As education professionals, we attend a lot of professional development sessions each year and into our summers. Up until recently, I did not have a proper system for storing the information.
When I first started teaching I made a new paper file folder for each session and put all the handouts into the folders. I quickly learned that I had no place to store all of this information and I would forget what each folder had inside of it. I needed a better system that I worked for me.
Then I tried just taking my own notes on the handouts they provided. That did not last for long as they became very messy and mixed in with the credits of the conference etc.
After these two failed methods I tried a spiral bound notebook and a digital method. I loved both of these methods. Read on to see which one would be a good fit for your personal style.
The Paper Solution
I finally had solved my paper dilemma by purchasing a really nice spiral bound notebook with thick paper and reinforced sheets. The only downfall to this fabulous plan was that I can be forgetful sometimes, OK all the time, and ended up not bringing it to most workshop or in-services, thus making me revert back to my “messy notes on handouts method”.
I love the spiral bound notebook method as it contains all of your notes into one easy to access book, it is very portable and you are able to reference your notes at any time. Best of all this method is cheap. Buy a nice notebook at the dollar store or a discount craft store and you have a durable solution to your organization dilemmas.
However, if you are forgetful like me read on. I found another just as great solution.
The Two-Fold Digital Solution: Google Drive and Pinterest
I always have some form of technology (smartphone, iPad or laptop) on me these days. The harder I try to go unplugged the more I seem to have on me. I was finding that I had less and less papers and/or writing utensils available.
I thought I would start using Google Drive to keep track of my notes. I use my school board Google account (a Google Drive account is free so you don’t need to wait for your school to purchase one for you)to record and manage my notes. I created a folder called Professional Development, then each workshop gets a new document created and titled the name and date of the workshop.
Pros:
I can now access my files, copy and paste ideas, share my notes with my colleagues all with the click of a mouse. I use my devices to take photos during the presentations of resources, ideas, and handouts. I immediately paste these photos into the document to ensure I have them as a future reference.
Cons:
For this method to be effective you have to have regular access to personal or school technology and reliable WiFi.
Note:
With either of my methods, you have to be ruthless in taking good notes and recycling most of the handouts and keeping only the most important. Our classroom and home space are valuable so let’s not use it up on paper storage.
What about digital ideas?
I love Pinterest. I use Pinterest to organize all the great ideas I find on blogs, teaching websites and Google. Create a different board for each subject you teach or each topic you cover. Then you just have to glance at your specific board to find an idea that might spark a great lesson.
What about digital ideas?
I love Pinterest. I use Pinterest to organize all the great ideas I find on blogs, teaching websites and Google. Create a different board for each subject you teach or each topic you cover. Then you just have to glance at your specific board to find an idea that might spark a great lesson.
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Love your tip! I have one of those re-usable shopping bags, into which I stuff my file folders for PD sessions. (For the latest session I attended, I invested a whole dollar in a pretty file folder pocket & used that!)
Not the best organized, and certainly not using technology to my advantage! My plan is to get a lot of my mark book stuff "teched up" this year, and if that works, it's an easy extension to PD information too. Wish me luck!!
Mme Aiello @ Teaching FSL
Bonjour Mme. I am going 100% paperless this year: markbook, daybook, planning and PD. Let me know if you need any ideas or help. Kristy 🙂
I've been trying to find a way to do it too! I had a binder and dividers for handouts etc and a spiral – but now all notes are mixed up and binder is full.
Thinking of a crate, file folders, and a sturdier spiral (and actually SEPARATING notes to tear out and file later.) HMM.
Thanks for the ideas!
Anisa @ Creative Undertakings
In my "Together Teacher" notebook I have a section dedicated to PD. The papers in that section are divided into four areas: Thinking notes, immediate next steps for my classroom, long-term ideas, and questions. If the session is truly meaningful, I will type the notes into an app called Notability which backs up into my Google drive. I have been using this system for three years now and it is pretty efficient.
CJ
http://www.scienceandpearls.blogspot.com
I started using this wonderful new notebook called the Rocket. You take notes using a Pilot pen, scan the page with an app for your phone that sends the notes to digital files you designate. The best part is that you can put the notebook into the microwave to erase all of the pages. Its wonderful because it combines old school notetaking with 21st century technology!!! I highly recommend this notebook!!!