Writing It Down

I have always been one to embrace new technology. Growing up, we did not have a computer in our home until I was in high school. When I needed to write papers for upper elementary and in middle school, I used a typewriter. In college, I was a part of the committee of resident students that tested out the school's first voicemail system. The first year we were married, My Wife gave me a BlackBerry for Christmas, and I now often have an iPhone in my pocket or nearby.

I also have started to carry something else around with me.

In the April 2018 edition of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development's (ASCD) Educational Leadership magazine, the Bryan Goodwin notes that the very act of handwriting has important cognitive benefits. Honestly, I didn't choose to start writing things down again because I had read that article. But this has been a deliberate choice for me this year.

At times, working with technology seems mindless. I have to do lists that sync between my laptop and my phone and can be accessed everywhere. I have reminders that pop up before my next appointment. I have followed up messages e-mailed to me when I need to get back in touch with someone. Some of that is very valuable and very helpful. My Wife and I have a set amount of money that is deducted from our checking account every month for our retirement. Our financial advisor calls it, "Set it and forget it." That works.

It doesn't work for everything though, and that's why my old school, pen, and paper notepad is making a comeback in my life. As educators, it's critical that we teach and model for our students that we need to be thoughtful about the way that we use technology. We need to be reflecting and assessing how we prioritize what is important to us in our lives.

I'm happy to get a pop up to let me know that my next meeting is in less than thirty minutes. I enjoy getting a reminder in my inbox that I need to reconnect with someone. I'm glad that I can access our weekly shopping list from my laptop, my iPhone, or anywhere that I have an internet connection. And for things that are more important, I'm choosing to write it down.

It too fits in my back pocket.

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