Tuesday, September 7, 2021

Maximizing Our Time

 Maximizing Our Time

As educators, we are always looking for more time; more time to meet with small groups, more time for extensions and remediation, more time for RTI, more time for planning, and more time to run to the restroom. It is a gift that we seldom are blessed with, but are desperately need. What are some ways we find extra minutes in our day? What can you do to maximize your time throughout the day?

One, look at what you are doing. Are you a perfectionist that has to have everything done perfectly? Are you feeling overwhelmed and cannot prioritize tasks? Do you have a hard time asking for help? Look at your day and see where you spend the majority of your time. Spend time either Monday morning or Sunday night to look at your week; take a few minutes to organize the tasks you need to get done. Look to see if there are tasks that you and your team can work together to accomplish more efficiently. Find a weekly or daily planner that helps you see what has to be done, needs to be worked on, and can wait until later. By organizing your tasks, you can focus on what needs to be done first and save time worrying about getting it all done at once.

Is your team working as a team? Does everyone have their “job” done on time? How can being a more efficient team help your workload? Look at the procedures you have in place for your PLC; do they all ensure your team is working efficiently? If team members are not living up to their part of the pact, it needs to be addressed before it builds up animosity. It is important to be able to discuss concerns with your team, less stressful work environments make it easier to work.  A good rule of thumb is to document who is responsible for what task and what day it needs to be completed by.

An effective way to make your PLCs more focused and efficient is to incorporate protocols into the agenda. Look at your PLC agenda and see where you can maximize time with a protocol. There are protocols for all types of conversations from analyzing data to focusing on student work to observing one another teach; they are research-based and a tried and true way to keep your eye on the topic, get the information you are looking for, and utilize your time wisely. A great website for protocols is the SRI: School Reform Initiatives (https://www.schoolreforminitiative.org/protocols/). It has many protocols and explanations of how to use them.

And if push comes to shove and you are overwhelmed….take a break. Odds are you need to breathe, clear your mind, and regroup. It is important to not work yourself into a state that your mental health is not being taken care of. Most deadlines are able to be extended, if only asked; there is support for teachers who need it- from content support to classroom management support, if the support staff knows you are needing assistance. Ask for help when it is needed; we all need help periodically!

You got into this fantastic profession for a reason, do not allow the tasks and deadlines to burn you out of a career you were made for.

 

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