Five Time-Saving Tips for Teachers

Many professions do not allow for much free time during the workday—especially teaching. The moment a person earns their teaching certificate and becomes a teacher, their days are booked. Whether it’s creating a lesson plan and putting it into practice, grading homework assignments and papers, talking with parents, or chaperoning a field trip, a teacher’s day is usually packed.

Despite the hectic schedule a teacher maintains throughout the school year, some tactics can be used to keep the job from feeling like a 24/7 endeavor. These strategies can be picked up in a BS in Elementary Education program, or after becoming a teacher and getting a feel for the job. The important thing is that teachers put these strategies into practice—whether they’re a preschool teacher, kindergarten teacher, or beyond.

Here are five ways to save time as a teacher:

1. Use a blended learning strategy.
   Blended learning is basically using a combination of both online and face-to-face teaching. Examples of blended learning exercises include remote blended learning (also known as enriched virtual), where students do their work online and meet with their teacher on an as-needed basis; station rotation, where students break into groups and move around to different stations with something different at each station, and with at least one online learning station; and flipped classroom, where students are introduced to content at home and then work on it at school with the support of their teacher and peers.¹

   By implementing blended learning, you can save time by introducing topics prior to class and turning your classroom into a creative and constructive learning environment.²

2. Create “mini-lessons.”
   Are your lessons taking too long? You can find out by developing mini-lessons, which are more rapid and focused lessons. Think about how much time you’d need to conduct a mini-lesson, and for a week or two, set a clock for the time you estimated. When the alarm sounds, see where you are in the lesson. If you’re only halfway through or still writing the last few examples on the board, you’ll know it might be time to either pick up the pace or see where you can trim parts of your teachings.³

3. Organize your classroom and work space.
   Look around your classroom and discard anything that is unnecessary. After you’ve decluttered, label and organize the things that you do need. When your classroom is organized, you’ll be able to find things more easily and, in turn, free up time for other tasks. If your classroom is messy, not only will you waste time looking for items or cleaning up, you may find yourself stressed out—which is not good for you or your students. As a bonus, you can encourage your students to put things in their proper places without looking like a hypocrite.⁴

4. Ask your students for help.
   Delegation is one of the most effective ways to save time in any job, and teaching is no different. Students want to assist their teacher—especially at the preschool and kindergarten levels. Assign them the jobs that need to be done but that are taking time from your duties as an educator. At the beginning of each week, create a job chart and have students sign up for various jobs like handing out papers, erasing the chalkboard, and straightening up art supplies. This plan will not only give you more time, it will help keep your students engaged in classroom activities.

5. Use technology as much as you can.
   Technology can be a teacher’s best friend when it comes to saving time. You can use apps to remind you about appointments, as well as technology to develop lesson plans, manage and access student data like grades and attendance, or conduct parent conference calls or guest speaker presentations on Skype. Every minute counts during the school day, and embracing classroom technology will help ensure you make the most of your time.

   When you are a teacher, there is no way around the fact that your day is going to be busy. While you may not be able to change that fact, you can control how busy you are throughout the day. Just follow these tips, along with others your fellow teachers might share or that you might pick up as you move along in your teaching career.

Walden University Teaching Degrees

At Walden University, you can earn your BS in Elementary Education online while maintaining your busy schedule. Walden’s online BS in Elementary Education program will prepare you to pursue your teaching certification and arm you with the skills to instill confidence in your students and help them succeed.

While Walden University offers its BS in Elementary Education degree program online, students will also have an opportunity to apply the practices they learn in-person in elementary school classrooms. Walden’s online teaching degree programs help students become versatile teaching candidates through both core and general education classes, followed by more intensive classes that will prepare you for teaching certification.

Walden University is an accredited institution offering an online BS in Elementary Education. Expand your career options and earn your degree in a convenient, flexible format that fits your busy life.

¹Source: https://www.teachthought.com/learning/12-types-of-blended-learning/
²Source: https://www.teachthought.com/pedagogy/8-ways-teachers-save-time-classroom/
³Source: https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/articles/teaching-content/nine-ways-save-time-classroom/
⁴Source: http://www.teachhub.com/effective-time-saving-teaching-strategies

Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission, www.hlcommission.org.