Organize 365 Podcast

Anna feels so strongly that the Teacher Friday Workbox® is the solution to ease the overwhelm and increase teacher retention, she created a course in the formal setting of a university. She’s here today to give a peek inside the course. She knew based on her previous life in the education world that not all courses qualify to be reimbursed. There needs to be a focus on how the student would benefit from the teacher completing this course. Proactively, she knew to include SEL (social and emotional learning) standards. SEL being included makes the course even more attractive to those that would be approving reimbursement because schools are starting to require these skills to be taught, but there isn’t a lot of material out there for teachers yet. AND in this course, Anna provides lesson plans for the teachers enrolled in this course.  We alluded to schools having funds that were for personal development. And they are Region 10 from Covid funds and in schools that have innovation as one of their core objectives; you can access funds earmarked for innovation workforce readiness in either essential or soft skills. Schools will reimburse for 60%-100% once you produce your transcript.  Anna took time in this episode to read the course description. She was sure to stress the importance of learning organizational systems to support executive function. It explains how teachers will learn how to streamline their administrative tasks. And then she went over the modules. Module 1 is getting started and an introduction from yours truly. In Module 2, there will be a focus on ADHD for students and teachers and you get to listen to the ADHD podcast. Module 3 is so much fun as you set up your workbox, label your slash pockets, and dive into the app. Module 4 is learning how to support students' organizational skills and learn about the Lisa Binder; this is the module with the lesson plans helping students to develop SEL standards like self management competency. The last module will reiterate the importance of practicing all the skills and systems you have been taught. Curious? We tried to anticipate some questions you may be having and we want to put your curious mind at ease. I can’t recap them all so you will definitely want to listen to the full episode.   Yes, you can take advantage of this course if you have the Teacher Friday Workbox® already. You’ll be lucky enough to have two workboxes AND the graduate credits plus all the other goodies. You can simply take just this one course through Ashland University. If you have existing products with Organize 365®, all products will be consolidated in one account. This is a work at your own pace course so you can be creative as to how and when you complete course work.  This will be an evergreen course offered multiple times during the year.  Anna is conducting surveys before and after the course. We cannot wait to see the results, share them with you, and continue to improve the course. Now go get registered! Managing Executive Functions with the Teacher Workbox Course $900 3 graduate credits once you complete the course and transcript Teacher Workbox to set up and keep Lifetime Access to online community Weekly Co Working Sessions 5 Day Teacher Camp (there is a replay) Last day to register for this specific course is 7/1/2024 EPISODE RESOURCES: Teacher Friday Workbox® Managing Executive Functions with the Teacher Workbox (Ashland University) Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter  On the Wednesday podcast, I get to talk with members of the Organize 365­® community as they share the challenges, progress, missteps and triumphs along their organizing journey. I am grateful that you are reaching out to share with me and with this community. You can see and hear transformation in action. If you are ready to share your story with us, please apply at https://organize365.com/wednesday. Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

The podcast discusses the importance of planning for summer productivity, maximizing team cohesion, organizing office space for efficiency, transitioning from personal checklists to delegation, adapting to business growth challenges, and optimizing processes for post-summer success.

Anna is back and we’re talking all about the white paper Anna created for the Teacher Friday Workbox®. When Anna came to me with this pink sparkly box of Teacher Friday Workbox® opportunities, I wanted to talk shop. Anna was almost done with her EED and I am still very much tied up with the PhD. So it was a win-win to have Anna complete a white paper. It is so interesting that there is literature and media supporting what I have been saying all along. Anna’s supportive data came from her EED education and mine is coming from my PhD education. Anna shared that for the school year 2023-24, Tennessee reported 3.900 teacher vacancies and Virginia reported 3.9% of teacher positions were not filled. There is a real teacher retention problem and with the help of Anna (and don’t forget Jayme!), we are out to shine light on the issues and increase teacher retention.  There IS Money There is personal development money schools can be using that is not earmarked for the operations of or in the buildings. Schools have these funds and aren’t always sure how or where to spend them. Yes, you can offer self care like maybe a massage day for the teachers, but it’s a temporary fix. Give the teachers a raise! But that is costly to an already dwindling budget. An easy answer will be the Friday Workbox® or the course from Ashland University that rewards them with CEU’s. How Does The Teacher Friday Workbox® Actually Help Educators So how is the Teacher Friday Workbox® like self care? Most of you have heard on the podcast that a lot of teachers have purchased the Teacher Friday Workbox® on their own. They were looking for a solution and treated themselves to organization. As the number of tasks go up, so does the teacher's burnout level. A person needs to see the work before they can start to strategize a solution. The Teacher Friday Workbox® helps to identify all the invisible tasks. Then teachers can decide if they need to eliminate, delegate, or plan for each task. Task Switching We have all heard the stats about how costly in time it is to constantly be switching between tasks. The Teacher Friday Workbox® helps you to identify tasks in similar categories (the task specific slash pockets). When you pull out an IEP for a specific student, you can focus on all the tasks needed to be completed for that one student. Our brain likes this focus on one task and stress is reduced.  Reduce Cognitive Load on Working Memory Color coding is so productive for our brains. And I know I have nerded out about the connection in the brain when we write things down. That activity of pen to paper is so impactful on our brains and with recall. Cue the index cards. You write everything down. You don’t stress over remembering what you are trying to remember. The Teacher Friday Workbox® allows you to use your brain as a brain and not a filing cabinet.  Community When Anna really stopped to think about what teachers needed in a resource that could decrease burnout …it was the Teacher Friday Workbox®! She also pointed out the value of community that you get. It's nice to have positive voices outside of your building. It’s nice to see what others are struggling with as well as celebrating wins. AND it’s private from parents and students. It’s a safe space for all things teaching.  What is included in the Teacher Friday Workbox®? Red Workbox (roughly the size of a watermelon) One Set of Rainbow Slash Pockets Sets of 5 of Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Purple, and Pink Online Dashboard Online Private Community Teacher Camp (first two weeks of July) During the Summer - Thursday night coworking time with replays Lifetime Access EPISODE RESOURCES: Teacher Friday Workbox® Organize 365® Teacher Workbox White Paper Managing Executive Functions with the Teacher Workbox (Ashland University) Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter  On the Wednesday podcast, I get to talk with members of the Organize 365­® community as they share the challenges, progress, missteps and triumphs along their organizing journey. I am grateful that you are reaching out to share with me and with this community. You can see and hear transformation in action. If you are ready to share your story with us, please apply at https://organize365.com/wednesday. Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

The podcast discusses the importance of project preparation and identifying project spaces. The speaker reflects on managing multiple projects at home, financial planning for projects, and utilizing personal workspaces. They share experiences of using their bed as a workspace and emphasize the difference between work and home projects. Additionally, the podcast explores the significance of organization, planning, and integrating podcast content into home planning for improved productivity.

I want to introduce you to another educator that is embracing the Teacher Friday Workbox® and values the benefits teachers experience when using it. Anna found Organize 365® through podcast interviews I’d done on other shows. Anna knows the transformation that results from the physical products and the blitzes from Organize 365®.  Turns out, I could have known Anna many years ago when her mom was a Creative Memories consultant. Her mother's innovation with power layouts in scrapbooking helped me to create many scrapbooks in very short amounts of time. Anna always knew she wanted to be a teacher. She shared memories of teaching her younger brother after an enriching day at kindergarten herself. Anna, now in education in a supporting role outside the school buildings (NOT how you may imagine), values the Teacher Friday Workbox® so much that she created a college course for educators that she will be facilitating that results in 3 college credits at Ashland University.  Anna did go to college to be a teacher, but got pulled in a different path. As she “created her own degree,” Anna got to experience emerging adulthood first hand. This is yet another point of connection for Anna and me. After completing her graduate degree at University of Maryland, she moved back to Ohio. While starting her new life she started a small sewing business. She took a substitute teacher position which turned into a Family and Consumer Science (AKA Home Economics) teaching position for the next 6 years. During the pandemic, she created virtual/visual teaching materials for teachers. All of the teachers were looking for help and Anna was right there supporting them.  Her next move? She was experiencing a golden window, what better time is there to explore? Over the past year, Anna has had the freedom to explore many opportunities. During her exploration she took courses from Ashland University. She was so impressed with her experience that she approached them and said “Hey, how about I come work for you?” Anna's transition from being a classroom teacher to becoming an adjunct professor at Ashland University in Ohio is a testament to her dedication to education. Equally, her involvement with Organize 365® highlights her ongoing commitment to addressing teacher overwhelm and burnout through practical, curriculum-aligned support. Anna has been very intrigued with the flow theory. She explained it as a task that challenges you enough to stay engaged. And also not so challenging that your desire to stay engaged dwindles. She wants to keep exploring this in her efforts to support teachers. This initiative, along with the new course she created, embodies her belief in equipping teachers with tools to manage their workloads effectively, thereby extending their careers and enriching student learning experiences.  Next week we’ll be talking about the white paper Anna has created for Organize 365® and explore even more ways to support teachers in their essential work. EPISODE RESOURCES: Teacher Friday Workbox® Managing Executive Functions with the Teacher Workbox Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter  On the Wednesday podcast, I get to talk with members of the Organize 365­® community as they share the challenges, progress, missteps and triumphs along their organizing journey. I am grateful that you are reaching out to share with me and with this community. You can see and hear transformation in action. If you are ready to share your story with us, please apply at https://organize365.com/wednesday. Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

Explore the concept of managing household projects and clutter overflow in the garage. Learn about the importance of realistic expectations and utilizing tools like the Sunday Basket. Discover organizational strategies for outdoor items and maintaining a well-structured garage amidst chaos.

This is our final episode about the Teacher Friday Worbox® Pilot with principal Jayme. We talked about how Jayme suggests getting started in your school and our hopes for all schools to be using the Teacher Friday Workbox® in the future.  What Would Jayme Suggest?  We have received a lot of feedback saying everyone is so interested, but they’d like to talk to Jayme. So what does Jayme have to say about this teacher pilot that she implemented in her school? Jayme appreciates all of the resources that come with the Organize 365® company as a whole. The podcast is an endless source of information for home and work organization. But when you add in the Teacher Friday Workbox® for staff, well…The teacher not only gains lifetime access to their dashboard with Organize 365® but they get the community. Jayme loves how supportive the community is as they all share their best practices and encourage each other. They also get Teacher Camp in July. You know, the one month all educators are available?  Jayme stressed the principal’s excitement over the Teacher Friday Workbox® is important for the staff to get on board. Each school will implement differently as each teacher will. She suggests for there to be one person “championing” the efforts to get staff on board with the Teacher Friday Workbox®. This person understands and can filter questions about implementation. We can agree there is no budget line for the Teacher Friday Workbox® so Jayme suggested a “phase in plan.” Choose a category of teachers, like first year, or a grade that would most benefit from the Teacher Friday Workbox® and start there. Of course, the best course of action would be for the whole building to start together but we are well aware of budgets. Another segment of teachers that you could prioritize is those that would have had an IEP in school. Let’s meet people where they are, support them in their roles as best as we can, so they stay in those roles longer! Speaking of staying in their roles longer…You say “Yes, this is great but there is a time and financial cost associated with each person who gets the Teacher FridayWorkbox®.” Yes, and there is a time and financial cost associated with new hires. The goal for Jayme and I in all of this is to better support teachers so they will stay in their roles longer and the schools don’t have to hire and train new employees. The community starts to scratch their heads when there is too much turnover in staff. Let’s get everyone settled in, lessen their cognitive load, and be at peace with work and home responsibilities.   School Train Stops and Stations I have previously proposed driving in cars versus driving a train; if you don’t know what I mean check out podcast episodes 570 and 571. And that sparked an idea for Jayme about a school train. Trains have quick stops and then they have larger stations that they stop at and spend a little more time at before taking off again. Jayme pointed out the importance of using times like winter/summer break and possibly spring break as your station time. During this time, you can really go through your Teacher Friday Workbox® and reset yourself and your work. We want to see all educators on a train where communication can flow from leadership to the teachers and back to leadership. This program opens communication. Let’s get everyone a ticket on smooth traveling locomotives. Choo choo! For $349 (one time) Teacher Friday Workbox® includes: Teacher Camp Teacher Workbox Slash Pockets Lifetime Access to the Online Community EPISODE RESOURCES: Teacher Friday Workbox® Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter  On the Wednesday podcast, I get to talk with members of the Organize 365­® community as they share the challenges, progress, missteps and triumphs along their organizing journey. I am grateful that you are reaching out to share with me and with this community. You can see and hear transformation in action. If you are ready to share your story with us, please apply at https://organize365.com/wednesday. Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

Explore how to transform your laundry room into a magazine-worthy space with strategic storage solutions. Learn about using an overflow room for projects and daily organization, and the emotional process of letting go of sentimental items for practicality. Discover the benefits of a 'Sunday basket' and the multifunctional nature of the laundry room in managing various household tasks.

Jayme and I were caught off guard by our nerves for this second in person workshop day. I think the reality was that we were using technology we were super familiar with running ourselves to promote more transparency and we weren’t in control. Two type A’s like to be in control! It was so good though and I think our biggest takeaways from this day and this pilot are: We individualize so much for our students, why don’t we do the same for our teachers? Allow real vulnerable conversations and be open to suggestions for improvement When the teachers saw improvement in their main teaching role, they wanted it for their classrooms or personal life next. Jayme had 65% of her staff participate and we were looking for their feedback. I noticed in these responses they are the ones I get from the Organize 356® community. Accomplishment is the number one response I get when I ask people “How does it feel to be organized?” And this group of teachers were no different. This was after only 6 months of use too!! We used the Mentimeter app so that they could submit their answers via their phones so they could be open and vulnerable. We asked “What have you noticed about using the index cards?” Here were a few of the responses:  Get things out of my head My ideas are organized I remember things better I can prioritize tasks Less stress Saves time Visibly see what I wanted to do but haven't yet. So the second question we asked them was if they were taking work home. I was shocked that more teachers didn’t say yes. I really thought that was going to be higher until Jayme explained her expectations. Jayme has communicated with her staff how to effectively use their time. Just because it’s called the Friday Workbox® AKA Teacher Workbox, you don’t have to do it on Fridays. She explained to them that she stays late on most Thursdays for games. Since the games don’t start until 6, she has 3 hours to process her workbox. This is helping them not bring work home. Here were the results to that second question. No (9) Yes (15) Sometimes (9) I was also curious to see how many teachers were using digital organization and to what extent. I was shocked that paper was the highest. I thought for sure because of all the buzz that it would be higher digital or hybrid, but nope. In the society of America, a capitalist country, we have our own rules within each organization, so there is not this one, main digital stream. This leads to paper!! And by the way, index cards are paper. I’ve been challenged on this. Think about it...would you rather have your teachers write something down quickly on an index card and continue instruction OR would you like them to pull out their phones? I would hope if you choose the latter there would be an expectation that it not be in the middle of instruction. But then two things happen, the teacher is trying to remember to put it in their phones later AND all the rabbit trails with all their shiny pathways distract the teachers and who knows how long that quick task of entering the idea or task will take! So what were the results of this question? … All Paper (17) All Digital (3) Hybrid of both (13) And lastly I was feeling like, what else do they want? I had taken the time to teach the system of the Teacher Friday Workbox®. I had spent time with the Special Education team, getting them set. It was no surprise with success in their teacher role, now they wanted it in their classrooms and at home. Each teacher was invited to planning day. They got to plan in their personal life. There is so much invisible work required from teachers and they were getting relief from all those responsibilities. And that is why Jayme and I wanted to do this. We want educators to be fulfilled in home and work life, we want teacher retention and this is one way to achieve that! EPISODE RESOURCES: Teacher Friday Workbox® Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter On the Wednesday podcast, I get to talk with members of the Organize 365­® community as they share the challenges, progress, missteps and triumphs along their organizing journey. I am grateful that you are reaching out to share with me and with this community. You can see and hear transformation in action. If you are ready to share your story with us, please apply at https://organize365.com/wednesday. Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

The podcast discusses mental and physical preparation for household projects using tools like the Sunday Basket. They explore Thanksgiving dinner ingredient choices and early stocking. The importance of organizing projects and household responsibilities is highlighted, along with embracing independence and wanderlust. The Sunday Basket is emphasized as a tool for balancing day-to-day tasks with long-term project planning.