Task+Management

__**Skill 4: Task Management – Carolyn Melo**__


 * //An example of the absence of task management......//**

Jerry the coordinator didn't really buy into TDEF since he spent most of his time doing everything other than coordinating. //Jerry wanted to maintain a high profile to advance his standing, so he volunteered for committees and activities which occupied much of his time. TDEF often fell into the cracks; he felt that it was something imposed on him from the outside and that he knew his department well enough through casual contact so that a formal process was not necessary. When preparing for meetings with the teachers, Jerry glanced through their courses and opened one lesson per marking period. He began preparing for a meeting 5 - 10 minutes before the appointment time. He spent much of the session chatting with those teachers he considered his friends, and discussed vacation plans, outside activities, and topics that were school related but not teacher development related.

Jerry's attitude toward TDEF was noticed by his department, including Karen, who procrastinated and did not take the process seriously since Jerry didn't. Karen spent very little time improving her lessons; instead, she dabbled in bells and whistles which were fun to do but really did not advance the learning. She was artsy, and liked to dress up her lessons with videos and pictures. Many students liked her approach, but others struggled to see the relevance.//

//**An example of the presence of task management**

Jerry belived that the structure of TDEF allowed him to work with teachers no matter what their experience level. He liked the formality that helped guide teachers through the development process. He encouraged self reflection and modeled reflection in his approach to TDEF. He set aside time for his own development, and communicated to the teachers that sometimes he was Jerry the Coordinator and sometimes he was Jerry the Teacher, and they needed to respect the difference. He often brought professional development resources to department meetings, and led discussions about techniques that could be applied in the school environment.

Karen admired the way Jerry continued to develop professionally as both a teacher and a supervisor. She took his suggestions about setting aside professional development time, and began reflecting on her students' progress as she prepared the biweekly progress reports. She began looking into professional development resources which she then shared with the department. She found herself structuring her days and weeks to maximize her effectiveness in the classroom.


 * Task Management is...**//


 * Organization - know what to do and when to do it
 * Partner with an experienced supervisor to learn to search for key items in lessons and dealings with families
 * Communicate deadlines and schedules early so teachers can make time
 * Utilize tools like a Google calendar so teachers can adapt to your schedule
 * Focus - peel away the layers of distractors and concentrate on the root issue
 * Find one area to deal with in a meeting - don't try to solve all the problems of the world at once
 * Schedule time to review and critique lessons, both alone and with a teacher present
 * Preparation - research the situation and be ready with facts, not just impressions
 * View lessons in advance
 * Make notes
 * Collect documentation (emails, etc)
 * Think before talking
 * Consider the source! Don't believe everything you hear
 * Goal Orientation - know what outcomes are desired before meeting, and communicate them clearly at the start
 * Give a one minute preface, and summarize purpose at the end
 * Give teacher a heads up before calling them in -- NEVER blindside a teacher
 * Have needed forms organized and ready to go -- make copies in advance
 * Delegation - assign tasks to others that will help clear the agenda and allow them to make an impact on the direction of the department.
 * Ask teachers to self reflect and self critique
 * Allow time for teachers to peer review lessons
 * Allow teachers to run professional development sessions with goodies they have discovered and want to share


 * //The goal of task management is..//**

to allocate adequate time to complete required duties to prioritize demands on time to address the needs of all stakeholders