Classroom Management Tips - Time Management

The good Earth has given us just 24 hours in a day. About six of those hours are spent in a typical grammar or high school classroom. And about 40 minutes are so are given to each class. That may seem like an eternity to a 12 year old, but the truth of the matter is, between taking attendance, getting kids to quiet down and the occasional fire drill, those 40 minutes are a drop in the bucket. Therefore, time management is essential...no...critical, if you're going to run an efficient classroom. This article will give you some tips to manage YOUR time effectively.

At the top of the list is to have each day's lesson plan done in advance. I'm not just talking about having it written on paper. I'm talking about "acting" it out at home to make sure that everything you want to accomplish can actually be done in the allotted time given to you. Sometimes, what looks good on paper turns out to be a whole different animal once you actually begin to go over the material. And naturally, you want to leave room for student questions.

Next thing you want to do is make sure that any aids that you need, such as projectors, computers, and so on, are in the classroom, ready to be used, and in working order. A typical teacher's nightmare is walking into their classroom expecting to find an overhead projector only to find a space where the projector was supposed to be. This wastes much valuable time trying to track one down, if one can even be found at all. And then if not, a whole class is wasted or plans have to be changed midstream. This is NOT effective time management.

If you're a traveling teacher, meaning you move from classroom to classroom, there are a couple of things that you should do. First, make sure that the classrooms you're going to have the necessary items to conduct your class. If they're not equipped, either arrange for them to be or bring the necessary items with you. Also, make sure that you keep all your books with you at all time. This gets a little tough if you don't have your own classroom and have many different subjects, but if you're teaching the same thing all day, it does become a lot easier.

In my signature you'll find a review of a great classroom management resource that I think you'll find most helpful in keeping your classroom organized.