I was looking at my own organizational skills and realize that much of it is due to my constant use of the calendar. I set my goals, plan accordingly and use the calendar as a visual reminder for time management. In our classrooms many of our students have difficulties staying on task and monitoring their own academic progress. The purpose of this post is to look at whether these same tools would be beneficial to our students.

For example: If classroom teachers were to make separate calendars with iCal for each individual student, they would be able to plan out short and long term goals on a calendar that can be printed, edited or viewed from any computer. It could be used to plan out the next steps for classroom projects, or to document and track annual goals for IEP students, or as a behavioral modification tool to make students aware of their behaviors or let them track their own targets in relation to BIP's. (Behavioral Intervention Plan)

So here is what I am thinking. If we were to create a mobile me account for our group ($99, per account, per year) or accounts for each teacher, we would be able to publish each calendar we make to an individual URL, which students could update from their houses or in the classrooms with the iPads. Each staff member could have their own color and create a calendar for each of their students in their class. The calendar will not only show dates but allow the student to attach files and take notes on each event. These notes can then be monitored by the teacher. It would be an open line of communication between the student and teacher.

Yes the student will still need access to an iMac in the computer lab to initially set this up, but in the end they will have worked with a desktop computer, managed their progress on a goal or project portably with the iPad and have their final project or thoughts saved in a digital format that can be printed from anywhere. The teacher will end up with ONE calendar that can be printed with each students info, the info of perhaps ELL's, SPED or the clas as a whole.

Did I mention that the teacher would be able to view this from any computer, the iPad or even a smart phone?