At the end of last year I was tired of my planning book. In this day a d age there must be a more efficient way of recording what you're doing when. With a nine day rotating schedule I seemed to be forever erasing 'days' and pushing my program froward a single day. I found myself endlessly asking the question, " Why, in this day and age, am I using a pencil and eraser for this task?"
Even before school finished for the year, I was preparing my husband for the purchase of a laptop, of course school wasn't going to foot the bill, so I was laying the groundwork at home. I'll admit it was not so easy, he works out of the education industry. In his business if a piece of hardware is required for your work, then work purchases the equipment. Is this only in education where staff are expected to purchase their own hardware?
Alas, I digress. Over the summer the iPad was released, I watched eagerly considering the alternative of the iPad over a shiny new laptop - which was a always going to be an apple. After a bit of backward and forward, weighing up the pros and cons I went with an iPad. The compromise being if it didn't work for my planning and say-to-day at school, then it would become the lounge room iPad.
Well. It's been four months now since the beginning of the new school year. In the first few weeks I made the conscious choice not to carry a pen or pencil anywhere. At first it was hard. I felt as though I was arriving everywhere unprepared, although I took my iPad I took nothing else, I felt slightly naughty. Over time this element has become normal. I take. Y iPad only, everywhere that I go.
More importantly, in the classroom my general management has taken longer to feel comfortable with, and I will admit I'm not there yet. These are my apps:
iCal this was the only cal a deer app I could find to maintain my 9 day rotating schedule. I do have to do it manually but after an extensive search of the app storer I could find not better. One came close, Planbook, but reliability was a real issue. As you can imagine I was not prepared to gamble with my planning book. Synchronising between the iPad, iPhone and computer remains invaluable - I want it to be better, but I would pay money for what I have.
Bento Box this has been great, fileMaker pro in a neat little bucket. I'm still working my way through it, but o have a database file for general observations, language and maths anecdotal notes. I have separate files for general grade level meetings. Curricular meetings and elementary school meetings. It's nit the easiest thing to look at, bout it does allow me to organise a d re-organise my notes in a range of formats.
iBooks allows me to store all of those important PDF files. My next step here is to find the app that allows me to notate them. I know there are a lot our there, but one thing I've learned is to take my time and find what works for me.
Choosing an app too soon closes your mind to quickly to others that might fit better. I'm still looking for a better way to record my anecdotal notes and maintain my calendar. Ideally I'd like to integrate the two. I mustn't be the only one.
What do you use?
I have found iAnnotate to be an invaluable tool when working with PDFs. I have used it to highlight, write notes and even to digitally sign a recommendation letter.
ReplyDelete