Effective Planning: A Lifesaver for All Teachers

Effective planning for teachers is essential for all teachers but it is especially important for those who are facing a tough year. We'll discuss how mastering the art of efficient planning can save time and energy, reduce stress, and lead to a more fulfilling teaching experience.

Effective Planning for Teachers

We all know how we can stumble down the rabbit hole of internet planning and get lost in our million of open tabs trying to not forget anything. To be effective in our planning, we need to be extremely clear about what we need to get done before we even being to plan.

First, we need to make a list or add to a list of what needs to get done. Decide how and where your list will be most effective. Paper, a bullet journal, Google Keep, or your standard phone Reminders app. Whatever it is, they all have pros and cons. Think about if you always have your phone on you, then having reminders that can alert you is a huge win. I also love the simplicity of a bullet journal and crossing off the task when you are done is blissful.

After we have created this list, we need to prioritize what needs to get done first. This maybe is what has been on the back burner and forgotten about or what needs to be planned now because you are teaching it next. It’s all up for you to decide. Before you start to panic, decide a couple of things each day that you can accomplish. Set a goal and try your best. Somedays you’ll be able to get your prioritized list done and more and some you won’t get done any. That’s teaching life.

Another great way to be very effective in your planning is to plan repetitive tasks. They often get a bad rap, but when it comes to teaching, they can be a game-changer. Imagine spending less time reinventing the wheel and more time fine-tuning your lessons. Eduprotocols offers a range of structured frameworks that can be reused across different subjects and units. By incorporating familiar routines, you not only simplify your planning process but also give your students the opportunity to grasp concepts more quickly and have to explain the task less! They have frameworks for language, math, and soon social studies!

Visible Thinking Routines are also a game changer for your planning and classroom. These free routines are a set of questions or a brief sequence of steps used to scaffold and support student thinking. They were designed to deepen students’ thinking and to help make that thinking visible in several different categories of topics. They would work well with any subject.

Time Management for Educators

Depending on where you work and our prep times are probably different but one thing I know for sure, our preps are never long enough! We need to be smart to use that prep time well. We already discussed using a tool for your to do lists and prioritizing what you need to do. You also should be keeping a planner whether it be digital or on paper. I personally love a paper planner but I went digital this year so that I can include my links in my plans, and hopefully re-use my plans next year.

It is really smart when planning to pre-determine what prep is to plan which subject. Batch similar tasks together to save time from task switching. You could use one prep to plan math lessons, assessments, and marking or you could set preps for lesson planning, grading, and administrative work. This minimizes context-switching and improves your efficiency.

Set Realistic Goals for yourself. As teachers we never know if we are going to have to deal with an issue with a student on our prep or actually get our prep time but try to set achievable goals for each day or week. This helps you avoid feeling overwhelmed and promotes a sense of accomplishment. Nothing feels better than crossing off a task!

Something I really struggle with is distractions. There is always a colleague who wants to speak to you, a student who wants your attention, announcements blaring on the load speaker or even an annoying sound of clicking can drive me crazy when I’m really trying to focus. First, I grab everything and more that I need, find a quiet spot or go hide somewhere in the library and put on my Sony headphones and turn on Calm’s thunderstorm soundscapes and get in the zone. With no distractions, I get more done.

Every morning, we always have Language first thing and I’ve found that coming up with work they need to complete throughout the week and giving it all to them on Monday, has been extremely helpful for my stress because I only have to plan it once and I don’t even explain it because we have already practised it for weeks and it is based on repetitive tasks (Eduprotocols) so the students know exactly what to do. This way, the students can quickly get to work and I can work with students in small groups.

Teacher Workload Management

Our workload as teachers is never ending. We need to learn how to say no and be protective about our capacity and don't be afraid to decline additional responsibilities that could contribute to an unmanageable workload. We can also do this by setting some clear boundaries between work and personal life. Avoid taking work home every day, and allocate specific times for work-related tasks during evenings or weekends, or don’t take work at all. If you are like me, and haven’t really heard about boundaries until recently, you may want to purchase my Teacher Self Care Planner or my Year Start Mastery Course which both discuss the importance and help you learn about and plan your own Eduboundaries.

Understanding that we will always have something else to do, gives you permission to drop the guilt and shame and make sure you are taking time to eat without working or go for a walk on a break. It is so good for our mental health to get outside and take a break from our work throughout the day. By doing so, we can return more productive to work and actually get more done!

As elementary teachers we are supposed to be ‘generalists’ but we cannot be great at everything. You need to decide what you want to focus on, why you got into to teaching and focus on that. Focusing on your passions will make you feel more joy and get your students to be more engaged because they can feel your enthusiasm.

In conclusion, the significance of effective planning for teachers cannot be overstated, particularly during challenging academic years. Navigating through the maze of endless online resources can often lead to a chaotic planning process, leaving us lost in a sea of tabs and unchecked tasks. To counter this, clarity becomes our guiding light—the cornerstone that paves the way for efficient planning. By defining our objectives clearly right from the outset, we set the stage for a streamlined approach to our planning endeavors.

Mastering the art of effective planning isn't just about checking off tasks; it's about reclaiming our time, preserving our energy, and alleviating the burden of stress. It's about sculpting a more enriching and satisfying teaching journey. When we methodically structure our plans, we create a roadmap that not only keeps us on track but also enables us to adapt to unforeseen challenges with grace and agility.

Ultimately, by embracing efficient planning techniques, teachers equip themselves with a powerful tool that transforms the daunting into the manageable, the overwhelming into the achievable. It's a catalyst for productivity, a shield against burnout, and a gateway to a more rewarding teaching experience. So, let us continue to hone this skill, weaving the threads of clarity and purpose into the fabric of our planning, ensuring that each day in the classroom becomes an opportunity to inspire and empower our students.