There truly aren’t enough hours in the day! We all find ourselves wishing for just a little more time to get things done. While I can’t grant that wish, I do have some ideas that will spare you time to focus on more important things in life and in the classroom. Take a look at these simple tips for time management for teachers that I know you’ll enjoy.
Use a Flip Calendar
I know all of you use some type of calendar in your classroom. You either write the date on the board every day or put it up with a piece of velcro when you do calendar time. My first tip for time management for teachers is a flip calendar. You never have to write the date again and you can even assign the task as a classroom job so students can help out.
Making a flip calendar is pretty simple. All you need is a card for each day of the week, each month of the year, numbers 1-31 and the current year and as many as you want going forward.
Simply punch holes on either end of the cards, attach binder rings, and put the rings over a magnetic curtain rod. The magnetic curtain rod can be easily mounted to your whiteboard. You can create your own or you can use my Rainbow Boho Flip Calendar complete with all the pieces you need and directions for setting it up!
Assign Classroom Jobs
Giving students a purpose in the classroom makes them feel welcome and wanted. I like to assign jobs each week so each student has a role in our little community. While some jobs are more difficult or more time consuming than others, they are all important to helping the classroom run successfully.
Classroom jobs not only help create a sense of community, they help save you (the teacher) time! With help from all of your students, you are able to focus on the lessons and helping students with everyday tasks.
You can use these Classroom Jobs from my Pastel Floral Classroom Decor set or create your own.
Manage Time by Using a Classroom Timer
Using a timer in the classroom will give your students an idea of how long they have to work. It is also a great reminder for you. I can’t count the number of times I lost track of time during small groups. Instead of you alerting the class to a rotation or shift in activities, the timer lets them know.
Another great perk for using a timer is that students stop asking you how much longer until the next activity. They have the timer right there in front of them so they can manage their own time. It makes for a great life skill to practice!
You can use a classic kitchen timer or I like to use classroom slides with a timer already on it. You can find my Powerpoint Timer Slides here and use them in your classroom to help with time management.
Watch this video I made to learn how to embed a free timer into a Google Slides presentation.
Create & Use a Classroom To-Do List
I love creating a to-do list every day and checking everything off. This keeps me motivated to get things done and stay on task. Using a daily to-do list is an organized way to set your priorities for the day. Not to mention, it saves you time.
I make lists for everything including my grocery list, my daily chores, classroom necessities, personal goals and more. I like to prioritize things by breaking them into one hour chunks throughout the day, or by making a list of things to do now and things that can get done if I have time.
You can jot things down on a piece of notebook paper or you can use my Rainbow Binder Covers and To Do Lists. This is a great way to organize your everyday tasks and manage your time wisely.
You can find all of the resources mentioned above by clicking on the photos. I’ll share them again here to save you time ?
For more classroom organization and management tips, check out my most recent posts.
- A great one for organization is 3 Easy to Implement Classroom Organization Ideas That Will Change Your Life.
- Another great post is How to Create a Teacher Toolbox That Will Help Organize Your Classroom.
- You can also check out Activities on the First Day of School You’ll Be Glad You Implemented.
