With all the tasks that teachers have to do, there’s never enough time for teaching. Like any manager responsible for the efforts of others, teachers find that managing time is one of their biggest challenges.
Time management is the thread running through almost all aspects of teaching — organizing the day, organizing the classroom, deciding how long and how often to teach various subjects, recording student progress, or keeping time-consuming behavior problems to a minimum. Effective use of school time begins with efficient classroom organization and management — and vice versa.
Increasing Teaching Time
You may have less time to teach than you think. Lunch, recess, breaks, down-time between lessons and activities, moving from one classroom to another, interruptions, and other periods of non-instructional time account for at least 27 percent of an elementary school day. In many classrooms, that figure climbs beyond 40 percent (http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/time-management).
Here are some ways beginners and veterans alike can substantially increase teaching time:
- Find out which aspects of school time you can control. In some schools, teachers discover they can change the scheduling of class periods, extracurricular activities planning time, and outside interruptions. Ask your principal to help you control time-wasters such as unexpected visitors and frequent school announcements.
- Plan for smooth transitions between lessons and always try to have materials ready for each lesson or activity.
- Assign homework to extend practice time. Homework should allow students to practice skills they have already learned.
- Consider how and when you schedule restroom breaks for maximum efficiency.
- Improve student attendance. Attendance has a big effect on teaching and learning time. Impress upon parents the importance of good attendance and teach an actual lesson on how it hurts to miss school.
Delegating Tasks
Good classroom managers know how to delegate. Aides, volunteers, and students can handle many classroom tasks and save you enormous amounts of time. Learn to use these valuable helpers.
By: Vilma L. Hernandez | Teacher II | Tomas Pinpin Memorial Elementary School | Abucay, Bataan
