Yes, that’s a Home Improvement reference.
But it’s also a good time to talk about tools to help kids, teens, and maybe even a few librarians (me) manage their time. Time tools.
Time Management Tools
Most people struggle with time management to some degree. Many people with learning differences such as ADHD have an even tougher time than neurotypical folks.
And different learning styles are pretty common knowledge (visual, kinesthetic, aural, etc.), but I had never considered how those might affect our sense of time.
At a workshop put on by the PACER Center, assistive technology specialists Tara Bruss and Sarah Giffen-Hunter shared a spreadsheet they created.
In it, they compare over a hundred apps, devices, and software that take into account these differences. The spreadsheet includes tools for creating task lists, reminders, alarms, time tracking, and more. You can see device compatibility, prices, and descriptions, too. I mean, it’s a pretty great spreadsheet.
Maybe you have a patron who finds a auditory timer going off… alarming (oh, puns). A device that flashes light might be more their speed.
Maybe you have a patron who gets so immersed in their task that they block out visual and auditory input, but a vibration on their wrist will bring them back.
Think about how a visual clock or sequence timer might help during your STEM program to let everyone know how much time is left to listen to directions, to create, to clean up.
How else might we share and use these tools?
Hope you have found this information timely.
(I’ll stop now.)
Mary Dubbs is a Community Embedded Librarian for Hennepin County Libraries.
Please note that as a guest post, the views expressed here do not represent the official position of ALA or ALSC.