As MFL teachers, we are constantly balancing lesson planning, assessment, meetings, feedback, and collaboration with colleagues. Staying organised can make a huge difference not only to productivity but also to maintaining a positive and healthy working environment within a department.
One free tool that I find incredibly helpful is Google Keep. It is simple, quick to use, and ideal for organising department meetings and collaborative tasks.
Google Keep allows you to create quick notes, checklists, and shared reminders that your whole team can access. Because it is cloud-based, everyone can see updates in real time, making it perfect for collaborative planning.
Here is how I typically use it for department meetings.
1. Create a Meeting Note
When preparing for a department meeting, I simply open Google Keep and create a new note titled something like:
“Department Meeting – [date]”
This instantly becomes the space where all agenda points will be organised.
2. Add a Checklist Agenda
One of the most useful features is the checklist option. By turning the note into a checklist, you can add agenda items such as:
– Mock exam feedback
– Sharing ideas for engagement
– Department updates
– Resources to review
During the meeting, team members can tick off items as they are discussed or completed. This gives everyone a clear overview of progress.
3. Colour Code and Pin Important Notes
Google Keep allows you to colour code notes. For example, you might use:
– Green for department meetings
– Yellow for resources
– Blue for personal reminders
You can also pin important notes to the top, ensuring that key information is always easy to find.
4. Share Notes With Your Team
With a single click, you can share the note with colleagues by email. Once shared, everyone can:
– Add ideas
– Tick completed tasks
– View updates in real time
5. Store Feedback and Observations
Instead of searching through emails or notebooks later, you can keep all feedback in one accessible place.
Because Google Keep is available on desktop and mobile, you can check notes quickly whenever you need them.
6. Share Data, Links and Resources
Within a note, you can also include:
– Links to websites
– Key statistics or data
– Email references
– Resource links
This means everything related to a discussion or meeting can live in one organised space.