Fitting it all in: time management

last updated:November 2009

Whether new teacher, 2nd year teacher or established teacher, you’ll appreciate these tips from Engage members.

Getting started

• Arrive at school in plenty of time to sort out small issues in the morning. A calm start to your day will work wonders for you and your pupils.
• Put aside time at the beginning and end of each day to check plans and equipment you need. This only need to be ten minutes or so. Using an electronic diary can help so that you can print out the day's jobs.
• Don’t panic! It is inevitable that you are going to feel swamped by the vast forests that have been chopped down just for you.
  

Prioritise and plan

• Plan when you are going to tackle different parts of your work load in the week to help you keep on top of things. Write down on your timetable how you will use your non-contact time.
• Prioritise what is important, what is urgent and what could be left for a while.
• Never waste time looking for vital information. Build a sensible system of paperwork and pupils’ records so you will be able to find things quickly, and then you can spend your time on the thing that matters – becoming a good teacher.
• Plan to do the demanding lessons, for example when you have to use a complicated ICT resource, when you have a more relaxing day (not when you are on break duty).
• Keep a close eye on your lesson timing and stop early enough for the pupils to clear away properly. Then you won’t spend your break picking up pens and putting away rulers.
• Write lesson plans in detail. These will help the delivery of your lessons and save you time in the future, especially if you amend them retrospectively after a very good lesson.
• Don’t leave school until you have sorted out all the next day’s lessons. Use the quiet time after school to refocus for the next day. Pile all your folders on your desk in order and check all worksheets.
  

Use the systems efficiently

• Photocopy in bulk. If you often use one worksheet, get masses photocopied and store them. Most schools have a reprographics assistant who will copy work for you if you give it to them in advance – make use of this. Always have spare copies.
• Deal with administration immediately. Lots of memos require a quick comment – have a pen to hand to reply immediately.
  

Get the most out of your mentor, colleagues and pupils

• Make sure you pencil in timetabled meetings with your induction mentor.
• Team up with colleagues to share the planning tasks
• Pupils want to be engaged in their learning, so get them involved in the management of their learning space and assessment of each other’s learning.
• Use some of your non-contact time to observe an experienced colleague. Plan the focus of your observation beforehand with your induction tutor.
• If you get behind on your marking – and it is very likely you will – talk to your head of department. They will understand that it will take you substantially longer than an experienced teacher to do your marking and will adjust the time accordingly.
  

Be strict with yourself and colleagues

• Where you have control over deadlines, set them realistically. If you hand something in early, you'll look efficient, too!
• Have a cut off time in the evening and do not work beyond it.
• Say yes to social invitations and stick to them. Plan your work around them not the other way around. You need a life.
• Where you have a choice, learn to say ‘no’ to tasks that have a time commitment disproportionate to their ultimate value. When you don't have a choice set the deadline realistically.
• Make a regular non-negotiable time when you answer email and phone calls.
• Set yourself achievable marking targets, such as six essays or ten books per night and stick to it!
• Give yourself a time limit. Always have a cut off point when your work will finish. Overwork will not help anyone in the long run.

Finally...

'Give yourself a pat on the back. You have a great job! Enjoy it.'

Credits

Thanks to the following for their contributions to this page:

• Jane Hough – assistant head teacher (and now part of the GTC Professional Networks team)
• Jan Nicholls – deputy head teacher responsible for CPD, initial teacher training and curriculum
• AllysonIngall – deputy head teacher and local authority advisory teacher (nowa development adviser with the GTC's Teacher Learning Academy (TLA))
• Helen Horsley – assistant head teacher, Varndean School
• Ian Simpson – deputy head teacher, Ganton Special School
• Hannah Richards – English NQT 2005-06
• Loretta Lloyd – Geography NQT 2005-06