Maximising Time

Better time managementNQT Day 11/10/11

Andy Fitt – Assistant Principal, Itchen 6th Form College (with thanks to Liz Petheram for ideas)

When I was young my mother used to say to me,

“To pay for your education, your father and I had to make a lot of sacrifices.”

And it was true, because they were both druids.

Milton Jones

Face facts – there will ALWAYS be more demands on your time than you can cope with:

Lesson preparatio

n

Marking and feedback

College deadlines

College events (parents evenings/open evenings

etc)

Report writing

Changes of syllabus

Etc etc etc

Immovable challenges

College deadlines

Size of sets

Nature ofsubject

Demands of

syllabus

Student commitment

Parental expectation

Number of sets

But – some things you can’t change......

So – let’s look at the areas that we can do something about:

Lesson preparation

Marking and feedback

Planning ahead

Managing your time (and stress levels)

Lesson preparatio

n

Rarely is the question asked:

“Is our children learning?”

George W. Bush

Lesson Preparation - 1

Are you using a clear structure for all your lessons?

Keep to these ideas and you’ll find planning gets quicker

Lesson Preparation - 2

Talk to colleagues – get ideas from them and share resources – don’t reinvent the wheel each lesson! Keep your resources for the future.

Lesson Preparation - 3

Ask for help – from your head of department/staff in your area/other NQTs/support staff/your NQT manager......

Lesson Preparation - 4

Make sure that the basics are working:

Start on time Include a starter activity to allow latecomers

to enter without disruption and also to allow you to do the register without being distracted

Structure your lesson so you leave enough time for a plenary

Finish promptly (so you can start the next lesson on time!)

Marking and feedback

“To those of you who received honours, awards and distinctions, I say, well done. And to the “C” students, I say, you too can be President of the United States”

George W. Bush, commencement address to graduates of Yale University, 2001

Marking & Feedback - 1

This is the most important part of your job BUT it doesn’t have to take all night!

Ask yourself:• What do you need to assess?• Why are you assessing?• What do you need to feed back?• Is your feedback appropriate?• What will students act on?• Do you have to do the marking? (use peer marking/Moodle etc)

Marking & Feedback - 2

Some strategies:

Assess content or skills

Monitor not mark

Using mini-whiteboards

Timed essays

Essay plans

Shorter pieces of work

Self or peer assessment with mark scheme

Student pre marking prior to submission

Mini tests

Cover sheets for targeted feedback

File checks

“Their homework is so hard these days .......It’s totally done differently to what I was teached when I was at school.”

David Beckham, on why he gave up trying to help his 6 year old son with his maths homework

Planning ahead

College is breaking my spirit. Every single day, they’re telling me

things I don’t know. It’s making

me feel stupid.

Marty, The Gilmore Girls

Planning Ahead - 1

Some strategies:

Use a diary – all the time! (Outlook works well!)

Put in all the college dates for the year TOMORROW

Prioritise all your tasks – decide what HAS to be done by when (tip – prioritise initially by who asks for it – if the Principal asks for it, do it before everything else!)

In your diary, backtrack and add an entry showing when you will do important tasks

For example......................

Planning Ahead - 2

Example:

1.Student reviews due on 22n

d Nov

2. My student reviews

need to be finished by 20th Nov

3.15t

h Nov – start my student reviews

Put ALL these three dates in your diary!

Planning Ahead - 3

Keep looking at your scheme of work – this will help you plan sequences of lessons

Check you know NOW when the exams for your subject will be

Find out the dates for whole-college events that might stop you from teaching a class – add this into your planning

Managing your time (and stress levels)

“This boy is every inch a fool but luckily for him he’s not very tall.”

School report comment

Managing your time - 1

Keep LISTS of things to do, otherwise you’ll forget. (I keep a folder on my computer marked “To Do” and then add dated lists i.e. “October 2011”)

DON’T check your emails every time you sit down at the computer – set yourself a time in the morning and a time in the evening to check these and stick to it

When you’ve got a lot to do focus on one task at a time and get it done. Set yourself a time limit.

Managing your time - 2

Keep prioritising – your key task is to make sure the students can succeed – everything else should take a back seat!

Be logical – don’t spend 2 hours preparing a test that will be done in 10 mins and won’t really help you or the students that much.

And above all.............................................

Managing your time - 3

Remember that YOU are your students’ greatest asset -

Look after yourself:eat wellget enough sleepdon’t work all the timespend time with your family

It’s a great job – and it does get easier!

Parent – Teacher Night:Let’s Share the Blame

Banner hung above the entrance of Springfield Elementary School, The

Simpsons