Chasing The Golden Snitch

As a teacher, time is something you will often chase like the elusive golden snitch. In addition to, well, teaching, your profession includes a long list of administrative tasks; they aren’t kidding when they say it’s like spinning plates.

Many days will fly by so quickly that your head may be spinning right along with those seventeen plates, and it’s easy to feel like you’re sinking. But you can avoid bringing mountains of work home and regain (at least some of) your weekend with some careful planning and time management. Here are some things that have worked for me:

 

 

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Keep a running to-do list. I could not survive without my lists. Be it a sparkly notepad or a simple list app, nothing beats that satisfying swipe of your pen (or checking that digital box) as you complete a task. It’s like a little self-pat on the back. And yes, I am the type that will add a task after I’ve finished it just so I can cross it off. As an added bonus, it never fails to reduce my anxiety when I write it down. I quickly go from There is no possible way to get all of this done to Oh wait, this is actually manageable.

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Prioritize and estimate needed time for each task. What has to be done today? Attack those items with priority. How much time do you have at the moment? Choose something that you can actually finish. Let’s say you find yourself with 20 minutes to spare. Starting to grade a stack of homework that you’ll have to abandon halfway through could just frustrate you. Instead, enter daily grades, file a set of papers, and answer a couple of emails. Check, check, check.

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Don’t reinvent the wheel. This is a lesson that reaches across so many areas of teaching. But simply put, if someone has figured out a way to do it well, use it!  (Hint: search ETED’s Freesources for lesson plans and ideas from other teachers who have already “figured it out.”)

 

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Create (and protect) a productive planning space. Confession: during my planning period, I closed my door and turned off the lights. Not really to hide (well, maybe a little), but more to create a calming atmosphere, helping me focus on what I needed to do by the light of my cute little desk lamp. There will be times when your planning period becomes filled with a meeting or to cover another class but do what you can to guard that sacred time. Find a way to “set the mood” for productivity in whatever way signals to your body that “it’s time to focus.” 

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Plan with grading in mind. This can be tricky and sometimes not possible, but try to avoid overlapping due dates of large grading assignments (essays, projects, unit tests). At my last school, I had two writing class preps. So I tried to alternate their due dates so that I didn’t end up with a gigantic stack of papers coming at me all at once. 

 

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Set up for tomorrow before you leave today. This can include your board, handouts, room layout, even tomorrow’s to-do list. You never know what you’ll encounter in the morning – a traffic jam, an unexpected visit from an administrator, technology issues, or a friend in need. You’ll be so glad to have your room ready to go when you arrive.

 

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Tag team tasks with your buddies. For example, on my most recent team, we found that I was quicker in composing a grade-level email while my teammate was more efficient in figuring out wacky schedules (like leftover time after returning from a field trip). We used each other’s strengths and helped each other to maximize our time.

 

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Make time to breathe. This may sound counter-productive, but you have to take care of yourself. Five minutes of time alone can make a huge difference in slowing your frantic mind. You will be more productive if you can think clearly.

 

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Spread the love and wisdom by sharing some of your favorite time-saving classroom tips in the comments! 

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