Thing #20–Google Docs
It seems that every new thing we do I decide it is the one thing that will make the teachers’ job so much more efficient. Many of our teachers use the computer for little else than creating a newsletter, keeping grades and attendance, and using our Successmaker program. Google Docs, though, should change that! I can see so many possibilities with this tool. In October, we had a SACS visit and I worked with Susan Reeves in our county office to develop an introductory PowerPoint for our superintendent to use with the visiting team. Both Susan and I are part-time employees and getting us together in the same place at the same time was quite a chore. I ended up sending her updates while she was revising what I had just sent, etc. Having the presentation on google docs would have made that chore so much more efficient!
We have several grade level groups of teachers who write newsletters together. Now, one teacher is responsible for putting everyone else’s contribution together. I have already sent these groups information about using google docs to make this job easier.
I will be using google docs with each schools’ instructional technology teams as we work on developing plans for the next school year. This is a great example of “working on it anytime anywhere.” With teachers so overwhelmed with the amount of paperwork required of them these days, this will have to be a welcome change from years past.
Again, I am so impressed with this possibility. I am also using it for personal tasks. It would have been great to use in coordinating Christmas gifts with my family in Tennessee, or in coordinating a family get-together (who will be bringing what). My daughter and I are now using it to share thoughts with one another about educational and behavioral plans for her two sons on the autism spectrum. What a tool!
