Teacher Time Savers {Powerpoints}

As teachers, our time is very valuable. We spend lots of time looking up ideas and strategies to keep our kiddos engaged. We try to use every single minute while the kids are in our care to make sure they are provided the most of their time. However, we all know that every single day does not go as planned. How do you make the most of it in your classroom? I have a few ways I try to save time in my classroom.

My first little timesaver is teaching my kids all that I want them to know about their iPads within the first month of school. What is it that I teach them exactly? Well, here's a quick list:

- teach how to take a selfie (This teaches them how to find the camera. I also show them the shortcut to find the camera by swiping up.)

- teach how to record a video (This sets them up on recording their recording later on.)

- teach how to record a partner (They get extra practice recording others and practice using video)

- teach them how to login to any apps that require a login. (We put a sticker with their username and password on the back of each iPad.)

- teach them how to do a QR code (They will be able to use this for SeeSaw, listening centers, qr codes on their recording sheet and any other things that you use your QR codes for.)

After you've taught them everything that you want them to do, they're set for the year except for any new ideas you come across.

I know I've probably mentioned this idea before, but it seriously is life and classroom changing. I teach through a PowerPoint for reading. I have my entire morning routine in a PPT. Now, everything that I say and do is not in that powerpoint, but it helps to keep me on track. I made it ONCE and just change a few things and reserve for each day of the week. Let's look at my PPT from last week.

The very first slide is always our good morning song. We usually greet each other and tell one thing that happened the night before or something from the weekend if it's Monday. We also talk about a goal that we have to make sure we have a great day. This is usually only about 5 minutes. I have this already up and on the board as they walk into the room. We wait for announcements and the late stragglers and then get started immediately.

Next, I get up to do the snack and my calendar helper goes through our calendar routine. This way, I'm not wasting their time and we're accomplishing something that can easily be done by a kid. I still watch, but am getting office things ready. The calendar helper writes in all of our information and then leads the class in counting up until today on the calendar, saying the days of the week and the months of the year.

That's what most of our calendar area looks like. My calendar helper fills in all of the blanks each morning. You can grab this calendar set freebie over on my blog, Enchanted Kinder Garden as well as some more goodies in that same download.

If you have a wireless mouse, you could also click through the PPT without being at your computer. So let's say someone walks in your room during the song, click easily and then the calendar helps gets right up to do their job and your class never misses a beat.

The next slide is always our phonemic awareness. I put the objective down at the bottom so if anyone ever walks into our room, they'll easily know the skill we're working on. This is also AMAZING to leave for a substitute. I leave an old laptop anytime a sub comes. It doesn't connect to the internet, but has the PPT for the day or days that I am away.

The PPT also includes our book, essential questions, phonic skills, high frequency words, pictures of sheets that they have to complete and everything! It literally takes me about 20 minutes to get this done for the week. It's part of my lesson planning routine and saves me SO much time during the week.

I also add in videos or links to the videos if I'll be showing a short video as well. That way, I don't have to click out, go to an internet browser and find what I need.

I have mentioned this as well, but it is my FAVORITE timesaver of all. I set my Daily 5 rotations on a timer in my PPT as well. I usually set it for about 12 minutes. I have a chime that goes off when it changed. My kids know that this means clean up. However, the group that is at my table does not leave just yet. I keep them for the minute or two that everyone else is cleaning up. This way, I maximize the time I have with that group and the rest of the kids are able to transition without me actually doing or saying anything.

Just click above to download a template.

Teacher Timesavers {Binder Clips}

If there is one thing I think I have heard almost every teacher say it is definitely that there is just not enough time in the day.  Anything that I can find to save me time is like gold in my book. I am sharing 4 of my favorite tips with you today so you can save just a little bit of your precious time.

Do you get your class list before the school year starts and label 7,257 things with each of their names? Yup me too...and I alphabetize them so that I can easily run through my list of kids in order and always know who is missing, who didn't bring back their permission slip, and who's homework is missing.  But what happens when a kid leaves? Or a new students arrives? Do I have to relabel my student cubbies to keep them in alphabetical order? NOPE! Because I use binder clips for labeling them.  I can quickly move them around as needed and students are able to see their name even when there are papers in the cubby.   

So sometimes I try to push the limits of the amount of paper I can successfully cut at the same time JUST so I don't have to cut each page separately only to totally cut through half of the writing on pages 5 through 10.  Binder clips to the rescue again! Clip each side together before cutting, and poof! Perfect cuts on each page.  This little trick even works with a paper cutter to save your hand muscles.

 Okay one more binder clip tip while I'm on a roll here.  I used to just clip stacks of papers together at the top and throw them in my bag at the end of each day. Then I'd get home, and just looking at the mess of papers in my bag would stress me out so much, most of the time I wouldn't even take them out.  Then I started using binder clips on the side of my pages so that I could label them and see right away what I needed to do. Maybe before dinner I knew I had 5 minutes so I could grab the stack to grade quick.  After dinner I maybe had a half hour before heading to the gym so I had plenty of time to cut the pages I needed to prep.  Basically it helps me divide my tasks into smaller doable chunks that don't overwhelm me. And if I decide not to open my teaching bag at home? They are all labeled for me to try to finish up at school in the morning.

Okay one last tip. One thing I never had enough space for was anchor charts in my classroom.  So I would tape them up all over the place.  Then I would have to take them down and tape up new ones constantly. Then I realized that my anchor chart paper had 2 perfect little holes at the top just the right size for command hooks.  So I started putting up command hooks anywhere I knew I'd want to hang a chart.  Then it became super easy to hang new charts over old ones or even hang a whole pad of chart paper. I never had to struggle with ripping the anchor chart when i pulled it down to move it, and I could easy flip back to older charts to reference them with the class as needed.  And guess what? If your chart paper doesn't have holes at the top do you know what you can use to hang them? That's right binder clips, haha. Just clip 2 at the top of the page and use the silver pull back parts {does that part have a name?} to hang on your hooks.

Alright time to go buy stock in binder clips, because I have a feeling there's going to be a huge surge in Amazon binder clip orders tonight ;) Seriously though, I hope you've found something that you can use to save you time in your classroom! Be sure to come back each day for the rest of the month to find more timesavers from out EE crew!

Cramming It All In {w/ iTeachSTEM}

Teachers are experts at fitting a TON of content into every little minute of the day. We have to be. With growing class sizes, challenging standards, and increasing demands on our time, it's necessary to be a master of manipulating time. Cramming learning into every possible activity.

With that being said, I will admit. I struggle BIG TIME with this. I have sooooooooo many awesome ideas. I have sooooooooooo little time to teach each class. This leads to soooooooooooo much rushing throughout the day. My poor fifth graders hear me say, "We have so much to do and not enough time to do it!" almost every single day.

So what can a teacher do?
How can we compete with the increasing demands on our time without giving up what really matters? Teaching our students. Not just the content standards, but how to be responsible. Kind. Courageous. Honest. Caring. Adventurous. Trusting. Wise. Careful. The list really goes on and on and on.

I've found that the best way to squeeze more time out of the day is to be sure to set up specific routines early in the year. This may seem like a no-brainer, but I swear that as a new teacher ten years ago I had no CLUE how important this was. I actually assumed my 10-year-old students would kind of figure it out. HA!

Over the years I have tried so many strategies. And let's face it - there is NOT a one size fits all answer. As a fifth grade teacher who is responsible for instructing four class periods each day as well as lunch, recess, specials, assemblies, etc. I have had to be creative with my time. Here are three ways I have found to help "cram it all in" each day.

I know that a lot of teachers swear by "morning work" and I can totally see how this would be an awesome use of time. However, at my school students are provided with breakfast to eat in the classroom each morning and some students don't arrive until a few minutes before the bell rings. Also, since I only have my homeroom class for those 15-20 minutes, my other three classes would miss out on that morning work time - especially since I would want to use class time to review what had been done.

Since my schedule runs more like a middle school, with students rotating every 70 minutes, I find that doing a quick bell-ringer type activity works much better. Students are trained to answer various types of questions on their white boards (quickly) and flash their answers on my signal. This is a great way to start class since it gives students a moment to get organized and join in as soon as they are ready. It also allows me to assess their understanding of the subject matter before jumping into the lesson. (I kinda love that one student also wrote "Mrs. Coker is awesome" on her board.)

This year, a new law was passed in Tennessee. Students MUST be given a certain number of minutes of physical activity per day. Recess and PE are great, but we needed to add a bit more into each day. As a teacher who already struggles to "fit it all in", I wasn't too sure how I would be able to include more free movement each day. Don't get me wrong, I know the importance of physical activity and even agree with the idea of adding an extra recess each day. But HOW could I give up precious instructional time without falling behind quickly?

I decided to do some brain breaks throughout my lessons - especially on days when they are more "lecture intensive" and students are required to listen and take notes for the majority of the class. And you know what? I haven't been running out of time! Students seem to be better able to focus after a quick break. I still get through my lessons. And I am in compliance with the new law. Win-win-win!

If you teach older students like I do, you're probably thinking that so many of those cute little brain breaks all over Pinterest just wouldn't get your kiddos up and excited. Yeah. You're right. I tried a few and they flopped. Mostly my students wanted a chance to talk, walk about, giggle a bit, and stretch. But if I just gave them "free time" I would likely never get them refocused. So I use a lot of science "rap" songs from YouTube during my lessons. Students are allowed to dance, sing, or tap out a beat while the song is playing. BUT, when it finishes, they are responsible for answering some questions related to the content of the song. I love this compromise. If you teach science, feel free to check out this Pinterest board where I collect my favorite science (and a few math) songs.

Some days I just don't have a good song, so I grab my stack of brain break cards and challenge the students to something silly like writing their names on the air using the end of their nose. Not only does this get the kids laughing and relaxed, but it's so much fun watching them. (Teachers need a quick brain break too!)

If you're interested, check out my Brain Breaks for Bigger Kids on TpT. Or click on the picture above.

I used to dread "the timer" as a kid. My parents would set the kitchen timer when I refused to finish my dinner. (Sweet and sour chicken - the worst!) I would watch the timer count down while I tried to swallow one bite at a time. Somehow I would manage to get finished eating before the timer rang.

Now I LOVE my timer. I use it as much for me as for the kids. Let's face it. I get so caught up in an activity that I tend to lose complete track of time. I have been known to forget to take my students to lunch on occasion. Yikes! It's also a great way to teach students to budget their time wisely. As a teacher in the upper grades, I am stuck preparing students for those dreaded end-of-the-year standardized tests. Those tests are timed. And I'm not allowed to tell them to hurry up during the tests. So if I train them to be aware of the time and how much is remaining, I believe they will be better prepared for a timed assessment.

One of my teaching partners ordered this timer for everyone on our team a couple years ago, and I ADORE it. It's simple to use and very visual for kids. I display it on my document camera when I give my students a set amount of time to complete a task or exam.

Students have a very visual cue as to how much time is remaining. I still remind them when time is almost up, but this allows them to be a bit more independent. And saves me rushing students to lunch ten minutes late just because I was having too much fun discussing the process of photosynthesis.

Purchase one of these timers on Amazon.com here:

We have a saying at our school:
"Every second, every minute, every hour of every day for every Pirate."
How do YOU make every bit of the school day count for YOUR students?

Cramming It All In {The Super Sparkly Teacher}

We all know that it can be such a challenge to fit everything into our busy schedules. There is so much reading, teaching, and assessing to do. In the first grade world, sight words require much attention. I have found a few ways to work them into our jam-packed day.

I have replaced many of my GoNoodle brain breaks with HeidiSongs. My kiddos are still dancing, moving, and having fun, but shh... they're learning too. They ABSOLUTELY love the HeidiSongs videos. I recently stocked up on DVDs during her Labor Day Sale, but I'm sure there'll be another sale soon enough. Also, if you can't afford the DVDs right now, some of her videos are on Youtube {click HERE}.  #sneakyteacher

You can also play or sing the songs during transitions. My kiddos have already learned a few to the point where they can just sing them aloud. We sang them as we transitioned from one class to another during a school-wide event.

It's taken time, but I've learned how to make the most of my time. When we visit the library, I always take my assessment materials. I pull a few students and work in sight word practice and/or assessments. I always have up-to-date information on where my kiddos are. Is there a time when you can sneak in a little practice with even just one kiddo? Even on Picture Day I carried around my sight word list. #beefficient

I hope that you too are able to find some ways to cram it all in and have a successful school year!

Cramming It All In {Mrs. Thompson's Treasures}

Being a homeschool teacher, I don't feel as much pressure as far as "cramming it in" goes. Since we have 5 kids though, I do rely heavily on schedules and routines to help us survive! Each day, in addition to teaching all subjects for 3rd, 1st and Pre-K, I take care of a 3 year old and a 6 month old. I am also the lunch lady, the custodian, the nurse, and the counselor.

I type up our schedule and post it so we can all refer to it during the day and see where we should be. Here is what our fall schedule looks like this year:

Obviously if you are a classroom teacher, this is much different than your scheduling, but some of the ideas can still apply. 

*I have set our day up so that I am available to help those who need me for a certain subject while the others have independent work. That way no one is sitting around waiting for me to help them. 

*Of course it does happen sometimes that someone is waiting for my help, or they just finish their work before it's time to move on. I make sure they know what they should be doing while they wait (reading, finishing other work, helping others). Setting up procedures for what to do in times like these can help prevent wasted time during the day. 

*We schedule in plenty of break and play times. It can seem counterproductive when there is so much to be done, but it really is easier for kids to focus and get their work done efficiently when they have time to rest their minds and exercise their bodies! 

*Cut out the busy work! It's easier for me to do this since I'm not required to take grades, but think about what is really necessary for the students' learning and what is something that might be considered "busy work." I am learning that sometimes kids just really don't need to do 30 of the same math problems to practice a skill. Many times I will skip extra pages in a workbook or cross out some problems if they are repetitive. Of course some students may need this and that's ok, the point is to assess when extra practice is just not needed and you can move on to something else.

Cramming It All In {The McGrew Crew}

As mentioned before, The McGrew Crew is a homeschooling family. While we may not have the same time constraints as a normal school environment, setting schedules and making routines is necessary to assure we cram it all in. I will go over a few of the ways we get everything done around here.

To avoid wasting time in the morning I think it's important to set clear expectations from the beginning. I have three boys. Being their mom I know they won't work well for me if I put them straight to work out of bed. They are allowed to get up, eat breakfast, watch 1 show and/or play quietly in the morning. But by 8:30, the TV goes off and school starts. Having this routine helps everyone stay on task.

One way that I make sure I'm getting everything in during the day is my lesson plan...which I prefer as detailed as I have room for. I have learned that writing in pencil is necessary though, as flexibility is a must in teaching. This is my new lesson plan for the year: 

As in regular school, having a plan written down helps anyone (grandparents, my hubby) be able to take over easily should I get sick or need to be gone.

Another way I try to use my time wisely is by putting 1 or 2 kids on computer lessons when I know someone will need my one-on-one help. Then I can switch kiddos and be able to give individual help to everyone without wasting precious school time!

My last idea for cramming it all in without wasting time is by being as organized as possible. Make your organization strategies be convenient not only for you, but for the kids. This is my favorite way to organize my kids work.

Each of my boys has a cart like the one above. The first 8 drawers have their school work and the last 2 are saved for special projects or assignments they're working on.  Every night I will put a star on each subject box that needs to be completed for the day. If it's an assignment that can be finished independently they will remove the star and put it in the box, which tells me it's been completed. Any stars that are left tell me they needed help and couldn't finish it on their own.

Fitting everything in each day can sometimes seem impossible, but having a routine and organized classroom that is convenient and useful by everyone will keep you from wasting time.

HAPPY CRAMMING! ;~)

Cramming It All In {The Learning Chambers}

I'm very familiar with a very tight schedule.  I previously taught in a Dual Language school and our schedule and routines were planned out to every minute.  I had to make sure that the kids and I were cleaned up and ready when it was time to switch to the next class.  Super tight but totally do-able!  I now teach in a school that services the Gifted and Talented students in my district.  Our days are super busy and it's so important for me to stay on top of our schedule.

One thing that has become my best friend in a very tight schedule is to have a countdown timer up and running during activities.  I have an activboard and I use their timer ALL THE TIME.  It's a great visual for the kids and it helps me avoid the "how many more minutes till we clean up?" or "how many minutes do we have left?" questions.

After I introduce the activity and give the directions, I immediately tell the kids how long we have and I set the timer in front of them.  I even add a fun sound so that when our time is up, they know.  Today I used an elephant and they got a big kick out of it.

Don't have an activboard?  No worries ... did you know that Google has a timer?

Just search for the amount of time that you need to count down and the timer starts automatically.  WAIT...WHAT?!?!  I know!  Such a huge time saver and the best part is that the timer is super loud when it goes off!  Great to get your class' attention.  I used this today while we were in the computer lab and my students started cleaning up when there was less than a minute left.  I didn't even have to ask them.  It was perfect!  

I hope that my quick tip helps you cram in all that you do in your busy schedule.  You guys rock!  

How do you stay on schedule?  I would love to hear about it in the comments.