Time Saving Tips for Teachers

Many occupations, particularly teaching, do not allow much free time throughout the workday. Days are booked the minute a person obtains their teaching certificate and becomes a teacher. As a result, a teacher’s day is frequently jam-packed, whether designing and implementing a lesson plan, marking homework assignments and papers, communicating with parents, or chaperoning a field trip.

Teachers are extremely busy. The lesson plans and to-do lists keep piling up, and it can be difficult to figure out how to do it all while simultaneously being a successful teacher. So we’ve prepared a list of time-saving techniques shared by other instructors to assist you in streamlining your work so you can focus on the most important aspect of teaching — your pupils.

Efficiently grade student writing

One of the most time-consuming responsibilities for teachers is grading papers. Consider not pointing out every mistake on a student’s paper to save yourself some frustration. Highlight the faults that are directly related to the lesson, though. Make a cheat sheet containing frequently used comments from which you can copy and paste.

Provide instructions for everything

Do you ever feel that you’re repeating yourself to your students? You can post instructions for classes and daily activities in one spot that students review regularly using shared workflow documents such as Office Online or Google Docs. The teacher can utilize this strategy for tests and assignments; it’s an excellent way to keep everyone on track.

Employ assignment numbers

This creative organizing approach will assist you in rapidly grading and sorting documents. Assign a number to each kid in your class. Have them write it in the upper right corner of every paper they turn in. With the papers alphabetized, you can grade and record scores in your grade book simultaneously and be done in a hurry.

Make use of sticky note warnings

Place three large notes of different colours on the board to deal with disruptive behaviour without disrupting the class. Instead of disciplining the pupil, silently remove a sticky note each time they misbehave.

Once all notes get over, impose a penalty, such as a missed recess, detention, or a note home. This drill is simple to reset every day and can be utilized for the full class or one to two individual individuals. It is a discreet method of disciplining student behaviour that does not take up valuable teaching time.

Use wall folders to check assignments

Hang folders (one for every student) in a prominent area visible from your desk. When students enter the room, they use the folders to turn in their homework assignments. You can quickly monitor which pupils finish their tasks on time. Use the same strategy with digital folders for each kid for the tech-savvy teacher.

Organize papers easily

Are you drowning in a sea of tests, attendance forms, letters, memoranda, and announcements? Here are a few tips to assist you in getting rid of the mess:

• Organize papers by subjects and class period using coloured file folders.
• Recycle it if you haven’t looked at it in six months to a year.
• Schedule a time on your schedule once a week. Also, set a reminder to tidy and file papers on your desk.

Don’t use paper!

To organize and save commonly used forms, utilize a word processing tool. Use coloured files to classify paper by topics, such as blue for tests and quizzes and red for lesson plans, and designate a file drawer for each subject you teach.

Be tech-savvy and plan lessons online

Lesson planning websites can be extremely useful time-saving aids. For example, some of the greatest Google sites can assist you in creating lessons based on Common Core standards, developing custom calendars for each class, allowing students and colleagues to access your plans online, and adjusting courses with a single click of the mouse.

Get students back on track right away

If your kids take too long to settle into their seats after the bell rings, consider creating daily timed activities that students must complete within the first 10 to 15 minutes of class. It could be a trivia game, a fast quiz on the previous day’s lesson, or a question that introduces the work for the day – anything that gets learners on task as quickly as possible.

In the end, call the roll

There’s no need to squander time calling roll. Instead, take roll when students are quietly working on their first assignment, or use your seating chart to scan the room and note who is absent swiftly.