wait, maybe you do really want to set some goals for yourself this year, but you’re thinking: “I don’t even know where to start! How do you write your goals anyway?”

I know what you’re thinking because I can relate. Goal setting is hard. So sometimes we postpone it or just avoid it altogether. Honestly, if I hadn’t had my beginning of year goal setting meeting a few weeks ago with my supervisor, I may not have taken the time to slow down and give it any attention either.

But once I did, I was glad I did. I’m a big time goal setter in all other areas of my life, and I invest in the process fully, because I know how powerful it can be.

When you have a clear aim, a vision, for where you’re headed, your good friend Mo (otherwise known as Mr. Motivation) falls in step right beside you, and you start to worker smarter and harder.

Are you with me?! Ready to set some goals?!

Sweet. Now back to the creating the “clear aim and vision” part. Well you know me…I’m always here to help!

That’s why I’ve put together this free workbook made specifically for you and your go-get-em, goal setting self.

Get the FREE Goal Setting Workbook

Don’t worry, it’s not the looooong and super detailed rubric I needed to complete last week as part of my goal setting meeting. There is a rubric though, just a friendlier one! And a few other handy forms to help you assess and evaluate where you’re at, plan where you want to go, then act and track! (did you see how I was inspired by the Teaching Learning Cycle there?)

The workbook is designed to help you smile and have some fun with this whole goal setting thing.

Ooo, and no goal setting jam session would be complete without some good beats in the background. So I put together a playlist of some of my favorite songs for you. Woot woot!

It’s 27 minutes long – the perfect amount of time for a goal setting session. Use the first song to look through the workbook, the second and third song to work through the rubric, then crank up the last few songs and write some goals!

And while we’re on the subject of goal setting, I wanted to take this opportunity to share one of my big goals for this year with you. Drumroll…

To provide tons of great resources, content, and value for YOU! My fellow educator and friend from afar.

So I’ve put together an easy to fill out survey, because your input is super important to me. You can finish in 3 minutes, and your feedback will help me create content and resources even more interesting, relevant, and supportive for you and your work.

To get your free Goal Setting Workbook, all you need to do is complete the 3 minute Reader Survey. Then I’ll send it over in an email!

Print the workbook this weekend then grab some fun pens, turn on your goal-setting tunes, and get to work on crafting a vision and plan for where you want to head this year.

I’d love to hear what your goals are in the comments below. Go for it – share one goal and one next step.

Thanks for investing in yourself and the MsHouser community!

Get the FREE Goal Setting Workbook

Talk to you soon,