The school day is hectic. Teachers have very little time for themselves. Finding enough time to plan and stay ahead of everything without staying late and taking a ton of work home in the afternoon or on weekends might seem impossible, but it’s not!
The trick is to find the time when there is no extra time.
What? That doesn’t make sense…but it will!
There are little pockets of time spread throughout your day, but you don’t even realize that they are there!
• Make a habit of carrying a notepad and pen with you ALL. Day. Long! If you’re walking down the hallway and think of something you need to include in your lesson plans for next week, jot it down! Having a place to record all of your random thoughts during the day can save you so much time later!
• While it’s enjoyable and a stress reliever to visit with coworkers during planning time during the day, before school, or after school, it’s genuinely a time-sucker! Instead, spend your time visiting at lunch and recess duty. Those are perfect times to unwind and destress during the school day. It’s truly astonishing how much time you lose when talking to others.
• Set a timer for 15 minutes during your planning time. When you are laser-focused for even 15 minutes, you will be amazed at how much you can get done. Use this time exclusively for writing lesson plans, getting materials together, etc.
• Use the year-long monthly calendars you prepared for your year to stay on track. Choose one day out of the month when you can stay late at school. Even if you have to spend an extra 2-3 hours to plan out the following month in-depth, it is better than being late every day for thirty minutes or longer. Doing this will help you get out the door on time the rest of the month and is so worth it!
• Make all of your copies for an entire week (or even better, the entire month) at one time. Cutting down on trips to the copier will save you so much time during the day.
• Make sure that you have something to work on and complete, such as grading, lesson planning, etc., while waiting for student programs, faculty meetings, and more to begin. Even five minutes will save you time later.
Try to be thoughtful and a good steward of your time. When you can find a few extra minutes in your day, it’s a big win. Doing so will help you more than you realize to leave school on time each day.
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The timer tip does help.
ReplyDeleteIt really does!
DeleteI have to have a timer on while I am teaching so I do not get off track during the lesson! I have a 5-minute timer for a warm-up, and an alarm that rings when we have 3 minutes left of class. This helps me stay on track (and keeps my students from being late to their next class!).
ReplyDeleteUsing a timer all time really helps keep things on track for sure!
DeleteTimers are essential in the classroom! It keeps the urgency high and everyone on task!
ReplyDeleteYes!
DeleteI make lists so I know what I need to get done and don't waste time trying to remember what I need to do.
ReplyDeleteMaking a list is my favorite!
DeleteI always forgot things, so I started to write them down a month ago, but not religiously. Recording everything as you remember is a great idea! This will definitely save you a lot of time. Thank you for reminding me again!
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome! Thanks, Kiran!
ReplyDelete