Thing #16

I chose the iGoogle intropage because I tend to love everything that is Google. It literally took 15 seconds to set up and it's just as easy to change my preferences to delete or add new things I want included on my intropage. My yahoo! is similar but I found iGoogle to be more user-friendly and easier on the eyes when looking around the page for information. I like having everything already there instead of just links to the weather or to a calendar.


I already have an online calendar through Google and it is an absolute lifesaver. I set it up a couple of months ago to keep track of class dates, assignments, bill payments, when I need to mail my husband care packages in order for him to get them by a certain date, and all of my training information for my 1/2 marathon (which I'll be running in less than 24 hrs. scary!). I LOVE it. I get email reminders for the items I select and then I delete the emails when the task is complete--like a to-do list (but more about those in a minute). I will absolutely keep using my Google calendar for my personal, school, and professional life. It is so nice to get all of those dates and to-dos out of your brain and into the computer.

Before I started looking at the to-do list applications I was thinking 1.) man, I love lists and 2.) isn't this a little redundant when I already have email reminders from my calendar. With regard to number 1: I really do love lists. I have always been a list-maker, even if just to feel like I've accomplished something by making the list. My husband is a list maker too and we write each other little lists, share our own lists with each other for moral support, etc. With regard to number 2: as it turns out, these applications are super cool and NOT redundant. I chose to sign up for "Remember the Milk" because I loved the name (although I might have changed it to "tartar sauce. tartar sauce" for all of those "The Weather Man" lovers like my family) and because it had some features that I thought were fantastic. First, being able to have my lists texted to my phone is far superior to my methods which usually include hastily written lists on the backs of envelopes or lists that I text to myself and then always delete before I should. I also really loved the "share" function where I can share the to-do list with someone else to divvy up work. My husband and I could really utilize this feature to coordinate errands and other regular-life stuff.

As far as using any of these tools in the classroom, I would definitely use the Google Calendar application. I could make a calendar for each class period and then add the student and/or parent email addresses to the share list. Students and parents would get reminder emails about upcoming tests or assignments, and could check the homework for the following week so they'll know what to do when they have a dentist appointment and miss class. If I make a change or add something everyone will be notified. By reminding students about projects or tests in advance I can help boost their time management and discourage procrastination and forgetfulness.

Speaking of procrastination and forgetfulness, I'm going to tell my mom and sister about "Remember the Milk" immediately. Well, maybe not immediately, but I'll set a text reminder for it :)