4 Time Management Tips to Help Beginner Teachers
When it comes to teaching, you might find that you have a lot on your plate. This is a normal dilemma for a teacher to be in. You are spinning a lot of plates. If you work with younger kids, then you even have to accommodate meetings with the parents. The following are some time management tips for teachers that will get you back in the game on time, every time:
Time Management Tip #1 Grade Your Papers Last
They say that procrastination is not something that anyone in real life should do. This might be true for journalists and other professionals that rely on deadlines to get their jobs done. However, if you are talking about students, they’re used to waiting to get their marks. While you can’t reschedule a test, you can take a night off from grading.
Make sure to take care of yourself because your grading will have to come out of your “free time”.
Time Management Tip #2 Take Advantage of Lulls in the Day
You will probably find that you have your game face on at work. This is because there is a certain energy that comes from sitting at a desk and being around growing minds. You will probably want to go into the teacher’s lounge and complain over coffee if you have a spare. However tempting that might sound, consider not going.
You should stay in your classroom and get prepared for the rest of your day. If you have to, you should get your own Keurig machine so that you stay away from the stale coffee and sometimes disgruntled colleagues.
It’s OK to go into the lounge once and a while to have a chat. However, if this is your everyday routine, you will find out quickly that it is eating your time up.
Time Management Tip #3 Get Out Your Day Planner
Agendas are not just useful for students. When you are a teacher, you literally have to have a day planner as well. You will do best with one that slots in your day’s schedule by the hour.
You need a day planner because you yourself will need to look ahead at the tests you’ve scheduled. Don’t be that teacher that has to run out of the classroom and make copies of the test at the start of the class. Be organized and know how big your classes are.
If you ever do have to spend the first five or ten minutes of class printing out test copies, make sure you have a printer in your classroom and stapler at least. You should also knock off a question or two from the exam. It’s not fair to make your students’ grades suffer because you got disorganized.
Time Management Tip #4 Make Time in your Day for the Gym
Your students have gym class but you find yourself eating donuts in the lounge instead of doing your daily workouts. You probably don’t want to be working out at school, but you can join a gym.
A gym membership will help you stay in shape. You will actually be more energized each day as well, making sure you don’t just nod off napping at your desk during lunchtime.
